Inta lagu gudajiray ololihii doorashada ee 1876 ee u dhexeeyay Samuel J. Tilden iyo Rutherford B. Hayes, Dougherty wuxuu dib ugu soo laabtay nolosha siyaasadeed, isagoo khudbad ka jeediyay magaca Tilden, Dimuqraadiga, ee Cooper Union ee Magaalada New York. Sanadkii 1880, wuxuu ka qeyb galay shirweynihii qaranka ee xisbiga dimuqraadiga
anigoo taageersan dadka reer Pennsylvania ee Winfield Scott Hancock. In kasta oo uusan ka mid ahayn wafdiga, haddana ergay ayaa Dougherty ka tanaasulay booskiisa si uu u oggolaado afhayeenka inuu khudbad ka jeediyo magacaabista Hancock ee magacaabista. Khudbadiisu waxay ahayd mid gaaban, laakiin aad u xoog badan oo lagu ammaanay Hancock: