Ronald G. Shafer

About the Author

Ronald G. Shafer is a seasoned journalist and historian whose deep fascination with American political history has shaped his insightful explorations of pivotal moments in the nation's past. With a career spanning decades at The Wall Street Journal, where he honed his skills in narrative-driven reporting, Shafer brings a vivid, engaging lens to the stories of democracy's evolution. His work illuminates how campaigns and elections have transformed over time, blending meticulous research with lively anecdotes to reveal the human drama behind historical events. In The Carnival Campaign: How the Rollicking 1840 Campaign of 'Tippecanoe and Tyler Too' Changed Presidential Elections Forever, Shafer masterfully recounts the boisterous Log Cabin and Hard Cider campaign that propelled William Henry Harrison to the presidency, forever altering the spectacle of American politics. A native of the Midwest, Shafer continues to contribute to our understanding of the republic's enduring spirit through his writing.