Under the new map, Delaney's Dodge County was drawn into the new, heavily-Democratic 2nd congressional district. Over the next several election cycles, Delaney would famously engage in a bitter feud with fellow Democrat Edward S. Bragg over which of them would be nominated to serve in Congress. In 1882, Bragg was the incumbent congressman in the 5th congressional district, but now resided in the 2nd district due to redistricting. With the full support of the delegate-rich Dodge County, Delaney believed he was well on his way to securing the nomination. But he was unable to find the handful of additional votes to secure a majority. At the district convention, voting deadlocked at 14-14 for over 1600 ballots. In the end, neither man won the nomination. On the 1601st ballot, two Bragg delegates from Waukesha voted for the relatively unknown Waukesha lawyer Daniel H. Sumner as the nominee, all of the Delaney delegates then followed suit, delivering the nomination to Sumner.
