Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1844'

(Wednesday, May 29, 1844, approximately 11:45 a.m. local time) — Former Speaker of the House of Representatives James K. Polk of Tennessee was nominated for president of the United States today by delegates to the 1844 Democratic National Convention meeting at Odd Fellows Hall in Baltimore.

Though his opposition to the annexation of Texas cost him support with expansionists and Southerners, former President Martin Van Buren entered the convention with the backing of a majority of the delegates.

Before presidential balloting commenced, the convention voted to reinstate a rule requiring the presidential nominee to win two-thirds of the vote.

On the first presidential ballot, Van Buren won a majority, but fell short of a two-thirds requirement.

As the balloting continued, Van Buren continually lost support to former Governor Lewis Cass of Michigan, former Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky, and Senator James Buchanan of Pennsylvania.

Though he had entered the convention hoping to be nominated for vice president, Polk had the strong support of former President Andrew Jackson and was acceptable to the different factions of the party.

He won the nomination unanimously on the ninth presidential ballot, thus becoming the first dark horse candidate to win a major party’s presidential nomination.

After Senator Silas Wright of New York declined the vice presidential nomination, the convention selected U.S. Senator George M. Dallas of Pennsylvania as Polk’s running mate. He defeated U.S. Senator John Fairfield of Maine 220 to 30 on the third ballot.

The Democratic ticket went on to face the Whig ticket of Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen in the 1844 presidential election.