A Look Into History: U.S. Presidential Election of 1840

Martin Van Buren returned to seek his 2nd term as president despite leading the country into the Panic of 1837. He actually ran with no official running mate since the Democrats were tired of Vice President Johnson. 

William Henry Harrison returned as the sole candidate for the Whig Party. 

His running mate was the controversial John Tyler.

James G. Birney ran as the only distant 3rd party for the Liberty Party. Which ran on anti-slavery platform. 

The wake of The Panic of 1837 left the country in a sense of Anti-Van Buren feelings. Harrison used Jackson's strategy to run as a war hero, and as a "man of the people" so to speak. Harrison convinced voters he was a everyday man (despite being very wealthy), and that Van Buren was a rich snob living off the expensive of tax payers.

Harrison's plan worked quite well, with Van Buren suffering a massive loss in electoral votes. Harrison managed to get 234 electoral votes versus Buren's 60. The popular vote was a closer race with Buren only losing by 147,000.

A Look Into History: U.S. Presidential Election of 1836

Jackson decided to retire after 2 terms, so Vice President Martin Van Buren decided to run as a Democrat. 

By this time the Whig Party had formed, and they had a interesting strategy for this election. They elected two nominees, the first being William Henry Harrison. Harrison was suppose to defeat Van Buren in the Northern States. 

While Hugh Lawson White was suppose to defeat Van Buren in the Southern States. The Whig Party would then pick the better of the two if Van Buren lost. Daniel Webster and Willie Person Magnum took a state each as a presidential candidate. They campaigned hard against Van Buren and even upset the Senate in which he was in charge of.

Because of the bizarre nominee practice, the Vice President race was thrown into the Senate. Richard M. Johnson got the most, but not the up-most majority.

 Despite that, Johnson was easily elected in the Senate versus Whig Francis Granger.

The odd strategy proved to be an easy victory for Van Buren. A split Whig vote left him 170 electoral votes versus Harrison's 73, White's 26, Webster's 14, and Magnum's 11.