The Election of 1836 was one of the most unusual contests in U.S. history. Martin Van Buren, backed strongly by outgoing President Andrew Jackson, sought to carry forward Democratic dominance. But the newly formed Whig Party tried an unprecedented tactic: running multiple candidates to splinter the vote and deny Van Buren a majority.
Van Buren for President
After two turbulent terms, Andrew Jackson declined to run for a third. Instead, he put his full weight behind his Vice President, Martin Van Buren.
Van Buren was a skilled political strategist, nicknamed the “Little Magician” for his ability to build coalitions and manage party machinery. A co-founder of the Democratic Party, he had served as senator, governor of New York, secretary of state, and vice president. But unlike Jackson, Van Buren lacked military heroism or personal charisma. His reputation was as a backroom operator rather than a popular war hero, and many doubted whether he could inspire the same devotion.
Jackson’s endorsement proved decisive. Without the general’s backing, Van Buren’s path to the presidency would have been far more uncertain.
To balance the ticket, Democrats nominated Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky, a War of 1812 hero. Johnson, however, was controversial for openly acknowledging a relationship with Julia Chinn, an enslaved woman with whom he fathered children. Though scandalous to many voters, especially in the South, Johnson’s nomination went unchallenged within the party.
The Rise of the Whigs
By the Election of 1836, Jackson’s dominance had transformed American politics. His opponents, long divided between National Republicans, Anti-Masons, and disaffected Democrats, united under a new banner: the Whigs.
Formed in 1834, the Whigs styled themselves as defenders of liberty against executive overreach, likening Jackson to a monarch. Their platform followed Henry Clay’s “American System”: a national bank, protective tariffs, and federal investment in internal improvements. But beyond opposition to Jackson, the Whigs remained a loose coalition — more a patchwork of regional factions than a unified party.
The Whigs’ Unusual Strategy
Without the ability to rally around a single candidate, the Whigs attempted a unique approach. They ran multiple regional candidates, hoping to divide Van Buren’s support and deny him an electoral majority, forcing the decision into the House of Representatives.
Their candidates included:
- William Henry Harrison (Ohio): war hero of Tippecanoe, with broad Western appeal.
- Hugh Lawson White (Tennessee): a senator popular in the South, especially among states’ rights advocates.
- Daniel Webster (Massachusetts): famed orator and champion of New England’s interests.
- Willie Person Mangum (North Carolina): supported mainly by Southern dissidents.
The Whigs even split their vice-presidential nominees. Francis Granger of New York ran with Harrison and Webster, while John Tyler of Virginia paired with White and Mangum.
It was a bold gamble — but also a sign of weakness. The Whigs were united against Jacksonian Democrats but had yet to forge a single national identity.
The Results
The Union had grown again, with Arkansas and Michigan added by 1836, raising the total to 294 electoral votes and 148 needed to win. Though Michigan’s statehood was formally ratified in 1837, its votes were counted.
In the end, Van Buren won comfortably:
- Martin Van Buren (Democrat) – 170 electoral votes; 50.8% of the popular vote
- William Henry Harrison (Whig) – 73 electoral votes
- Hugh Lawson White (Whig) – 26 electoral votes
- Daniel Webster (Whig) – 14 electoral votes
- Willie Person Mangum (Whig) – 11 electoral votes
The Whigs’ fragmented approach left them short. Though they collectively claimed nearly half the popular vote, they failed to prevent Van Buren from securing a majority. Even if the contest had gone to the House, Democratic strength in Congress would have ensured his victory.
The Battle of the Vice Presidents
While Van Buren’s win was decisive, the vice presidency proved contentious. Many Southern Democrats refused to support Richard Mentor Johnson due to his personal life. Virginia’s 23 electors rejected him, casting their ballots instead for William Smith of South Carolina.
This left Johnson one vote short of a majority, sending the decision to the Senate. With Democrats in control, Johnson was chosen — making him the only vice president in U.S. history elected by the Senate in a contingent election.
Clouds on the Horizon
Van Buren’s victory seemed to secure Jacksonian democracy for another four years, but storm clouds were already gathering. Jackson’s Specie Circular of 1836, requiring land purchases to be made in gold or silver, and the destabilisation caused by his Bank War helped trigger financial turmoil. Within months of Van Buren’s inauguration, the United States would plunge into the Panic of 1837, crippling his presidency.
Significance
The Election of 1836 was significant for several reasons:
- It was the first presidential election contested by the Whigs, who would soon become the Democrats’ main rivals.
- It exposed the limits of a multi-candidate strategy, showing that without unity, opposition movements could not topple Jacksonian Democrats.
- It marked the only time a vice president was chosen by the Senate, a sign of division even within the winning party.
- It was the last election of the Jacksonian era, closing the chapter on Jackson’s direct leadership but carrying his influence into Van Buren’s presidency.
Legacy
The Election of 1836 followed Jackson’s sweeping re-elections in 1828 and 1832. With his chosen heir in office, Jacksonian democracy seemed secure. But Van Buren’s victory would quickly sour as the Panic of 1837 devastated the economy, leaving him deeply unpopular.
Next came the Election of 1840, one of the most famous in American history, when the Whigs rallied behind William Henry Harrison in the “Log Cabin Campaign” — and finally toppled the Democrats.
