The Election of 1832
Yet another instance of an incumbent president seeking re-election occurred in 1832 when President Andrew Jackson faced his arch-nemises Henry Clay, who ran on the National Republican ticket. Clay would run for President three times (in 1824, 1832 and 1844), never capturing first place.
President Jackson and his Vice President John C. Calhoun had a strained relationship for a number of reasons. The final blow to the Jackson-Calhoun relationship came when the President nominated Martin Van Buren to serve as Minister to the United Kingdom and the vote in the Senate ended in a tie. Calhoun broke that tie by voting against confirmation on January 25, 1832. The 1832 Democratic National Convention, the first of the Democratic Party, was held in Baltimore from May 21, 1832, to May 23, 1832. No roll call vote was taken to nominate Jackson for a second term. Instead, the convention passed a resolution stating that "we most cordially concur in the repeated nominations which he has received in various parts of the union." Martin Van Buren was nominated for vice-president on the first ballot, receiving 208 votes to 49 for Philip Pendleton Barbour and 26 for Richard Mentor Johnson.
Earlier, the Anti-Masonic Party had held the first national nominating convention in American history. 111 delegates from 13 states (all from free states, except for Maryland and Delaware) assembled in the Athenaeum in Baltimore from September 26, 1831, to September 28, 1831. Ex-President Adams wanted to run as the Anti-Masonic candidate, but the party leaders did not want to risk running someone so unpopular. William Wirt, ironically a Mason, defeated Richard Rush and John McLean for the nomination. Amos Ellmaker was nominated for vice-president.
Soon after the Anti-Masonic Party held its national convention, supporters of Henry Clay called a national convention of the National Republican Party. The convention was held from December 12, 1831, to December 15, 1831, also in the Athenaeum in Baltimore. On the fourth day of the convention, the roll call ballot for president took place. Clay received 167 votes to one abstention. A similar procedure was used for the vice-presidential ballot. John Sergeant of Pennsylvania was nominated with 64 votes to six abstentions.
The principal issue of the campaign was the Second Bank of the United States. Jackson, who disliked banks and paper money in general, vetoed the renewal of the Bank's charter and withdrew federal deposits from the bank. Clay hoped to divide Jackson's supporters and gain support in Pennsylvania, the bank's headquarters, by attacking Jackson. His supporters attacked Jackson's use of presidential veto power, portraying him as “King Andrew”. However, the attacks on Jackson generally failed, despite heavy funding by the bank, as Jackson convinced the ordinary population that he was defending them against a privileged elite. Jackson campaign events were marked by enormous turnout, and he swept Pennsylvania and the vast majority of the country.
Jackson received 54.2% of the popular vote and 219 electoral votes. Clay received 37.4% of the popular vote and 49 electoral votes, while the remainder split among third party candidates.
President Jackson and his Vice President John C. Calhoun had a strained relationship for a number of reasons. The final blow to the Jackson-Calhoun relationship came when the President nominated Martin Van Buren to serve as Minister to the United Kingdom and the vote in the Senate ended in a tie. Calhoun broke that tie by voting against confirmation on January 25, 1832. The 1832 Democratic National Convention, the first of the Democratic Party, was held in Baltimore from May 21, 1832, to May 23, 1832. No roll call vote was taken to nominate Jackson for a second term. Instead, the convention passed a resolution stating that "we most cordially concur in the repeated nominations which he has received in various parts of the union." Martin Van Buren was nominated for vice-president on the first ballot, receiving 208 votes to 49 for Philip Pendleton Barbour and 26 for Richard Mentor Johnson.
Earlier, the Anti-Masonic Party had held the first national nominating convention in American history. 111 delegates from 13 states (all from free states, except for Maryland and Delaware) assembled in the Athenaeum in Baltimore from September 26, 1831, to September 28, 1831. Ex-President Adams wanted to run as the Anti-Masonic candidate, but the party leaders did not want to risk running someone so unpopular. William Wirt, ironically a Mason, defeated Richard Rush and John McLean for the nomination. Amos Ellmaker was nominated for vice-president.
Soon after the Anti-Masonic Party held its national convention, supporters of Henry Clay called a national convention of the National Republican Party. The convention was held from December 12, 1831, to December 15, 1831, also in the Athenaeum in Baltimore. On the fourth day of the convention, the roll call ballot for president took place. Clay received 167 votes to one abstention. A similar procedure was used for the vice-presidential ballot. John Sergeant of Pennsylvania was nominated with 64 votes to six abstentions.
The principal issue of the campaign was the Second Bank of the United States. Jackson, who disliked banks and paper money in general, vetoed the renewal of the Bank's charter and withdrew federal deposits from the bank. Clay hoped to divide Jackson's supporters and gain support in Pennsylvania, the bank's headquarters, by attacking Jackson. His supporters attacked Jackson's use of presidential veto power, portraying him as “King Andrew”. However, the attacks on Jackson generally failed, despite heavy funding by the bank, as Jackson convinced the ordinary population that he was defending them against a privileged elite. Jackson campaign events were marked by enormous turnout, and he swept Pennsylvania and the vast majority of the country.
Jackson received 54.2% of the popular vote and 219 electoral votes. Clay received 37.4% of the popular vote and 49 electoral votes, while the remainder split among third party candidates.