Martin Van Buren was the personal choice of Andrew Jackson and faced no opposition for the Democratic nomination.
The Whigs, however, were badly split and decided to field a number of regional candidates in the hope of having the issue decided by the House of Representatives (as had been the case in the Election of 1824). William Henry Harrison, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe, hoped to gain the support of Western voters, Daniel Webster had strength in New England, and Hugh Lawson White had backing in the South.
In the end Van Buren destroyed the Whig strategy by polling well in all sections of the country. The Whigs, however, were able to make significant gains in Congress.
As a historical footnote, no vice-presidential candidate received a majority of the electoral votes cast in 1836. Under the provisions of the Constitution (see Twelfth Amendment), the Senate was to make the final determination. Richard M. Johnson (Kentucky) was chosen to serve with Van Buren. This was the only instance in which the Senate has been called upon to perform this duty.
| Election of 1836 Candidates |
Party | Electoral Vote | Popular Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Martin Van Buren (NY) |
Democratic |
170 |
764,176 |
|
William Henry Harrison (VA) |
Whig |
73 |
550,816 |
|
Hugh L. White (NC) |
Whig |
26 |
146,107 |
|
Daniel Webster (NH) |
Whig |
14 |
41,201 |
|
W.P. Mangum (NC) |
Anti-Jackson |
11 |