1844 Democratic National Convention
The 1844 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held in Baltimore, Maryland from May 27 through 30. The convention nominated former Governor James K. Polk of Tennessee for president and former Senator George M. Dallas of Pennsylvania for vice president.

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 simple majority of the vote, but fell short of a two-thirds majority. 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 only 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 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 Dallas as Polk's running mate. The Democratic ticket went on to win the 1844 presidential election.
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presidential nominating convention
Concept
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Baltimore, Maryland
LOC
Q5589724
Governor
PER
Q11891
James K. Polk
PER
Q1509
Tennessee
LOC
Q11696
president
Concept
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George M. Dallas
PER
Q1400
Pennsylvania
LOC
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vice president
Concept
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annexation of Texas
Concept
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Southerners
LOC
Q11820
Martin Van Buren
PER
Q5589680
Governor
PER
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Lewis Cass
PER
Q1166
Michigan
LOC
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Richard Mentor Johnson
PER
Q1603
Kentucky
LOC
Q12325
James Buchanan
PER
Q11817
Andrew Jackson
PER
Q2914973
dark horse
UNK
Q777453
Silas Wright
PER
Q1384
New York
LOC
Q698731
1844 presidential election
Concept
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1844 Democratic National Convention
EVE
1844-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1844
DATE
1844-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1844
DATE
+27^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
27
NUMBER
+30^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
30
NUMBER
point in time
point in time
position held
office held by head of government
position held
office held by head of government