Van Buren Administration - Post-presidential Years
Post-presidential Years
After being voted out of office in 1840, Van Buren at first traveled about the country trying to revive his political career and plot a run in the 1844 presidential campaign. When Democrats (as the Democratic-Republicans were now called) learned of his opposition to the annexation of Texas and the expansion of slavery, however, his candidacy was essentially sunk. At the nominating convention of 1844, James K. Polk of Tennessee emerged as the Democratic candidate and won the election easily.
After becoming alienated from his own New York Democrats, who were more and more leaning toward the support of Polk, Van Buren invested his political hopes in the abolitionist Free Soil Party for the election of 1848. His defection split the Democratic vote in New York, and the Whig candidate, Zachary Taylor, won the presidency. Afterward, Van Buren had very little to do with political life, though he did serve the...
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