Breckinridge was born near Lexington , Kentucky to a prominent local family . After serving as a non-combatant during the Mexican – American War , he was elected as a Democrat to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849 , where he took a states ' rights position against interference with slavery . Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1850 , he allied with Stephen A. Douglas in support of the Kansas – Nebraska Act . After reapportionment in 1854 made his re-election unlikely , he declined to run for another term . He was nominated for vice-president at the 1856 Democratic National Convention to balance a ticket headed by James Buchanan . The Democrats won the election , but Breckinridge had little influence with Buchanan and , as presiding officer of the Senate , could not express his opinions in debates . He joined Buchanan in supporting the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution for Kansas , which led to a split in the Democratic Party . In 1859 , he was elected to succeed Senator John J. Crittenden at the end of Crittenden 's term in 1861
1856 Democratic National Convention
1856 Democratic National Convention
John C. Breckinridge