Politically , the concept came to the United States in the nineteenth century when it was first applied to James K. Polk , a relatively unknown Tennessee politician who won the Democratic Party 's 1844 presidential nomination over a host of better-known candidates . Polk won the nomination on the ninth ballot at his party 's national nominating convention , and went on to become the country 's eleventh president
his party 's national nominating convention
1844 Democratic National Convention
Dark horse