Jackson declined to seek a third term in 1836 , instead throwing his support behind his chosen successor , Vice President Van Buren . With Jackson 's support , Van Buren won the presidential nomination of the Democratic Convention without opposition . Two names were put forward for the vice-presidential nomination : Representative Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky , and former senator William Cabell Rives of Virginia . Southern Democrats , as well as Van Buren , strongly preferred Rives , but Jackson strongly preferred Johnson . Again , Jackson 's considerable influence prevailed , and Johnson received the required two-thirds vote after New York Senator Silas Wright prevailed upon non-delegate Edward Rucker to cast the 15 votes of the absent Tennessee delegation in Johnson 's favor
Democratic Convention
1835 Democratic National Convention
Presidency of Andrew Jackson