In the Presidential election , Democratic former Speaker of the House James K. Polk defeated Whig former Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky . Though Polk won the popular vote by a little over one percent , he won by a comfortable margin in the electoral college . James G. Birney of the nascent Liberty Party took two percent of the popular vote , and may have swung the election by taking votes from Clay in New York . The little-known Polk defeated several rivals to win his party 's nomination , emerging as the first dark horse nominee in U.S. presidential history . Incumbent President John Tyler , who had been expelled from the Whig party early in his presidency , was briefly the candidate of the newly formed Democratic-Republican Party , but dropped out of the race after Polk announced his support for ratification of Tyler 's Texas annexation treaty . In the House , Whigs picked up a small number of seats , but Democrats retained a commanding majority
his party 's nomination
1844 Democratic National Convention
1844 United States elections