As a result, many voters supported Polk and his promise to add Texas to the United States. Polk took another unusual position in the 1844 election. He said if he won the presidency, he would serve only one term -- that is, four years. (Several previous presidents had served two terms....
United States presidential election of 1844 was an American presidential election held in 1844 in which Democratic candidate James K. Polk defeated Whig candidate Henry Clay.
During his campaign Polk surprised thecountryby taking a positive stand on two burning issues of the day. Whereas other candidates hedged on the question of whether to annexTexas, which had been independent ofMexicosince 1836, he demanded annexation. Whereas other candidates evaded the problem of ...