Polk and the 5,106 Votes That Changed America
RealClearPolitics
by Walter Borneman, Coolidge ReviewMarch 4, 2026
"Who is James K. Polk?" the Nashville Republican Banner asked in a headline after news of Polk's nomination as the 1844 Democratic Party standard-bearer reached the Tennessee capital. The question was meant to be derisive, and it struck so shrill a chord that the Whigs adopted it as their national campaign taunt.
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Originally published on RealClearPolitics on 3/4/2026