The Whigs nominated Taylor, a Southern general who had never voted their party ticket, but they made no formal declaration of principles.

The Democrats repeated with colorless additions their platforms of 1840 anti 1844 and sought to win the election with a Northern man, Lewis Cass of Michigan, as candidate.
There was, therefore, a clear field for a party having fully defined views to express on a topic of commanding interest.

The cleavage in the Democratic party already begun by the debate over the Wilmot Proviso was farther promoted by a factional division of New York Democrats.

Martin Van Buren became the leader of the liberal faction, the "Barnburners," who nominated him for President at a convention at Utica.

The spirit of independence now seized disaffected Whigs and Democrats everywhere in the North and Northwest.