The election of 1840 is marked by another dramatic upswing in the number of popular votes cast, probably the result of growing public unrest with the economy and the excitement surrounding Harrison’s candidacy.
The race itself marks a turning point in the character of political campaigning. Instead of focusing on “issues” – where Harrison’s positions are typically vague – the Whigs focus on selling his “personal story” vis a vis Van Buren.
Despite patrician roots in Virginia, Harrison is cast as “Old Tip,” a “log cabin and hard cider” common man of the West, and a military hero in wars against the Indians and the British. Meanwhile, the Whigs paint Van Buren as “Van Ruin,” a New York snob, detached from the economic suffering of the people caused by the inept policies of his administration.