Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren is widely regarded as one of the most important founding members of the Democratic Party. Over the course of his political career, he held positions such as governor of New York, secretary of state, and vice president of the United States, among other positions. Martin Van Buren won the presidential election of 1836 with the assistance of Andrew Jackson, though he was defeated in his bid for reelection in 1840 by William Henry Harrison. Van Buren ran for president for the third time in 1848, this time as a member of the Free Soil Party.
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