1848: Democrats: Lewis Cass The Democrats were also split by the Mexican War annexation ... themselves in 1856 as the American Party. It was made up of mostly ex-Whigs who were anti-Catholic ...

Pierce won the general election against his former commanding officer in the Mexican War, the Whig's Party's Winfield Scott (one campaign slogan: "We Polked you in 1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852").