North Carolina was one of the key battleground states in the presidential election of 1844. The state had been trending to the Whig Party, but the Democrats rebounded in 1842 to take control of the legislature.

National Whigs also realized the stakes in North Carolina. Henry Clay visited the state on 4/12/1844, just before the Whig National Convention. During his visit, Clay held a private conference with state Whig leaders, including Edward Stanly, John M. Morehead, and George E. Badger. He shared a letter he had written on the issue of the annexation of Texas, which was scheduled to appear in the newspapers later in the month. Clay's "Raleigh Letter" set forth his position against annexation; it appeared in the papers on the same day as a similar letter from Martin Van Buren, and many political leaders believed that the two men scheduled the publication of the letters to appear simultaneously. The publication of the letters played a critical role in the decision of the Democratic National Convention to pass over Van Buren.

North Carolina's state election on 8/1/1844 was widely perceived as a test of the strength of the two national parties. The Whig Party won the race for Governor, retaining the seat, and gained control of both houses of the legislature.

As was often the case in North Carolina, turnout for presidential races was less than that in the state elections. Both parties lost roughly 10,000 votes, and Clay was able to carry the native state of the Democ

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North Carolina was one of the key battleground states in the presidential election of 1844. The state had been trending to the Whig Party, but the Democrats rebounded in 1842 to take control of the legislature.

National Whigs also realized the stakes in North Carolina. Henry Clay visited the state on 4/12/1844, just before the Whig National Convention. During his visit, Clay held a private conference with state Whig leaders, including Edward Stanly, John M. Morehead, and George E. Badger. He shared a letter he had written on the issue of the annexation of Texas, which was scheduled to appear in the newspapers later in the month. Clay's "Raleigh Letter" set forth his position against annexation; it appeared in the papers on the same day as a similar letter from Martin Van Buren, and many political leaders believed that the two men scheduled the publication of the letters to appear simultaneously. The publication of the letters played a critical role in the decision of the Democratic National Convention to pass over Van Buren.

North Carolina's state election on 8/1/1844 was widely perceived as a test of the strength of the two national parties. The Whig Party won the race for Governor, retaining the seat, and gained control of both houses of the legislature.

As was often the case in North Carolina, turnout for presidential races was less than that in the state elections. Both parties lost roughly 10,000 votes, and Clay was able to carry the native state of the Democratic nominee for President, James Polk. The Whig press pointed out that Polk lost his home precinct, his home county, his home state (all in Tennessee), and his native state (North Carolina).

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