1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to his third term as president of the United States.

1844: Democratic candidate James K. Polk defeated Whig Party candidate Henry Clay to become the 11th president of the United States. Democrats nominated Polk as the nation's first "dark horse" candidate on the ninth ballot of the Democratic National Convention. Democrats nominated Polk as the nation's first "dark horse" candidate on the ninth ballot of the Democratic National Convention, after former president Martin Van Buren lost his bid because of his opposition to annexing Texas, a position deemed unacceptable by Southerners and by former president Andrew Jackson. (Source: Library of Congress)