But the "bosses" of the Republican party in three great States - New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois - were determined that he should be renominated.
Four years later he was renominated, was elected, was re-elected in 1840, and served from January 1839 until January 1843.
In 1886 he was elected mayor of New York City, his nomination having been forced upon the Democratic Party by the strength of the other nominees, Henry George and Theodore Roosevelt; his administration (1887-1888) was thoroughly efficient and creditable, but he broke with Tammany, was not renominated, ran independently for re-election, and was defeated.
Nevertheless, Van Buren was unanimously renominated by the Democrats in 1840.
In 1859 he was not renominated, and retired from Congress after a continuous service of more than twenty years.