What Matters: The role of the vice president envisioned by the Constitution is very different than what we see today. So by 1804 the 12th Amendment to the Constitution replaced the founders' not "excellent" system with one whereby electors voted separately for president and vice president. Although Andrew Jackson's vice president, Martin Van Buren, won an electoral vote majority for president in 1836, Johnson, his running mate, fell short of the needed majority. Beginning with Richard M. Nixon (1953-61), vice presidents rarely preside over the Senate and although the successor role is important since nine vice presidents have succeeded to the presidency upon the death of eight presidents and the resignation of one, more than 80% of vice presidents don't succeed to the presidency. Five sitting or past vice presidents have been elected president (Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren, Nixon and Bush) and nine became president following a presidential death or resignation.

Source: CNN August 08, 2020 12:11 UTC