Campaign
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1789
Military experience and leadership during Constitutional Convention give Washington the presidency 		1792
Washington coasts to victory again, running as the great mediator between the divided Federalists and Democratic-Republicans 		1796
John Adams narrowly defeats Thomas Jefferson, advocating for commercial interests and a strong central government
1808
Federalist opposition to the Embargo Act of 1807 not enough to overthrow the hand picked successor to the popular Jefferson administration 		1804
Lower government spending and territorial expansion connects with electors, and Jefferson wins easily over Charles Pinckney 		1800
Alexander Hamilton leads opposition to Aaron Burr, breaking an electoral tie to give Jefferson the win in a fiery and divisive election
1812
Support for the War of 1812 and strong party unity carries the vote for James Madison over federalist DeWitt Clinton 		1816
Secretary of State James Monroe credited with standing up to the British in the War of 1812 and protecting American commercial interests. Landslide win over a declining party 		1820
Federalist Party remains irrelevant and fails to field a candidate, guaranteeing James Monroe a second term during the post-war "Era of Good Feelings"
1832
Jackson's veto of the bank recharter bill solidified his image as a common man and populist, defeating Henry Clay of the National Republicans 		1828
Andrew Jackson wins a rematch of 1824, running as a war hero and populist who opposed the "corrupt bargain" of 1824, in which Adams allegedly handed favors to some electors 		1824
John Quincy Adams supported the "American System", a nationalization of economic policies, and opposed the Missouri Compromise. He lost the electoral vote but won the runoff in the House
1836
Jackson's endorsement of his vice president carries the day for Martin Van Buren, who pledged to continue Jackson's policies 		1840
The Panic of 1837 sent the country into an economic depression under the Van Buren administration, and Harrison sails into office as a commoner and war hero 		1844
James Polk favors the annexation of Texas and expansion into Oregon under Manifest Destiny. Barely beats Henry Clay, who tried to remain neutral on slavery and expansion
1856
Buchanan manages to stay neutral over the Bleeding Kansas conflict, and in the process gets some northerners to vote for him, in spite of threats of secession 		1852
Democratic candidate Franklin Pierce wins after enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act causes many southern Whigs to abandon their party. The US divides into northern Republicans and southern Democrats 		1848
Mexican-American war hero Zachary Taylor manages to stay neutral on the controversial subject of expanding slavery, and defeats Lewis Cass in a close election
1860
Lincoln's moderate stance on slavery wins him the white house, however, the first Republican elected president causes many southern states to secede, eventually leading to war 		1864
Seceding confederate states were banned from voting in 1864, leading to a landslide victory for Lincoln. Decisive battle victories for the Union also kept morale high for his party 		1868
Democrat criticism of Reconstruction policies not enough to overthrow Ulysses Grant, popular for his victories on the battlefield during the war
1880
Garfield's "front porch" campaign emphasized lower immigration and higher tariffs to protect American workers. This was the last of six wins in a row for Republicans 		1876
An electoral commission handed Rutherford Hayes the victory even though Samuel Tildon won the popular vote. Bitter disputes followed, and the Reconstruction Era quickly ended a year later 		1872
Grant gains black support after he protects voting rights during Reconstruction, and his wartime record remains popular
1884
Many Republicans defected in 1884, citing James Blaine's financial impropriety during the Gilded Age. Cleveland maintained an outsider image of integrity and honesty 		1888
Harrison favored tariffs to protect American workers, and Civil War pensions for veterans. Two key northern swing states, Indiana and New York, also helped Harrison defeat Cleveland 		1892
In a rematch of 1888, the public grows weary of Harrison's tariffs and the new Populist Party steals votes from the Republicans, granting Cleveland a return to Washington
1904
Vice President under McKinley, and already president for three years after the assassination, Roosevelt won by advocating a bold foreign policy and strong economy 		1900
A rematch of 1896 provides the same result, McKinley over Bryan. A strong economy and victory in the Spanish-American War are key factors in the win, and ushers in an era of national pride 		1896
Tariffs and the gold standard for the US dollar were major elements in William McKinley's "front porch" campaign, which resonated with many urban voters, concerned about job security
1908
Square Deal Roosevelt policies become associated with Roosevelt's hand picked successor, William Taft, who cruises to victory over a weakened Democratic Party 		1912
Wilson's "new freedom" progressive agenda of strong anti-trust legislation, lower tariffs, and banking reform helps him win in an era of distrust of big business. Roosevelt runs as Bull Moose nominee, dividing his party 		1916
Strong pacifist and isolationist sentiment sweeps the nation on the outset of WWI. "He kept us out of war" Wilson also appealed to labor unions and workers with progressive social policies
1928
Another landslide win for the Republicans in the 1920s, where Herbert Hoover promised "a chicken in every pot and two cars in every garage". Democrats failed to field any effective opposition 		1924
Calvin Coolidge easily defeated John Davis during the height of the prosperous "Roaring Twenties". Coolidge used the new medium of radio to run his pro-economy campaign 		1920
Disillusioned by WWI and revolutions abroad, the public also was worn out by domestic race riots and labor strikes. A failure to enter the League of Nations was the final straw for the Democrats and opened the door for William Harding
1932
Under the backdrop of the Great Depression, FDR's New Deal for the American economy won over voters tired of the "rugged individualism" of the Hoover years, and hoping for government intervention into the marketplace. 		1936
American voters attribute a recovering economy to FDR's New Deal relief policies. Also, his effective strategy of communicating directly to Americans by radio offered hope for a better future 		1940
FDR opted to run for a third term and got full agreement from Americans who were cautious of a leadership transition during a period of international conflict. He still had support for his domestic agenda
1952
Popular, charismatic WWII war hero Dwight Eisenhower cruises to victory, campaigning on lowering taxes and inflation. "I Like Ike" caught on with voters wanting a change from longtime Democratic policies 		1948
Give Em Hell Harry campaigns energetically across the country and barely defeats the front runner Dewey in an upset election. Appeals to working Americans and opposition to a do-nothing, wealthy class get widespread attention 		1944
The popular wartime incumbent wins again, mostly due to a string of Allied victories in WWII. Dewey's attacks on FDR's declining health did not convince voters to change leadership
1956
Peace in Korea and economic prosperity at home are key issues for voters as Ike beats Stevenson again. Eisenhower's likeable personality and sincerity are also factors 		1960
JFK gave a strong performance in the televised debates, appearing confident and self assured to Nixon's lack of energy. He also appealed to civil rights leaders and made a commitment to halt communism around the world 		1964
Lyndon Johnson campaigns behind the strength JFK's legacy and the grief over his assassination. Widespread support for The Great Society and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also contributed to a 61% popular vote win, the largest in history
1976
Georgia peanut farmer and governor portrays himself as an outsider, in opposition to establishment candidate Gerald Ford. Watergate backlash, the Nixon pardon, and a downward economy give Jimmy Carter the win 		1972
Nixon gains widespread Democrat support for his creation of the EPA, diplomatic outreach to China, and pledge to end the Vietnam War. Watergate was still a side story, and Nixon takes every state except Massachusetts 		1968
Social unrest, assassinations, and anti-war protests plagued the nation in 1968, catapulting Nixon to the presidency. The "silent majority" and "law and order" were also key Nixon talking points
1980
High inflation, a prolonged hostage crisis, and an aborted hostage rescue effort set the stage for Ronald Reagan in 1980. The newcomer made a strong debate appearance when he asked "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" 		1984
Widespread appeal of Reaganomics, increased military spending, a tough line foreign policy, and a charming and optimistic personality gave Reagan the repeat win, carrying all but Minnesota. Meanwhile, Mondale had trouble shaking the Carter brand 		1988
George HW Bush ran a campaign that was strong on the Reagan economy, crime reduction, and no new taxes. His ad campaign targeted Dukakis' soft on crime reputation and poor environmental record. Meanwhile, Dukakis looked terrible in a tank
2000
George W Bush lost the popular count to Al Gore but won the electoral vote after a Florida recount. In spite of a boom economy, Gore avoided mentioning the past and instead explained his stance on the budget and tax relief, using what Bush called "fuzzy math" 		1996
Gaining momentum from a rebounding economy in his first term, Clinton deflected attacks on his character and strategically placed himself in the political center, funneling votes away from Dole. 		1992
Independent candidate Ross Perot won around 19% of the popular vote, siphoning support from Bush. Clinton hammered Bush on his no new taxes pledge, and sold himself as the candidate of change and the cure for the ailing economy
2004
George W Bush ran as the counter-terrorism candidate and attacked Kerry for being a flip flopper for voting for the war in Iraq, but then somehow running against it. Election took place just before WMD became in serious question 		2008
The housing bubble burst in 2008 and plunged the US into a deep recession. Obama campaigned on hope and change, while McCain announced that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong". Not even Sarah Palin could rescue 		2012
A slowly recovering economy didn't prevent the public from supporting Obamacare and the Osama Bin Laden raid. Obama portrayed Romney as a wealthy, out-of-touch businessman, which proved an effective distraction from the economy
2024
Trump's promise to implement tariffs on imports, drain the swamp, and deport foreigners connects with middle class workers weary of Joe Biden's immigration policies and high inflation. Harris was given just two months to campaign after party insiders removed Biden due to mental incapacity 		2020
The Trump economy of the late 2010s was just hitting stride when COVID derailed the momentum. Trump's handling of the virus was considered too strong by some, and ineffective by others. Joe Biden capitalized on high voter turnout, many balloting by mail 		2016
Donald Trump won a close and surprising election in 2016 by campaigning on tariffs to protect trade, jobs for Americans, and border security. Hillary Clinton's efforts to appeal to all interest groups fell short during an era when identity politics began to wear thin