The San Francisco Chronicle reports that California fans still want Gore for president. And Al Gore is still trying to make up his mind.
What is the historical precedent for renominated losing candidates to win on their second try? Let's look at the major party Presidential nominees who lost their first election and were renominated in the subsequent election. The most recent was Adlai Stevenson (Democrat) who lost in 1952 and again in 1956. Before him there was Thomas Dewey (Republican) who lost in 1944 and again in 1948. Then there was William Jennings Bryan (Democrat) who lost in 1896, again in 1900, and in a masterful triumph of hope over experience, also lost in 1908. We have to go all the way back to William Henry Harrison (Whig) who won on his second try in 1840, after first losing to Martin Van Buren in 1836. (Harrison died after a month in office).
The only first-time loser in the modern era to regain the nomination and win election was Richard Nixon, who sat out 1964 before getting back on the horse in 1968.
My predictions: Al Gore's chances of getting elected President? not very good. The likelihood that the Democrats will nominate him anyway? pretty good.
Acknowledgements: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 23, 2002 02:10 PM