U.S. presidential election

United States presidential elections determine who serves as President and Vice President of the United States for four-year terms, starting on Inauguration Day (January 20th of the year after the election).

Presidential election trends

In recent decades, one of the presidential nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties has almost always been a an incumbent President or a sitting or former Vice President. In fact, in the likely case that the 2008 election is an open race, it would be the first time since the 1952 election and only the second time since the 1928 election in which neither a Vice President nor a sitting President will be either party's nominee.

Related Topics:
Democratic - Republican - Vice President - 2008 election - 1952 election - 1928 election

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When the candidate has not been a President or Vice President, presidential nominees of the two main parties have been state Governors or U.S. Senators. The last nominee from either party who had not previously served in such an office was General Dwight D. Eisenhower who won the Republican nomination and ultimately the presidency in the 1952 election.

Related Topics:
Governor - U.S. Senator - Dwight D. Eisenhower - 1952 election

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Contemporary electoral success has perhaps favored state governors. Of the last five Presidents (Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush), only George H.W. Bush had never been Governor of a state. Geographically, these Presidents were all from either very large states (California, Texas) or from a state south of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of Texas (Georgia, Arkansas). The last elected President from a northern state and sitting U.S. Senator elected President was John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts in 1960.

Related Topics:
Carter - Reagan - George H.W. Bush - Bill Clinton - George W. Bush - California - Texas - Mason-Dixon Line - Georgia - Arkansas - John F. Kennedy - Massachusetts

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