5. James Polk, the “Original Dark Horse” of 1844
A photograph of James Polk, the eleventh U.S. president. Source: Library of Congress
The 1844 Democratic nominee for president was supposed to be Martin Van Buren. But the Republic of Texas, newly independent from Mexico, was asking to join the United States, and Van Buren’s opposition to the annexation became his undoing during the Democratic nominating convention held in Baltimore.
After the convention nearly tore itself apart, the Democrats finally chose James Polk, who had been a vice presidential favorite and a former Speaker of the House, to lead the ticket, making Polk the “original dark horse candidate,” in the words of historian Ted Widner. Polk went on to narrowly defeat the Whig party’s Henry Clay by less than 40,000 votes in the general election.
6. Reagan’s Late Surge
Ronald Reagan on his way to his 1981 presidential inauguration. Source: Reagan Library
Today, Ronald Reagan’s 1980 defeat of Jimmy Carter seems like it must have been a foregone conclusion. After all, Reagan won 44 out of 50 states and beat Carter by over 10 percent in the final popular vote tally. But only a week or so before the election, Carter was ahead.
A late October Gallop Poll put the incumbent Carter up by 8 percent among registered voters and by 3 percent among likely voters. But Reagan’s performance in that contest’s only televised debate, held on October 28th, changed voters’ minds, and the ground shifted under Carter’s feet. Despite late polls putting him behind, Reagan accomplished a dramatic victory.
7. Kennedy Knocks Out Nixon
John F. Kennedy holds a press conference several days after winning the 1960 presidential election. Source: JFK Library
Vice President Richard Nixon was a likely successor to the popular Dwight Eisenhower who, after two terms in office and the adoption of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, was unable to run again. But Nixon’s opponent in the 1960 presidential contest was Senator John F. Kennedy, one of the most talented young politicians of the 20th century. Boosted by his performances in four debates – the first televised debates in U.S. history – Kennedy narrowly defeated Nixon.
Only 113,000 votes, or less than 0.2 percent of the total votes cast, separated the two candidates, and though Nixon took more states, Kennedy won the Electoral College count. He was the youngest president ever elected, and he had came into office as the winner of the closest U.S. presidential election of the 20th century.
