Presidential Also Rans Quiz | U.S. Government

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1972, George McGovern lost the U.S. presidential election in a landslide to incumbent Richard Nixon. Which was the only state that McGovern won?

Answer: Massachusetts

George McGovern, a senator from South Dakota, was routed by President Nixon. He lost the electoral vote by 520-17 and won only about 38% of the popular vote. McGovern was considered too "liberal" by most American voters, except in the state of Massachusetts.

2. Who lost the 1876 U.S. presidential election despite winning the popular vote?

Answer: Samuel Tilden

Samuel Tilden was indeed one of the most unfortunate candidates in U.S. political history. Despite winning 51% of the popular vote and leading in electoral votes, 184-165, againstto opponent Rutherford Hayes, Tilden did not gain access to the White House because of a disputed 20 electoral votes.

A controversial deal was made by Congress which awarded the 20 votes to Hayes. Thomas Hendricks would later serve as a vice-president to President Cleveland, and Winfield Hancock would lose in the 1880 presidential election. Bayard was a senator from Delaware.

3. Franklin Roosevelt won four U.S. presidential elections between 1932 and 1944. Which of the following men did he NOT defeat in a final election?

Answer: John Garner

John Garner, a native of Texas, was President Roosevelt's vice-president from 1933 to 1941. FDR defeated Alf Landon in 1936, Wendell Wilkie in 1940, and Thomas Dewey in 1944. Dewey would also lose the 1948 presidential election to Harry Truman.

4. In 1964, Barry Goldwater lost the U.S. presidential election to Lyndon Johnson. Who was Goldwater's running mate?

Answer: Bill Miller

Bill Miller, a politician from New York State, quickly slipped into obscurity after the 1964 election defeat. He would later be featured in American Express Card ads which had the theme, "Do you remember me?"
Wallace and LeMay were running mates in the 1968 presidential race; Romney was a Republican contender in the 1968 primaries.

5. In 1996, Robert Dole lost the U.S. presidential election to incumbent Bill Clinton. In which state was Dole born?

Answer: Kansas

Bob Dole was born in Russell, Kansas, in 1923. He was a member of the University of Kansas Jayhawks basketball team. He would later represent Kansas in Congress from 1961 to 1996.

6. William Bryan lost three U.S. presidential elections between 1896 and 1908. What was his middle name?

Answer: Jennings

William Jennings Bryan, from Illinois, was a skilled public speaker and a devout Christian. He lost two elections (1896 and 1900) to William McKinley; he was defeated by William Taft in 1908.

7. Which one of these unsuccessful candidates for U.S. president never served as a vice-president?

Answer: James Blaine

James Blaine had a remarkable political career in the 19th century, serving as a senator and as a secretary of state; however, he never became a vice-president. He lost in 1884 against Grover Cleveland.
Breckinridge served with President James Buchanan (1857-1861) and Hubert Humphrey was Lyndon Johnson's VP (1965-1969). Walter Mondale worked as vice-president during the Jimmy Carter administration (1977-1981).

8. Which future Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court lost the 1916 presidential election to incumbent Woodrow Wilson?

Answer: Charles Hughes

Charles Evans Hughes narrowly lost the 1916 election to Wilson, by a margin of 277-254 in electoral votes. He would become the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1930. James Cox lost the 1920 presidential election to Warren Harding; Fairbanks was vice-president during the Theodore Roosevelt presidency. Root, a U.S. secretary of state, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912.

9. In 1872, which U.S. presidential candidate went insane and died shortly after his loss to incumbent Ulysses Grant?

Answer: Horace Greeley

Horace Greeley was a long-time newspaper writer and editor. His election defeat, plus the sudden death of his wife, caused him to go insane and die shortly after the 1872 presidential election; his 66 electoral votes were officially distributed to other members of the Democratic Party. Seymour lost the 1868 presidential election to Grant. Brown and Adams were candidates during the 1872 presidential primaries.

10. Which grandson of a U.S. vice-president lost two presidential elections to Dwight Eisenhower?

Answer: Adlai Stevenson

Adlai Ewing Stevenson II lost both the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections to "Ike." His grandfather, Adlai E. Stevenson, was the vice-president for Grover Cleveland, 1893-1897. Sparkman (1952) and Kefauver (1956) were Stevenson's running mates. Dulles served in the Eisenhower administration as secretary of state from 1953 to 1959.

Source: Author mrgrouchy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Presidential Also Rans Trivia Quiz

Here is a quiz about some candidates who have lost U.S. presidential elections. I hope you have fun!

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