Siete
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- May 19, 2014
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Since the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary came to national prominence as the first two contests in the modern presidential nomination system in 1972, the only candidate to lose both and go on to win the presidency is Bill Clinton.
In 1992, Clinton garnered only 2.8 percent of the caucus vote, which was won by Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa. Because Harkin had a clear home-state advantage, other candidates passed up Iowa that year, making New Hampshire the first real voter test of the Democratic field. But Clinton also lost the New Hampshire primary, to Sen. Paul Tsongas from neighboring Massachusetts. Clinton eventually recovered in time to win the Democratic nomination, dubbing himself the "comeback kid."
Others have lost one or the other contest on the way to the White House, but not both. George W. Bush; his father, George H.W. Bush; and Ronald Reagan all lost one of the two early states in 2000, 1988 and 1980, respectively. In fact, of the nine election cycles of the modern presidential selection system, only in 2004 and 1976 did both major party nominees sweep the early states.
In 1992, Clinton garnered only 2.8 percent of the caucus vote, which was won by Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa. Because Harkin had a clear home-state advantage, other candidates passed up Iowa that year, making New Hampshire the first real voter test of the Democratic field. But Clinton also lost the New Hampshire primary, to Sen. Paul Tsongas from neighboring Massachusetts. Clinton eventually recovered in time to win the Democratic nomination, dubbing himself the "comeback kid."
Others have lost one or the other contest on the way to the White House, but not both. George W. Bush; his father, George H.W. Bush; and Ronald Reagan all lost one of the two early states in 2000, 1988 and 1980, respectively. In fact, of the nine election cycles of the modern presidential selection system, only in 2004 and 1976 did both major party nominees sweep the early states.
