Looking back at previous presidential election rematches in US history

It’s looking like Trump vs. Biden in 2024 will be the 7th rematch in a presidential election

(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Super Tuesday results are in, and as expected, it looks like President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump will square off again just as they did in the 2020 presidential election.

Both candidates still need to earn the required amount of delegates to officially clinch the nomination for their respective parties, but that appears to be a formality in the coming months.

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It’s been nearly 70 years since there last was a presidential election rematch, but it has occurred more than people might think in U.S. history.

There have been six times that the presidential election has pitted candidates who also ran for the White House in the previous general election.

Here is a look back at each of those rematches, according to Pew Research Center.


John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson (1796 and 1800)

Things were a bit different back then with how political parties nominated candidates, as evidenced by the fact that Jefferson was named vice president after losing out to Adams in the 1796 election.

Four years later, it was incumbent president vs. vice president in the 1800 election, with Jefferson this time prevailing.

However, it was an unusual process. Jefferson actually ended up tying for first with his running mate, Aaron Burr, so the House of Representatives actually had to vote on who would be president. Jefferson was eventually chosen. Before the next election, the 12th Amendment was ratified to require separate balloting for president and vice president.


John Quincy Adams vs. Andrew Jackson (1824 and 1828)

Adams and Jackson were among four candidates to run in 1824, and that election was decided by the House of Representatives after none of the candidates received a majority of the vote.

The House chose from the top three vote getters, but the one who didn’t make the cut, House Speaker Henry Clay, convinced other members to vote for Adams over Jackson and William Crawford. When that plan worked, the newly-elected Adams appointed Clay as his secretary of state.

That obviously infuriated Jackson, who turned his rage into forming a contingent of supporters and building toward a run in 1828. Jackson was successful, defeating Adams in the rematch and serving two terms.


Martin Van Buren vs. William Henry Harrison (1836 and 1840)

Van Buren, who was Jackson’s vice president, ran for president and won in 1836 over Gen. William Henry Harrison.

But by the time 1840 rolled around, Van Buren’s popularity had waned and Harrison had a fervent party of supporters that nominated him to run again. The second bid was successful, as Harrison beat Van Buren comfortably.


Grover Cleveland vs. Benjamin Harrison (1888 and 1892)

If Trump wins the 2024 election and regains the presidency after losing a reelection bid four years prior, he won’t be the first.

Cleveland was elected in 1884, but lost to Harrison in the 1888 election. Upon moving out of the White House, Cleveland’s wife Frances reportedly told the staff to, “take good care of all the furniture and ornaments in the house. For I want to find everything just as it is now when we come back again four years from today.”

Come 1892, Frances Cleveland’s forecast proved to be correct. Grover Cleveland easily defeated the incumbent Harrison and was back in the White House.


William McKinley vs. Williams Jennings Bryan (1896 and 1900)

A depression before the 1896 election pretty much was the end for Cleveland, and so voters turned to McKinley over Bryan to help get the country out of the mess.

Bryan had no opposition for the Democratic nomination in 1900, so he challenged McKinley again. The results were the same however, as McKinley won his reelection bid.


Dwight D. Eisenhower vs. Adlai Stevenson (1952 and 1956)

The biggest competition before the 1952 election was the battle between Democrats and Republicans for Eisenhower, the World War II general who was so popular that both parties wanted him as their candidate.

Eisenhower eventually ran as a Republican and beat Stevenson in 1952. The rematch in 1956 was even worse for Stevenson, who saw Eisenhower win 57% of the popular vote and 43 states in the electoral count.


About the Author

Keith is a member of Graham Media Group's Digital Content Team, which produces content for all the company's news websites.

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