U.S. Voters Witness First Presidential Election Rematch in Seven Decades
March 19, 2024
It’s (all but) official. The United States has its first presidential rematch since 1956 now that President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump clinched their party nominations by securing a majority of delegates.
Why it matters: The last time there was a presidential rematch, Democratic Party Nominee Adlai Stevenson lost to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In that second race, Eisenhower secured an even more decisive victory than he did in 1952.
How many ex-presidents have returned to the White House?
- So far, just one. Grover Cleveland is the only president in U.S. history to serve two non-consecutive terms. Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president.
- A Democrat anti-corruption crusader and governor of New York state, Cleveland narrowly won the 1884 presidential election. Four years later, he again won the popular vote, but was defeated in the Electoral College by Republican Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland again ran against Harrison in 1892, this time handily winning a second term.
Will Former President Trump be the second?
A variety of polls and media reports illustrate the wide range of expectations for November’s election:
State of the Union: President Biden came out swinging in a speech that never outright mentioned former President Trump by name but referred to his “predecessor” over 13 times when offering a contrast of his four years to those under Trump.
Biden followed up his State of the Union with a $30 million ad buy and a ground tour of crucial swing states this spring. Biden’s campaign has $130 million in the bank, compared to the Trump campaign’s $56 million. These totals include money from both party committees, the campaigns themselves, and joint fundraising accounts.
The bottom line: A lot can happen between now and November’s election, including shifts in the nation’s economy and geopolitical tensions overseas. Some observers also have reflected on the possibility of a last-minute October surprise.
Please contact James Montfort (jmontfort@crefc.org) with any questions.