For those unfamiliar with the term, a “dark horse” refers to a candidate who emerges unexpectedly and is relatively unknown to the public but is considered a viable contender for one reason or another. The United States has seen several dark horse candidates secure their party’s nomination, and while some were not very successful, others have gone on to obtain the highest office in the land. In this article, I’ll discuss six lesser-known candidates who went on to become President of the United States.
6. Franklin Pierce
By the 1850s, the issue of slavery was deeply dividing the United States. The two major parties, the Democrats and the Whig Party, struggled to find candidates who could appeal to the American people while keeping the nation together for a little while longer.
Enter Franklin Pierce, a former Senator and U.S. Representative from New Hampshire. Despite being out of politics for many years, Pierce was seen as a candidate who could appeal to both Southerners and some Northerners due to his policies and Northern residence.
Pierce secured the Democratic nomination and faced off against the Whig Party nominee, Winfield Scott, a general in the Mexican-American War whom Pierce had served under. The election saw low voter turnout compared to previous elections, but Pierce won decisively, carrying 27 out of 31 states and receiving 50.8% of the popular vote.
5. James A. Garfield
In the 1880 Republican convention, the GOP was divided between two factions: the Stalwarts, who supported patronage and rewarding friends with political positions, and the Half-Breeds, who advocated for merit-based appointments. The convention was deadlocked between the factions’ preferred candidates.
Unexpectedly, James A. Garfield, a former Civil War veteran, preacher, and Representative from Ohio, emerged as a compromise candidate. Neither a Stalwart nor a Half-Breed, Garfield’s neutrality made him a favorable choice. He won the nomination and, despite a very close election, became the 20th President of the United States.
4. Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding, a former newspaper publisher turned Senator from Ohio, was seen by many historians as one of the most corrupt presidents in U.S. history, based on the standards of the time. Nonetheless, he was well-liked by many Americans during his era, which contributed to his victory in the 1920 election.
Harding was chosen as a compromise candidate by Republican party leaders in a smoky backroom deal to resolve a deadlock at the GOP convention. Running on the slogan “Return to Normalcy,” which promised a return to pre-World War I conditions, Harding won in a landslide against his Democratic opponent, becoming the 29th president of the United States.
3. James K. Polk
James K. Polk, the first true “dark horse,” won the Democratic nomination for the 1844 election largely due to his strong support for Manifest Destiny, which advocated for expanding U.S. territory. Being relatively unknown to the public worked to his advantage, as his opponents could not use his flaws against him effectively.
Despite the Whig Party’s attempts to undermine him with the question “Who is James K. Polk?”, Polk’s visibility grew, and he ultimately won the presidency, becoming the 11th President of the United States and serving only one term.
2. Jimmy Carter
In the wake of the Watergate scandal and a growing mistrust of government in the mid-1970s, the American public was eager for change. By the time of the 1976 election, many establishment politicians were vying for their party’s nomination. However, they were overshadowed by Jimmy Carter, a relatively unknown peanut farmer and one-term governor from Georgia.
Carter campaigned on themes of honesty, transparency, and being an outsider to Washington politics. After winning the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary, Carter secured the Democratic nomination and narrowly defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford to become the 39th president of the United States. He was the only Democrat elected to the presidency between 1969 and 1992.
1. Donald Trump
Unlike previous entries, Donald J. Trump had no prior political experience before running for president. In 2016, the reality TV star and businessman entered the race for the Republican Party’s nomination. Despite being dismissed by many as a serious candidate, Trump dominated the primaries, insulting other GOP contenders along the way.
Trump won the nomination and went on to challenge former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton. To the surprise of many, Trump defeated Clinton and became the 45th President of the United States, marking one of the biggest presidential election upsets since 1948.
