Hello and welcome to another edition of the presidential election series. Today, we’re diving into the Election of 1992, the first three-way presidential election since 1980. President George H.W. Bush is seeking re-election, facing off against Democratic candidate and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and Independent candidate/billionaire businessman Ross Perot. With that in mind, let’s get into it.
The Presidency of George H.W. Bush
After eight years as Ronald Reagan’s Vice President and winning his bid for the presidency in 1988, George Herbert Walker Bush took office during a transformative period in American history. He presided over the end of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall, bringing the Cold War to a close.
Bush’s administration is noted for key achievements, including treaties reducing nuclear weapons between the U.S. and Russia, the 1989 invasion of Panama, and the successful Persian Gulf War of 1990-91. These accomplishments briefly boosted his approval ratings to as high as 91%. Additionally, Bush signed the 1990 Immigration Act, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Clean Air Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Despite these successes, Bush faced challenges. The promise he made during the 1988 election not to raise taxes became a significant issue. The economic downturn led to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, which included tax increases for high-income earners. This move angered conservatives, leading to a primary challenge from Pat Buchanan, a former journalist and advisor to Nixon, Ford, and Reagan. Buchanan’s strong primary performance, though not enough to secure the nomination, highlighted discontent within the Republican Party. Bush won the GOP nomination, with Vice President Dan Quayle once again as his running mate.
Governor Bill Clinton
With Bush’s poll numbers peaking after the Gulf War, many Democratic hopefuls were reluctant to run. The Republicans had controlled the White House since 1968, except for Jimmy Carter’s term in 1976, and the Democratic candidates in the previous three elections had faced significant defeats.
Nonetheless, a few Democrats entered the race, including Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, former California Governor Jerry Brown, and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. Clinton, a centrist/moderate Democrat, managed to secure the nomination despite facing scrutiny over personal matters. He selected Tennessee Senator Al Gore as his running mate, after Gore initially considered running for president himself but chose to support Clinton due to a family crisis.
Ross Perot for President
As Bush and Clinton secured their party nominations, Texas billionaire and businessman Ross Perot announced his candidacy as an Independent in February 1992. Perot’s successful business ventures, including Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems, bolstered his credibility. He initially considered James Stockdale, a Vietnam War hero, as his running mate and ultimately confirmed his candidacy.
In a twist, legendary musician Frank Zappa briefly considered running as Perot’s VP but withdrew due to health issues. Stockdale’s eventual selection helped Perot appeal to voters with his foreign policy experience.
The Election of 1992 Campaigns
With the economy struggling and conservative Republicans disillusioned, Bush focused on his administration’s accomplishments while critiquing Clinton’s lack of foreign policy experience and past draft evasion. Bush’s campaign was hampered by the death of top strategist Lee Atwater from brain cancer in 1991. Former Reagan campaign manager James Baker took the lead, but Bush’s efforts to discredit Clinton faced setbacks.
Clinton countered by focusing on economic issues, criticizing Bush’s broken tax promises, and appealing to younger and minority voters. A memorable moment was Clinton playing the saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show.
Perot used his wealth to buy television airtime, discussing his policy ideas on topics like business, budget balancing, and protectionism. Perot’s campaign gained significant traction until July 1992, when he dropped out amid controversy over doctored photos of his daughter. This move was intended to protect his family from unwanted attention, though some questioned its timing and validity. After Perot’s exit, Clinton’s poll numbers surged.
The Debates
As October approached, the presidential debates became crucial for Bush and Clinton. The debates, which included Perot, marked the first time since that all three candidates got to debate each other. The viewership for the debates ranged from 51 million to nearly 70 million. Key moments included Ross Perot’s performance in the first and third debates and Bill Clinton’s victory in the second debate. Al Gore also won the Vice Presidential debate against Dan Quayle. Notably, Bush’s distraction during the debates, such as looking at his watch, was widely criticized and contributed to his campaign’s decline.
The October Surprise
In the final stretch of the campaign, revelations emerged about former Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger’s notes on the Iran-Contra Affair, implicating Bush in the scandal. This was seen as a major blow to Bush’s credibility, especially after his attempts to discredit Clinton.
The Results
The results were decisive. Bill Clinton won the Election of 1992, becoming the 42nd President of the United States at the age of 46. Clinton won 32 states and D.C., securing 370 electoral votes but only 43% of the popular vote. This was the first time a Democrat won the presidency without a majority of the popular vote since John F. Kennedy in 1960.
George H.W. Bush finished second, carrying 18 states and securing 168 electoral votes with 37.5% of the popular vote. This marked the worst performance for a Republican seeking re-election since Herbert Hoover in 1932. Ross Perot finished third with 18.9% of the popular vote, however he failed to win any electoral votes but achieved the best results for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.
While some blamed Perot for Bush’s loss, his support was broad and bipartisan. This election spurred efforts by both parties to limit third-party influence in future presidential races.
And that was the Election of 1992. George H.W. Bush became a one-term president, and Bill Clinton emerged as the first Democrat elected since Jimmy Carter. The upcoming years would prove challenging as Clinton faced numerous hurdles in his presidency, which we’ll explore in the next edition of our series.
