Grover Cleveland is the only president who successfully regained the presidency after leaving it

This is a list of former presidents of the United States who ran for office (the presidency, a seat in Congress, or governor) after leaving office as president. It does not include presidents who sought reelection to a consecutive term while still in office. Prior to the passage of the 22nd Amendment, presidents could run for re-election without restriction;[1] Donald Trump is the first president to seek a non-consecutive term since its passage.[2]

Some presidents have been recruited, requested, or drafted to run again. This list, however, only includes those presidents who actively campaigned.

Presidency

This list only includes former presidents who ran again for president.

President Previous term Reason the president
first left office		 Year of
attempted
comeback		 Result Notes
Martin Van Buren[3] 1837–1841 Defeated in the general election 1844 Lost Failed in his attempt to win the nomination of the Democratic Party
1848 Lost First nominee of the newly formed Free Soil Party
Millard Fillmore[4] 1850–1853 Denied nomination by his party 1856 Lost Nominee for the American Party (Know Nothing)
Ulysses S. Grant[5] 1869–1877 Retired 1880 Lost Failed in his attempt to win the nomination of the Republican Party
Grover Cleveland[6] 1885–1889 Defeated in the general election 1892 Won Only president to succeed at his comeback attempt, served four more years.
Theodore Roosevelt[7] 1901–1909 Retired 1912 Lost Nominee of the Progressive Party (Bull Moose), after he was denied the nomination of the Republican Party.
Herbert Hoover[8] 1929–1933 Defeated in the general election 1940 Lost Failed in his attempt to win the nomination of the Republican Party
Donald Trump[9] 2017–2021 Defeated in the general election 2024 To be determined To be determined

Other elected office

President Presidential term Reason for leaving office Year of election Office Result Notes
John Quincy Adams 1825–1829 Defeated in the general election[10] 1830–1846
(9 elections)		 U.S. House of Representatives Won Only former president to serve in the House, served until his 1848 death.
1833 Governor of Massachusetts Lost[11] Continued in House after defeat.
John Tyler 1841–1845 Denied nomination by his party/withdrew from race 1861 Confederate States Congress Won Died before he could take office (had served in unelected Provisional Congress).[12]
Only former president to ever run for an office outside the United States.
Andrew Johnson 1865–1869 Denied nomination by his party 1872 U.S. House of Representatives Lost Ran as an Independent and finished 3rd in the general election.[13]
1874 U.S. Senate Won Only former president to serve in the Senate, served until his 1875 death.[14]

Major appointed office

President Previous term Reason first left office Year of
appointment		 Office Result Notes
William Howard Taft 1909–1913 Defeated in the general election 1921[15] Chief Justice of the United States Confirmed Only former president ever to serve on the Supreme Court, served until his 1930 resignation.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ DeSilver, Drew. "Few former presidents have run for their old jobs – or anything else – after leaving office". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  2. ^ Fins, Antonio (November 15, 2022). "A second Trump administration would be limited to one term, says U.S. Constitution". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  3. ^ Shepard, Edward Morse. "Martin Van Buren". gutenberg.org. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ^ Smith, Elbert B. (1988). The presidencies of Zachary Taylor & Millard Fillmore. Lawrence, Kan.: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-0362-6.
  5. ^ Chernow, Ron (2017). Grant. New York. ISBN 9781594204876.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ "Presidential Election of 1892: A Resource Guide (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  7. ^ Morris, Edmund (2010). Colonel Roosevelt (First ed.). New York. ISBN 978-0375504877.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Hagerty, James A (June 26, 1940). "Hoover Bids for Nomination to Fight New Deal; Stronger Anti-War Plank Put in Platform; Italy to Occupy Areas in France and Africa". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  9. ^ Kurtzleben, Danielle. "Trump announces 2024 presidential run". NPR. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  10. ^ "The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. UC Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Adams, John Quincy". United States House of Representatives. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  12. ^ "DEATH OF EX-PRESIDENT TYLER". The New York Times. 22 January 1862. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023.
  13. ^ Castel, Albert (1979). The Presidency of Andrew Johnson. Lawrence: Regents Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-0190-5.
  14. ^ Castel, Albert (1979). The Presidency of Andrew Johnson. Lawrence: Regents Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-0190-5.
  15. ^ "William Howard Taft (Sept. 15, 1857 - March 8, 1930)". Supreme Court of Ohio. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  16. ^ "William Howard Taft Court (1921-1930)". Justia Law. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
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