Presidential Elections - Popular vote margin

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Only once since the 1900's has a U.S. president lost the popular vote, while winning the election: G.W.Bush's first term. Other than that, which president got the lowest margin of victory? The answer -- JFK -- shows how history was kinder to him, compared to contemporary opinion.


It is also interesting to look at presidential second terms. After 4 years to check a president out, who enthused voters the most (relative to his second-time opponent)? The winner -- FDR -- is no surprise, but the close second is Richard Nixon. Nixon got a higher margin in his second term than Ronald Reagan!

Third party caveat: Some of these years cannot be compared, because a third party took more than a marginally share of the vote. For instance, ironically, the Green party might be the reason Gore lost since they  got about 3% of the vote in the election where Bush lost the popular vote. Perot took 19% in Clinton's first election and over 8% the second time around. Anderson took over 6% in Reagan's first election. George Wallace took over 13% in Nixon's first. The Progressives took 16% when Coolidge won.

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