Many among the politicians, the press, the pundits, the pollsters, and the public believe that Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) are interested in running for the presidency in 2016; however, few seem to mention that, as it stands, both are running for another election: that for their Senate seats.
Both Rubio and Paul were elected as insurgent Tea Party candidates in the right-wing wave election of 2010. Rubio challenged sitting Republican governor Charlie Crist for the Republican nomination that year, leading Crist to withdraw from the primary and run as an Independent in the general election. Rubio ultimately won in November with 48.9% of the vote, compared to 29.7% for Charlie Crist and 20.2% for Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek. In Kentucky, Rand Paul beat Mitch McConnell’s preferred candidate, KY Secretary of State Trey Grayson, for the Republican nomination by 58.8% to 35.4%. He then went on to beat Democratic candidate Kentucky AG Jack Conway 55.7% to 44.3%.
This made me wonder how often presidential candidates concurrently faced re-election for their current seats. I also thought about broadening the question to include vice-presidential candidates. This past year, we saw Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-01) run for re-election for his House seat while running as the VP candidate for the Republican ticket. Back in 2008, then-Senator Joe Biden also ran for re-election for his Senate seat while running as the VP candidate for the Democratic ticket. How often have candidates done this?
I decided to look at all the presidential elections since the Civil War, and I focused on only those candidates with seats in the House or the Senate. Only three presidential candidates faced re-election for their currently held seat the same year of the presidential election, and all three resigned from their current seat to run. Those were James Garfield in 1880, Warren G. Harding in 1920, and Barry Goldwater in 1964. A number of VP candidates, like Ryan and Biden, ran for their seats at the same time as they ran for VP. I would assume that the laws governing whether candidates can appear on the ballot twice vary by state.
I’ve included a list below of all of the senators or representatives who have been on the presidential ticket, noting when they faced their next election. I’ve focused mainly on our two major parties but acknowledged third parties when they achieved a comparatively high percentage of the vote.
2012 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-01) was up for re-election and won 54.9% - 43.4%.
2008 Presidential Election
Both presidential candidates faced their next Senate election in 2010.
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) ran for re-election for his Senate seat. Won 64.7%-35.3%.
2004 Presidential Election
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) did not face re-election until 2008.
Democratic VP candidate Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) faced re-election that year and did not run for re-election.
2000 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) faced re-election that year and won 63.2% - 34.1%.
1996 Presidential Election
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) was not up for re-election again until 1998.
1992 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Al Gore (D-TN) was not up for re-election until 1996.
1988 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) was up for re-election and won his seat 59.17% - 40.0%.
1984 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro (NY-09) was up for re-election and retired from her seat.
1976 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Walter Mondale (D-MN) was not up for election again until 1978.
Republican VP candidate Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) was not up for re-election until 1980.
1972 Presidential Election
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. George McGovern (D-SD) was not up for re-election until 1974.
1968 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Edmund Muskie (D-ME) was not up for re-election until 1970.
1964 Presidential Election
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) faced election that year and retired from his seat.
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) was not up for re-election until 1966.
Republican VP candidate Rep. William Miller (NY-40) retired from his House seat.
1960 Presidential election
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Joseph F. Kennedy (D-MA) was not up for re-election until 1964.
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX) faced re-election that year and ran, winning 57.98% - 41.12%.
1956 Presidential election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN) was not up for re-election until 1960.
1952 Presidential election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. John Sparkman (D-AL) was not up for re-election until 1954.
Republican VP candidate Sen. Richard Nixon (R-CA) was not up for re-election until 1956.
1948 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Alben Barkley (D-TN) was not up for re-election until 1950.
1944 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Harry S. Truman (D-MO) was not up for re-election until 1946.
1940 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Sen. Charles McNary (R-OR) was not up for re-election until 1942.
1932 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Speaker John N. Garner (TX-15) ran for re-election for his House seat and won but had to resign upon ascension to the vice-presidency.
1928 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. John T. Robinson (D-AR) did not face re-election until 1930.
Republican VP candidate Sen. Charles Curtis (R-KS) did not face re-election until 1932.
1924 Presidential Election
Progressive presidential candidate Sen. Robert LaFollette (R-WI) did not face re-election until 1928.
Progressive VP candidate Sen. Burton Wheeler (D-MT) did not face re-election until 1928.
1920 Presidential Election
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Warren G. Harding (R-OH) faced re-election that year but retired from his seat.
1908 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Rep. James S. Sherman (NY-27) faced re-election that year and retired from his seat.
1904 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Sen. Charles Fairbanks (R-IN) did not face re-election until 1908.
1884 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Sen. John Logan (R-IL) faced re-election that year, ran, and kept his seat.
1880 Presidential Election
Republican presidential candidate Rep. James A. Garfield (OH-19) was up for re-election that year but retired from his seat.
1876 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Rep. William Wheeler (NY-19) was up for re-election that year but retired from his seat.
1872 Presidential Election
Democratic VP candidate Sen. Henry Wilson (R-MA) did not face re-election until 1876.
1868 Presidential Election
Republican VP candidate Speaker Schulyer Colfax (IN-09) was up for re-election that year but retired from his seat.