- : Nixon (sitting vice President) vs. Kennedy (inexperienced Senator)---- Kennedy wins.
- : Carter (inexperienced Governor) vs. Ford (sitting vice President) ----- Carter wins
- : Reagan (inexperienced Governor) vs. Carter (sitting President) ----- Reagan wins
- : Dukakis (inexperienced Governor) vs. Bush (sitting Vice President) ---- Bush wins
- : Clinton (inexperienced Governor) vs. Bush (sitting President) ---- Clinton wins
- : Bush Jr. (inexperienced Governor) vs. Al Gore (sitting Vice President) ---- I think we all know how that one ended.
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Except for 1988 (and arguably 2000), a pattern emerges: lots of experience in government is unimportant to the American voter. It's all about ideas.
Also, Governors do remarkably well against incumbents.
Draw your own conclusions in the poll below.