The Last Rematches

Time Machine

Posted: July 01, 2024

The very first presidential rematch was between Thomas Jefferson, left, and John Adams. (Public domain)
Clockwise from top left: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison (Public domain; Van Buren: AP)
This photograph shows Grover Cleveland in 1888. He is the only U.S. president to date to serve two non-consecutive terms. That’s what former President Trump hopes to do. (AP/Library of Congress)
Clockwise from top left: Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Jennings Bryan (Public domain; Cleveland, Bryan: AP)
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, right, and Adlai Stevenson shake hands in 1953. (AP)

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Rematches don’t happen often. Why not? Because political parties don’t usually pick someone who already lost to run again.

But “not usually” doesn’t mean “never.” Consider these other presidential rematches in U.S. history. The winner of each is in bold.

1796: John Adams versus Thomas Jefferson.
1780: John Adams versus Thomas Jefferson.

1824: John Quincy Adams versus Andrew Jackson.
1828: John Quincy Adams versus Andrew Jackson.

1836: Martin Van Buren versus William Henry Harrison.
1840: Martin Van Buren versus William Henry Harrison.

(Eight years after that, Mr. Van Buren tried to make a comeback. But he failed to get even a single electoral vote. Ouch!)

1888: Benjamin Harrison versus Grover Cleveland (who was president at the time).
1892: Benjamin Harrison versus Grover Cleveland.

1896: William McKinley versus William Jennings Bryan.
1900: William McKinley versus William Jennings Bryan.

And now, the most recent rematch:

1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower versus Adlai Stevenson.
1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower versus Adlai Stevenson.

Fun Fact: Grover Cleveland served as president twice—but not twice in a row. No other U.S. president has done that yet. President Cleveland did what former President Trump is trying to do. Both ran to win back the White House from the opponent who took it from him.

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