Top Ten Best American Politicians Who Never Won the Presidential Election

The Top Ten
1 Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician who served as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and was the Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election.

Not even close. Romney is no Reagan. He's a Milquetoast who blew an election against a vulnerable sitting president. Complete loser.

2 Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (January 6, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Among the leading intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a drafter and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the first United States Postmaster General.

Washington May be better, but Franklin was an amazing man.

Higher than Romney that's for certain.

Great political person

Would have been great

3 Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman.
4 John Hancock

He was a great politician who was technically the first leader of this nation

5 Thomas Paine

He could have been great

6 Samuel Adams
7 Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton was an American statesman, politician, legal scholar, military commander, lawyer, banker, and economist. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
8 Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy, commonly known by his initials RFK, was an American politician from Massachusetts.

One of the best humans who ever lived. Brilliant, relateable, compassion and worked so hard on behalf of the disenfranchised. What a total love this man was! Would have been the greatest president.

9 Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan Jr. is an American politician who served as the 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019.
10 Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senator representing New York from 2001 to 2009, and as first lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001 as the wife of President Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party's... read more
The Contenders
11 John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and military officer who served as a United States Senator from Arizona from January 1987 until his death. He previously served two terms in the United States House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 election, which he lost to Barack Obama.

A quality human being. Served his country in an unjust war, and sought to open diplomatic ties with Vietnam during the Clinton presidency. Could work across the aisle, on campaign finance reform, and developed many close friendships with Democrats like Joe Biden and Joe Liebermann. Believed in climate change, and wasn't afraid to go against his party for what was right. I truly think the only reason he lost was because of Palin as his VP choice.

12 Al Gore Albert Arnold "Al" Gore Jr. is an American politician and environmentalist who served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton.

Theoretically, he won the election but lost in Florida due to Bush v. Gore. Would have been a great president, and wouldn't have invaded Iraq but instead focused on Afghanistan. Probably wouldn't have had a 2008 crisis, better financial standing, and potentially lowered the US GHG emissions by a lot.

13 Condoleezza Rice
14 Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is an American politician who is the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, representing California's 12th congressional district.
15 Henry Clay
16 Madeleine Albright
17 Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is an independent American Senator from Vermont and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
18 Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer.

A very, very smart guy. Would've been a great president in the foreign policy department, like George HW Bush or Harry Truman was. Definitely would have won with big percentages of the vote, because Democrats and Republicans like him a lot, like Eisenhower.

Would have won the election easily, becoming the first African-American president, but chose not to run for personal reasons.

19 Michael Dukakis

If it wasn't for that tank, he'd probably be president.

20 Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio is an American politician and attorney, and the junior United States Senator from Florida.
21 Walter Mondale

Just a great guy.

22 Margaret Chase Smith
23 Nelson Rockefeller
24 Ted Kennedy
25 Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who was the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.

Like Colin Powell, could have won in a landslide, but did not want to be president.

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