# Has a candidate ever been elected president while losing his home state? \[edited title\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [April 27, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189 "2012-04-27T23:26:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/1 "2012-04-27T23:26:21Z")
I didn’t see a thread on this specifically, and this might be more appropriate in GQ.
Most current polls show Mitt Romney well behind Obama in his home state of Massachusetts. Has any candidate ever won the presidency without carrying his home state? I think the answer is “no” based on [this site](http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/).
The only possible exception I can see is Zachary Taylor in 1848. I know he was born in Virginia, but I’m not sure if it was his home state at the time he was elected.
---
### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/2 "2012-04-27T23:36:22Z")
[It’s happened three times if you count the state of the candidate’s residence as his home state. Six if you count the state of birth. James Polk lost _both_.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major-party_United_States_presidential_candidates_who_lost_their_home_state)
---
### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/3 "2012-05-14T19:59:04Z")
FDR lost his home county all 4 times
---
### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/4 "2012-05-14T20:47:51Z")
I’ve changed the thread title for clarity. It was originally “Has this ever happened?”
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/5 "2012-05-14T20:53:48Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> FDR lost his home county all 4 times
That’s 'cos he was a class traitor.
---
### Author:  [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/6 "2012-05-15T01:26:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> [It’s happened three times if you count the state of the candidate’s residence as his home state. Six if you count the state of birth. James Polk lost _both_.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major-party_United_States_presidential_candidates_who_lost_their_home_state)
Odd. Apparently, what is popularly considered a candidate’s (or president’s) “home state” may be either, or neither, depending on the individual. I’ve never heard anyone refer to New York as Nixon’s home state, it’s always California. But, George W. Bush’s home state was clearly Texas. And, I recall George H.W. Bush’s home state often stated as Connecticut, which is apparently neither.
---
### Author:  [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-candidate-ever-been-elected-president-while-losing-his-home-state-edited-title/620189/7 "2012-05-15T06:04:39Z")
Al Gore, technically