# Most nominations for Prez or Veep **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091 "2007-12-07T00:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/1 "2007-12-07T00:53:39Z")
I’m trying to figure out which person has been nominated for (not necessarily elected) President or Vice President the most times (i.e. appeared on the most presidential tickets). The best I can come up with is Nixon: twice as Ike’s VP, unsuccessful bid for President in '60, and successful presidential bids in '68 and '72. Is there anyone that has more? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/2 "2007-12-07T00:56:46Z")
[Eugene Debs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs) has at least five nominations, assuming you’re not restricting the OP to the two major parties. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/3 "2007-12-07T02:22:00Z")
[Norman Thomas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Thomas) was nominated six times by the Socialist Party. I believe that’s the most anyone has been nominated. FDR was nominated five times: once as VP in 1920, four times for president. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/4 "2007-12-07T02:36:33Z")
Henry Clay, like Norman Thomas, ran six times unsuccessfully. Nixon and FDR seem to hold the record for successful candidates, each having run five times and won four, an 80% rate. FDR: 1920 - VP - lost 1932 - Pres - won 1936 - Pres - won 1940 - Pres - won 1944 - Pres - won Nixon: 1952 - VP - won 1956 - VP - won 1960 - Pres - lost 1968 - Pres - won 1972 - Pres - won AFAICT, no 19th Century figure matched this tied record. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/5 "2007-12-07T17:15:09Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] Henry Clay, like Norman Thomas, ran six times unsuccessfully. [/QUOTE] But he only won three nominations–in 1824, 1832, and 1844. (Technically in 1824 he didn’t even win a nomination, but he ran as one of four major candidates in a free-lance field.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/6 "2007-12-07T17:23:19Z")
If we count just running for president, Harold Stassen was an official candidate for the Republican presidential nomination nine times. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-nominations-for-prez-or-veep/429091/7 "2007-12-07T21:39:31Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] If we count just running for president, [/QUOTE] Let’s not, please. I’m sure there are plenty of nutty individuals who’ve run for President many, many times. (Not saying that Harold Stassen was nutty. I’ve met him, and he seemed a real nice, smart man. Much preferable to any Republican President or Presidential nominee that I can remember.)