# Which U.S. presidential losers would have died in the 4-8 year they would have been president? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862 "2023-04-18T19:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/1 "2023-04-18T19:04:30Z")
I still think of this Onion article, which nailed the fact that everyone later realized John McCain would have likely lived the 8 years he might have been president. > **[Nation Suddenly Realizes It Never Had To Worry About John McCain Dying Over...](https://www.theonion.com/nation-suddenly-realizes-it-never-had-to-worry-about-jo-1819579360)** > > WASHINGTON—While thinking about this November’s election and remembering that only a few months remain in Barack Obama’s presidency, Americans throughout the country are said to have suddenly come to the realization Tuesday that they, in fact, never... Now, we never know how someone’s life and death might have been different in different situations, but which losing candidates of major parties died in the 4-8 years after they lost their big chance at the election? ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/2 "2023-04-18T19:09:22Z")
If LBJ had decided to run for a second full term in 1968 and gotten re-elected, he would have died 2 days after leaving office. He died from a heart attack Jan. 22, 1973, 2 days after what would have been the end of his term. I’d argue he still counts as a presidential loser, as he chose not to run after a weak showing in the New Hampshire primary. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/3 "2023-04-18T19:28:43Z")
The stress might have gotten him earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/4 "2023-04-18T19:39:01Z")
Any idea what the opposite extreme would be (which loser would have lived the longest after his term would have ended)? Alf Landon (FDR’s opponent in 1936) would be a strong contender, having lived until 1987. ---
**Author:** ![YellowDog51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@YellowDog51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowDog51)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/5 "2023-04-18T19:47:57Z")
One who comes to mind is Wendell Willkie - lost in 1940, died about a month before the 1944 election. In the early days of the republic there were often a half dozen or so “losing” candidates. I don’t know whether any of the second tier guys died soon after losing. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/6 "2023-04-18T19:48:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > The stress might have gotten him earlier. This. I’d bet he wouldn’t have made it his entire second (and a half) term. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/7 "2023-04-18T19:53:16Z")
Stephen Dougles who contested the 1860 election won by Abraham Lincoln, died in 1861, of an illness. (He was also the Douglas in the Lincoln Douglas debates which took place in 1858.) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/8 "2023-04-18T20:01:33Z")
Horace Greeley, the Liberal Republican and Democratic nominee in the 1872 Presidential election, died one month after losing the election. This was before the Electoral College had even met, and his electoral votes ended up divided among four other candidates. If he had won the election and died on the same timeline, it’s likely that no candidate would have secured an electoral college majority. A contingent election would have taken place in the House, where Grant would almost certainly have been chosen. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/9 "2023-04-18T20:02:30Z")
Jimmy Carter, on the other hand, has outlived two of his successors. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/10 "2023-04-18T20:09:42Z")
Moved from FQ to IMHO, since this requires too much speculation and opinion to be factual. Factual information about when losing candidates actually did pass on is of course still welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/11 "2023-04-18T20:28:19Z")
Did you read what FDR’s writer wrote about Landon? It was good he was from the Sunflower state since he was yellow on the outside with a hard black heart. Its still funny today. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/12 "2023-04-18T20:37:13Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Alf Landon (FDR’s opponent in 1936) would be a strong contender, having lived until 1987. I think this is the longest span for a losing candidate. George McGovern was close to this record. McGovern lost in 1972; he died in 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/13 "2023-04-18T20:46:02Z")
> [@YellowDog51](#): > > One who comes to mind is Wendell Willkie - lost in 1940, died about a month before the 1944 election. Not only did Wilkie die before the 1944 election, but his running mate, Charles McNary, died eight months before Wilkie. If that had happened, the presidency would have passed to 86-year old Senate President Pro Tem Carter Glass, who was described as “old and frail” but managed to survive until 1946. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/14 "2023-04-18T22:44:29Z")
Once LBJ left office he started drinking _heavily_. He was one seriously depressed ex-POTUS. If he had decided to stick with the Democratic primaries and, more importantly, the caucuses where HHH cleaned up, he would have gotten the nomination. Beating RMN was another thing. If he had won in November it is less likely he would have been so depressed and drank so much. OTOH, being POTUS is a stressful job and he already had heart problems, so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/15 "2023-04-18T22:49:44Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Once LBJ left office he started drinking _heavily_. He was one seriously depressed ex-POTUS. If he had decided to stick with the Democratic primaries and, more importantly, the caucuses where HHH cleaned up, he would have gotten the nomination. Beating RMN was another thing. Told his kids, “This is my time, goddammit!” and began smoking as well. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/16 "2023-04-18T23:11:13Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Told his kids, “This is my time, goddammit!” and began smoking as well. He even grew his hair out, like some damned hippie. [![](https://i.ibb.co/jvzSwdv/2-DAB801-B-E281-4-B51-8103-2-AE6090-E581-B.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/jvzSwdv/2-DAB801-B-E281-4-B51-8103-2-AE6090-E581-B.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/17 "2023-04-19T02:08:55Z")
Robert “Fighting Bob” LaFollette, who ran a third-party candidacy against Coolidge and Davis in 1924, and ended up with 16% of the popular vote and 13 electoral votes, died in June 1925. 1832 saw four candidates for President. William Wirt died in 1834. John Floyd would have barely made it through his first term, dying in August 1837. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/18 "2023-04-19T02:54:44Z")
William Henry Harrison, famous for having the shortest presidency when he died in 1841, ran in 1836 and lost. Who knows if he would have had cherries and milk in his 1837 inaugural address? Perennial candidate Henry Clay ran in 1844 and died in 1852. The 1880 Democrat candidate Winfield Scott Hancock died in 1886. Theodore Roosevelt ran in 1912 and died in 1919. That would have meant three elected terms for him but that was still constitutional at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2023, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-u-s-presidential-losers-would-have-died-in-the-4-8-year-they-would-have-been-president/982862/19 "2023-04-20T06:23:29Z")
Paul Tsongas, who obviously didn’t win the Democratic nomination in 1992, died on January 18, 1997, two days before the end of the term that he had sought.