Wendell Willkie, Ross Perot, Ronald Reagan, etc.
Ronald Reagan? Governor of the most populous state in the nation? He had more experience than many of our presidents.
Exactly and it's not like he governed Arkansas or somewhere with a low population. Wilkie can barely be considered a candidate. Ross Perot wasn't for a major party. Most Americans think a random selection from the phone book would do better than our current congress and I'm sure their view of the presidency isn't much better. They're all crooks and liars.
Why can Willkie barely be considered a candidate? He was nominated by a major party and received 45% of the national vote; there's probably some chance our next President will be elected with less.