Which presidential candidate of the opposition party would you make president?

[Sir Mohamed]

Which (unsuccessful) presidential candidate of the opposition party would you make president (last since 1900). So Democrats name a Republican, Republicans a Democrat.

[NeverAgain]

Note: Would probably not have voted for these guys against their counterparts in elections.
1900 - N/A
1904 - N/A
1908 - N/A
1912 - Teddy Roosevelt, Bull Moose is a faction of the Republican Party ✓
1916 - Charles Evans Hughes was a good judge in my opinion. ✓
1920 - N/A
1924 - N/A
1928 - N/A
1932 - ✖ Hoover was not a bad president but he never had anything really to offer.
1936 - ✓ I mean it's Alf. C'mon.
1940 - ✖ I thought that Wilkie was not so much a bad person, as he would be a president...
1944 - Meh, Dewey in '44 was a so-so in my book. Neutral.
1948 - ✓ Dewey ran a good campaign in '48.
1952 -
1956 -
1960 - ✓ Nixon in 60 had the experience, the intelligence, and the Eisenhowerian ideals. If he had kept up Eisenhower's attack on the military-industrial complex, then he would be my fav.
1964 -
1968 -
1972 -
1976 - ✓
1980 -
1984 -
1988 -
1992 - Neutral. Bush Sr. Meh. Take him or leave him
1996 - ✓ I like Dole for his personality
2000 - ✖ Not Over President Gore who won...
2004 -
2008 - ✓ McCain was a POW I liked him in 2000, he's gotten worse in my opinion.
2012 - ✖ Romney become a little flip-floppy over time.
2016 ?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It kind of depends. Wendell Willkie against FDR, hell no. Wendell Willkie against Bill Clinton, yes.

[smoltchanov]

I an Indie, but - still closer to Democrats. So, i, probably, must choose among Republicans. Wendell Wilkie (but - not against FDR). LaFollette would also suit me just fine, but he ran as a Progressive... And Teddy Roosevelt in 1912...

[Dancing with Myself]

1900- No, Bryan had his one real shot in 1896 and blew it.
1904- Hell No.
1908- Hell No.
1912- Teddy R definitely would have voted for him regardless.
1916- Yes. Hughes could have been a decent President, at least he could accomplished things and not been bed ridden.

1920- I like Cox as a guy but he wasn't the best alternative so no.
1924- Neither one were good, Coolidge was the only legit choice.
1928- Blah on Smith so IDK there.
1932- Hoover had his shot and blew it so nope.
1936- Landon? Never had a chance so no.
1940- Love me some Willkie so def yes.
1944/48- Always thought Dewey was overrated. Too much on youth and image not enough on actual  power and leadership potential.

1952/56- Stevenson was too bland and boring so no.
1960- In a honest straight up world Nixon would have won that year. He had experience and youth, Kennedy just had a better louder campaign and it his looks/style hooked people that year. So Yes on Nixon.
1964- Nope.
1968- HHH was a good man but way to liberal for my tastes, Wallace was a horse's behind.
1972- 2X as worse for McGovern. Schmitz was a loony tune.
1976- Ford should have won that election. Better campaign and actually talked about the issues, just ran out of time and too many gaffes.
1980- Carter Decent man but crappy President, Anderson wasn't nothing but an attention monger. So maybe Ed Clark.
1984- Mondale was a joke. No quality third party canidates that year so Reagan or Bust
1988- Dukakis was bland and wasn't much a man's man. He wasn't connectable and didn't seem authentic. Maybe Paul as a protest vote but again no quality third party.
1992- Tough to choose between who would have been my first choice between Clinton and Perot, wouldn't vote for Bush at any point that year.
1996-Perot yes, Dole no.
2000- Nader yes as a why not vote, no for Gore.
2004- Same as 2000.
2008- Def McCain. Wonder how he could have done as President.
2012- Romney?  Prob would have voted for a third party over him. Either Johnson or Roseanne as a write in.

[VPH]

Keeping it semi modern because from about 1920 is when I would have been a Democrat. Also, these are mostly candidates I wouldn't mind as president
Keep in mind, I'm just listing general election candidates. Later, I'll probably list primary/convention candidates that I wouldn't mind as president.
1920- Nobody
1924- Would say LaFollette for sure
1928- Not Hoover
1932- Again, not going with Hoover
1936- Definitely Landon (Kansas pride!) but I'd still vote FDR.
1940- Wilkie wouldn't have been terrible, but I love FDR
1944/48- Again, Dewey would have done a decent job
1952/56- IKE IKE IKE IKE IKE (Enthusiastically and he'd have my vote locked up)
1960-Nah
1964- HECK NO
1968- Not Nixon or Wallace
1972- No, I love McGovern
1976- I mean I guess Ford wasn't bad but he wasn't great
1980- Anderson by a mile
1984- Never vote Reagan
1988- Nope
1992- Would vote for Perot, probably a swing voter TBH between Perot and Clinton
1996-Perot and Dole both might have been decent
2000- Nader
2004- Not falling for the Nader trap
2008- Nope
2012- No

[Sumner 1868]

Since 1935 is when I would become a Democrat, I'll focus from 1936 onward. Limiting myself solely to GOP opponents, none of whom I would have voted for. In bold are years where I wouldn't have voted for the Democratic candidate either.

1936-✖
1940-✖
1944-✖
1948-✖
1952-✓
1956-✓
1960-Hmm. In retrospect, Kennedy was very bad, but I'm not certain Nixon would have done any better.
1964-✖ (Goldwater is the single worst candidate on this list, and the last I'd ever vote for).
1968-✖
1972-✖
1976-✖
1980-✖
1984-✖
1988-✖
1992-✖
1996-✖
2000-✖
2004-✖
2008-✖
2012-✖

[President Johnson]

It kind of depends. Wendell Willkie against FDR, hell no. Wendell Willkie against Bill Clinton, yes.

Exactly my opinion.

So Wendell Willkie, without any doubt. He would have been a great president. I would vote for him against any Democrat in 1940 except FDR.

The rest:
1900: ✓ Teddy is on the ticket
1904: ✓ Teddy has my vote
1908: ✖
1912: ✖ Teddy yes, Taft no
1916: ✖ Hughes is okey, but Wilson is my first choice
1920: ✖
1924: ✖
1928: ✖
1932: ✖
1936: ✖ Alf is ok, but no chance I vote for him against FDR
1940: ✖ only with FDR as Democratic candidate, otherwise enthusiasticlly Willkie
1944: ✖ Dewey is ok, but no chance aginst FDR
1948: ✖ No, I love Truman
1952: ✓ Ike is great
1956: ✓
1960: ✖ but only, because LBJ is on the ticket
1964: ✖ hell no, Goldwater is the last candidate, I would vote for
1968: ✖
1972: ✖
1976: ✓ Yeah, Gerald Ford was a good president and deserved an election in is own right. I prefer him over Carter
1980: ✖ Reagan? Never ever
1984: ✖
1988: ✖
1992: ✖
1996: ✖
2000: ✖
2004: ✖
2008: ✖
2012: ✖

[SingingAnalyst]

HHH

[rpryor03]

Teddy in 1912, LBJ in 1968, Truman in 1948.

[SingingAnalyst]

HHH

I wonder how strong the labor movement would be today if HHH had managed to crack 270 EVs in 1968, the only way he would have been elected.  Stronger, I think. My home county, Macomb, MI, voted 55.2% for HHH in '68. No Dem Pres candidate has reached that percentage in Macomb since.

[MATTROSE94]

Out of the Republican candidates that lost, I would not have minded having Charles Evans Hughes, Wendell Willkie, Thomas Dewey, Richard Nixon (1960), Gerald Ford (Full Term), George H.W. Bush (Second Term), Bob Dole, and John McCain as President. With regards to the Democratic candidates who lost, I would not have minded having James Cox, Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, and Jimmy Carter (Second Term) as a President.

The only Independent candidates I would have liked having as President would have been Theodore Roosevelt (1912), John Anderson (1980), and Ross Perot (1992). I doubt I would have ever supported George Wallace due to his staunch support for segregation and don't know that much about Robert LaFollette's 1924 platform to make a decision whether I would have supported him over Calvin Coolidge or not.

[Lincoln Republican]

The election of Humphrey would have avoided the entire Watergate scandal, so he would have been a good pick in 1968 and 1972.

[Mr. Smith]

Bold for actual cross-votes.

GOP: Hughes 1916, Dewey 1948, and Ford 1976

3rd Parties: Roosevelt 1912, LaFollette 1924, Henry Wallace 1948, and Jill Stein 2012

[Fuzzy Bear]

1968 - Humphrey (D) for Nixon (R).

1976 - Ford (R) for Carter (D)

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

1948: Truman (First to recognize Israel covers your healthcare mistakes)
1960: JFK (Nixon was the left leaning candidate in this race)


They're the only two Dems I'd support after WW2.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Grover Cleveland in the 1800s?  That's probably the most recent true Conservative from the Democrats.

[Blair]

Jon Huntsman in 2012-Had the bollocks to stand up to the GOP in crazy year

George H.W Bush in 1992-Sure he was kinda stale but he was actually a decent President in the sense that his foreign policy was pretty good (stood up to Israeli settlements, saved Kuwait etc)

Gerald Ford in 1976- Good foreign policy restraint and key played in Detente. Only issue would be Dole on the ticket

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Grover Cleveland in the 1800s?  That's probably the most recent true Conservative from the Democrats.

I'd be a Dem in those days otherwise I'd list him too.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

1900 - I might vote republican since TR is on the ticket
1904 - TR
1912 - TR as the Bull Moose candidate
1924 - La Follette for policies, but I love Coolidge's personality; definitely not Davis
1952 - Eisenhower
1956 - Eisenhower
1976 - Maybe Ford if only so that the Dems would have a good shot in 1980
1980 - Maybe Anderson; I like Carter as a person, but not as a president
2004 - Maybe Nader
2012 - Johnson as a protest vote

[Pyro]

Bringing this back because it is a very interesting topic.
I'm registered Democratic, so only Republicans for me.

1900 - ✖ Nope. Not a McKinley fan and would prefer Bryan.
1904 - ✓ Better TR than Parker.
1908 - ✖ Hah, don't think so. Love the mustache though, Taft.
1912 - ✓ TR if that counts, otherwise no way.
1916 - ✓ Hughes would have been fine. We're going into the war either way.
1920 - ✖ The ladies love Harding.
1924 - ✖ The pre-Reagan Reagan. No thanks, Cal.
1928 - ✖ Nope.
1932 - ✖ Bonus Army says hi.
1936 - ✖ ALF the Alien >>> Alf Landon.
1940 - ✖ Can't do it against FDR. But against most other Dems would choose Willkie.
1944 - ✖
1948 - ✓ Absolutely. Tom Dewey would have done well. Would not vote for bomb-dropping Truman.
1952 - ✓ Ike did fine, minus Lebanon, Korea and Nixon.
1956 - ✓
1960 - ✖ Not Nixon.
1964 - ✖ Hahaha. Oh, Goldwater. What a flop.
1968 - ✖ HHH still better than Nixon. Though we needed RFK.
1972 - ✖ McGovern >>> Nixon.
1976 - ✓ Definitely Ford, mainly b/c his win would likely have prevented a Reagan takeover in '80.
1980 - ✖ Never Reagan. Would consider Anderson against Carter.
1984 - ✖
1988 - ✖ Dukakis over Bush I any day.
1992 - ✖ Not a fan of any of the candidates in '92, but Bush the least.
1996 - ✖ Snore-fest '96.
2000 to 2012 - ✖ Not a chance.

[Intell]

------ (Becomes a Whig)
1836: VanBuren
1840: VanBuren
1852: VanBuren, but Cass of Taylor

---- (Becomes a Republican)

1880: Hancock
1884-88: Both candidates, Blaine and Harrison are horrible, but they beat Cleveland, so I'd abstain, vote third party or vote for Blaine and Harrison

---- (Becomes a Populist)

------ (Becomes a Democrat)

------ (Becomes Progressive for TR's independent run)

------- (Rejoins the Democratic Party)

------- (Becomes a Progressive, for Fighting Bob)

------- (Rejoins the Democratic Party)

1948: Dewey (Truman had a horrible presidency, Dewey seemed up to the jobs, and atom bombs are always there to consider.)
1952/56: Ike, I like Ike
1992/96: Would vote for Perot.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Theodore Roosevelt (1904)
William H. Taft (1908)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952, 1956)
Gerald R. Ford (1976)
George H. W. Bush (1988)

Of these, I would actually have voted for Roosevelt in 1904 and Eisenhower in 1956 (and might very well have supported the elder Bush as well, given that Dukakis ran a terrible campaign).

[ScottieF]

Bolded actual cross-votes.

Roosevelt (1904), Taft (1908), Hughes (1916), Willkie (1940), Dewey (1944, 1948), Eisenhower (1952, 1956), Ford (1976), Bush (1992).

As far as third-parties go, would've voted for TR in 1912, La Follette in 1924, and probably Anderson in 1980.

[H. Ross Peron]

Possibly Ford in 1976 with hindsight-mostly to prevent Reagan's election