How come we only see presidents hailing from a handful of states?

[The Arizonan]

Why is it that most of the presidents have come from states like California, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia? You rarely see presidents from states like Arkansas and Indiana. What's most perplexing is that we've never seen one from Florida.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Arkansas has less than 1% of the population, and yet had a recent 2 term President.

[Hnv1]

A/ population, most of those states are heavily populated or were so historically (Florida is a recent phenomenon). Natural distribution means will see more national political figures coming from the largest states on average over the last 200 years.
B/ The American electoral system favors those who can carry those large states
C/ those large states are also economic centres and have most of the finest higher education institutions in them (where would be politicians study and take their first steps in politics and business)
D/ with the distinction of Mass. all of the above have a varied population, running for AG in a heterogeneous state is good rehearsal to a national campaign (this is the regular political course in America).

[Doimper]

Florida's only become a really big state relatively recently, after the invention of air conditioning. Give it time.

[progressive85]

It's funny that OH and PA have not had any Presidents in a long time.

[Tintrlvr]

We literally had a President from Arkansas just three Presidents ago. And W is arguably from Connecticut, another small state. We've only ever had two Presidents from California even though it is by far by the largest state. And Trump is the first President from New York since Roosevelt, a very long stretch for such a big state.

There's no explanation to give here because there isn't even an issue. We haven't even had 50 Presidents, so it would be literally impossible for each state to be represented.

[Mr. Reactionary]

TBF ... most of Virginia's presidents were clustered (4 of the 1st 5) during a time when there were a lot fewer states and Virginia was one of the 3 or 4 most populous. Wilson was the most recent, and he wasn't living here when he was elected.

[pbrower2a]

Illinois has Lincoln, Reagan, and Obama...

[Santander]

Illinois has Lincoln, Reagan, and Obama...

If you give Reagan to Illinois, you'd have to give Lincoln to Indiana or Kentucky and Obama to Hawaii.

[Don Vito Corleone]

TBF ... most of Virginia's presidents were clustered (4 of the 1st 5) during a time when there were a lot fewer states and Virginia was one of the 3 or 4 most populous. Wilson was the most recent, and he wasn't living here when he was elected.

Atlas and Wikipedia both list Wilson's home state as New Jersey.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

TBF ... most of Virginia's presidents were clustered (4 of the 1st 5) during a time when there were a lot fewer states and Virginia was one of the 3 or 4 most populous. Wilson was the most recent, and he wasn't living here when he was elected.

Atlas and Wikipedia both list Wilson's home state as New Jersey.

It's a common trope that Wilson was the first President from the South since... Zachary Taylor, as he was born and raised in Virginia. I believe he was born in the middle of the Civil War, if I'm not mistaken. That said, his academic and political career took place elsewhere. He still still very much a son of the South, however.

[The Arizonan]

I also find it kind of strange that we've never had a president from Arizona despite the fact that at least three candidates have ran and two of them were nominated.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Florida's only become a really big state relatively recently, after the invention of air conditioning. Give it time.

Give it time, and its population will drop again, thanks to the invention of anthropogenic climate change.

[Don Vito Corleone]

I also find it kind of strange that we've never had a president from Arizona despite the fact that at least three candidates have ran and two of them were nominated.

Well sure, but both of those 2 were nominated in years where the political winds were blowing against them and their party.

[pbrower2a]

It is telling that Pennsylvania has only one -- James John Buchanan, an utter disaster.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Yeah really. Pennsylvania had only two and one of them was only using us as a home state for reelection. (Eisenhower)

[Wakie77]

There have only been 45 US Presidents over 228 years.  We started out with only 13 states and even 1/2 way through (1903) only were up to 45 states.  Oh, and the population isn't evenly distributed.

[RINO Tom]

Florida's only become a really big state relatively recently, after the invention of air conditioning. Give it time.

Yeah, Florida used to literally be a barely inhabited swamp, LOL.  It was the deepest of Deep South at one point.

[cvparty]

Florida's only become a really big state relatively recently, after the invention of air conditioning. Give it time.

Yeah, Florida used to literally be a barely inhabited swamp, LOL.  It was the deepest of Deep South at one point.

it's crazy how much its population exploded in the mid-1900s

[Gary J]

Presidential candidates tend to come from one of the larger population states, which was competitive between parties. Both these factors have changed over time.

[Fuzzy Bear]

We literally had a President from Arkansas just three Presidents ago. And W is arguably from Connecticut, another small state. We've only ever had two Presidents from California even though it is by far by the largest state. And Trump is the first President from New York since Roosevelt, a very long stretch for such a big state.

There's no explanation to give here because there isn't even an issue. We haven't even had 50 Presidents, so it would be literally impossible for each state to be represented.

Only Nixon was from CA.  Reagan was from IL.

Only Eisenhower and LBJ were from Texas.

Ohio Presidents included Grant (18), Hayes (19),  Garfield (20), Benjamin Harrison (23), McKinley (25), Taft (27), and Harding (29).  That's a lot of Presidents over a short period of time (1869-1923).  Three of these Presidents died in office, but the number of Ohio Presidents in such a short time is due to (A) Ohio''s status as one of the largest states (which it was during that period), and the prominent position Ohio Republicans had within the national GOP. 

[Dr. MB]

Arkansas has less than 1% of the population, and yet had a recent 2 term President.

And? He's the only president ever from Arkansas. Same deal if Bernie had been elected.

[Kingpoleon]

TBF ... most of Virginia's presidents were clustered (4 of the 1st 5) during a time when there were a lot fewer states and Virginia was one of the 3 or 4 most populous. Wilson was the most recent, and he wasn't living here when he was elected.

Atlas and Wikipedia both list Wilson's home state as New Jersey.

It's a common trope that Wilson was the first President from the South since... Zachary Taylor, as he was born and raised in Virginia. I believe he was born in the middle of the Civil War, if I'm not mistaken. That said, his academic and political career took place elsewhere. He still still very much a son of the South, however.

Wasn't one of his Cabinet members, Josephus Daniels IIRC, a leader of the Red Shirts? Pretty sure Claude Kitchin, an ally of Wilson's on everything besides the war/preparedness against Germany, was also a leader of the Red Shirts.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Florida's only become a really big state relatively recently, after the invention of air conditioning. Give it time.

Yeah, Florida used to literally be a barely inhabited swamp, LOL.  It was the deepest of Deep South at one point.

It's weird to think now, but Florida and the Deep South used to get malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases that you only think of happening in 3rd world countries. It wasn't until the late 19th century that it was brought under control.

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Population...?