How would you have voted?: United States Presidential Elections

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I've probably done one before, but, to occupy my mind:

1916-Hughes
1920-Harding
1924-Coolidge
1928-Smith (with hindsight)
Baiscally pointless to vote between 1932 and 1944...
1948-Dewey, Primary-Taft, maybe MacArthur
1952-Eisenhower, Primary-Taft
1956-Eisenhower
1960-Nixon
1964-Goldwater
1968-Nixon, Primary-maybe Reagan, Primary-maybe Kennedy
1972-Nixon, Primary-maybe Ashbrook[/blue], Primary-Jackson
1976-Ford, Primary-Reagan, Primary-Jackson or Brown
1980-Reagan
1984-Reagan
1988-Bush, Primary-Kemp
1992-Perot (protest, without hindsight), Primary-Buchanan, out of protest, Primary-Brown
1996-Perot, same as above, Primary-Dole or Gramm
2000-Bush
2004-Bush
2008-McCain, Primary-Romney

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Primarily without hindsight I suppose...

1789: General George Washington (Unaffiliated-Virginia)
1792: President George Washington (Unaffiliated-Virginia)
1796: Vice-President John Adams (Federalist-Massachusetts)
1800: Vice-President Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1804: President Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1808: Secretary of State James Madison (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1812: President James Madison (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1816: Secretary of States James Monroe (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1820: President James Monroe (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1824: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (Democratic Republican-Massachusetts)
1828: Former Senator Andrew Jackson (Democrat-Tennessee)
1832: Former Attorney General William Wirt (Anti-Masonic-Maryland)
1836: Vice-President Martin Van Buren (Democrat-New York)
1840: Former Ambassador William Henry Harrison (Whig-Ohio)
1844: Former Governor James Knox Polk (Democrat-Tennessee)
1848: General Zachary Taylor (Whig-Louisiana) (If not him, then definitely Free Soil)
1852: General Winfield Scott (Whig-New Jersey)
1856: Former Ambassador James Buchanan (Democrat-Pennsylvania)
1860: Former Congressman Abraham Lincoln (Republican-Illinois)
1864: President Abraham Lincoln (Republican/National Unity-Illinois)
1868: General Ulysses S. Grant (Republican-Illinois)
1872: President Ulysses S. Grant (Republican-Illinois)
1876: Governor Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat-New York)
1880: General Winfield Scott Hancock  (Democrat-Pennsylvania)
1884: Governor Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1888: President Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1892: Former President Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1896: Governor William McKinley (Republican-Ohio)
1900: President William McKinley (Republican-Ohio)
1904: Judge Alton Brooks Parker (Democrat-New York)
1908: War Secretary William Howard Taft (Republican-Ohio)
1912: President William Howard Taft (Republican-Ohio)
1916: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Charles Evan Hughes (Republican-New York)
1920: Senator Warren G. Harding (Republican-Ohio)
1924: President John Calvin Coolidge (Republican-Massachusetts)
1928: Governor Alfred E. Smith (Democrat-New York) Can't pass up my chance to vote for the first Catholic candidate. In 1928, as far as I'm concerned, this chance may never come again.
1932: Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Democrat-New York)
1936: Governor Alfred E. Landon (Republican-Kansas)
1940: Businessman Wendell Willkie (Republican-New York)
1944: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Democrat-New York)
1948: Governor Thomas Dewey (Republican-New York) As much as Truman may seem better in retrospect, and I personally like him more than Dewey, in 1948 this is the Republicans' best chance to end sixteen years of Democratic rule.
1952: General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican-New York)
1956: President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican-New York)

1960: Tricky one for me. I like both of the candidates, and like 1928, it would be a difficult choice without retrospect, or even with retrospect. On one hand, like in 1928, you have "Peace, Progress, and Prosperity" and a Vice-President I would've grown to like. On the other hand, you have the Catholic candidate who is in fact running to Nixon's right on foreign policy of all things. Two of my favorite candidates in one election. I'll pass on this one.

1964: Senator Barry M. Goldwater (Republican-Arizona)
1968: Former Vice-President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York)
1972: President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York)
1976: President Gerald R. Ford (Republican-Michigan)
1980: Former Governor Ronald W. Reagan (Republican-California)
1984: President Ronald W. Reagan (Republican-California)
1988: Vice-President George H.W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
1992: Businessman H. Ross Perot (Independent-Texas)
1996: Former Senate Majority Leader Robert S. Dole (Republican-Kansas)
2000: Governor George W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
2004: President George W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
2008: Senator John S. McCain (Republican-Arizona)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Democratic Primaries/Conventions

1932: Former Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York
1936: N/A
1940: Vice-President John Nance Garner of Texas
1944: N/A, but with the war, I'd support Roosevelt
1948: President Harry S. Truman of Missouri
1952: Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. of Georgia
1956: Governor Frank J. Lausche of Ohio
1960: Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts
1964: Mayor Samuel Yorty of California
1968: Senator Robert F. Kennedy of Massachusetts
1972: Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson of Washington
1976: Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson of Washington
1980: Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown of California
1984: Senator Gary Hart of Colorado
1988: Senator Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee
1992: Former Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown of California (although voting for Tsongas would be cool)
1996: N/A
2000: Former Senator William J. "Bill" Bradley of New Jersey
2004: General Wesley Clark of Arkansas
2008: Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton of New York

Republican Primaries/Conventions

1932: President Herbert C. Hoover of California
1936: Governor Alfred M. Landon of Kansas
1940: Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michigan
1944: Chief of Staff of the United States Army Douglas MacArthur of Arkansas
1948: Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio
1952: Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio
1956: N/A
1960: Vice-President Richard M. Nixon of California
1964: Senator Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona
1968: Former Vice-President Richard M. Nixon of New York (would be former Romney supporter)
1972: Congressman John Ashbrook of Ohio (out of protest and because I like the man)
1976: Former Governor Ronald W. Reagan of California
1980: Former Governor Ronald W. Reagan of California
1984: N/A
1988: Congressman Jack F. Kemp of New York
1992: Former White House Communications Director Pat Buchanan of Virginia
1996: United States Senate Majority Leader Robert S. Dole of Kansas
2000: Governor George W. Bush of Texas
2004: N/A
2008: Former Governor Willard "Mitt" Romney of Massachusetts
2012: Congressman Ronald E. Paul of Texas

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Revised
Of the elections I'm most split on are 1904, 1928, and 1960. As well, maybe a few of the FDR elections where one matches the patheticness of his opponents vs. FDR's liberalism but competence.

1789: General George Washington (Independent-Virginia)
1792: President George Washington (Independent-Virginia)
1796: Vice President John Adams (Federalist-Massachusetts)
1800: Vice President Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1804: President Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1808: Secretary of State James Madison (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1812: President James Madison (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1816: Secretary of State James Monroe (Democratic Republican-Virginia)
1820: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (Democratic Republican-Massachusetts)
1824: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (Democratic Republican-Massachusetts)
1828: President John Quincy Adams (National Republican-Massachusetts)
1832: Former Attorney General William Wirt (Anti-Masonic-Maryland)
1836: Former Ambassador William Henry Harrison (Whig-Ohio)
1840: Former Ambassador William Henry Harrison (Whig-Ohio)
1844: Former Governor James Knox Polk (Democrat-Tennessee)
1848: General Zachary Taylor (Whig-Louisiana)
1852: General Winfield Scott (Whig-New Jersey)
1856: Secretary of State James Buchanan (Democrat-Pennsylvania)
1860: Former Congressman Abraham Lincoln (Republican-Illinois)
1864: President Abraham Lincoln (National Unity-Illinois)
1868: General Ulysses S. Grant (Republican-Illinois)
1872: President Ulysses S. Grant (Republican-Illinois)
1876: Governor Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat-New York)
1880: General Winfield Scott Hancock (Democrat-Pennsylvania)
1884: Governor Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1888: President Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1892: Former President Grover Cleveland (Democrat-New York)
1896: Former Governor William McKinley (Republican-Ohio)
1900: President William McKinley (Republican-Ohio)
1904: President Theodore Roosevelt (Republican-New York)
1908: Secretary of War William Howard Taft (Republican-Ohio)
1912: Governor Woodrow Wilson (Democrat-New Jersey)
1916: Former Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes (Republican-New York)
1920: Senator Warren G. Harding (Republilcan-Ohio)
1924: President Calvin Coolidge (Republican-Massachusetts)
1928: Governor Alfred E. Smith (Democrat-New York)
1932: Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat-New York)
1936: Governor Alfred Landon (Republican-Kansas)
1940: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat-New York)
1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat-New York)
1948: President Harry S. Truman (Democrat-Missouri)
1952: General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican-New York)
1956: President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican-New York)
1960: Vice President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-California)
1964: Senator Barry M. Goldwater (Republican-Arizona)
1968: Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-New York)
1972: President Richard M. Nixon (Republican-California)
1976: President Gerald R. Ford (Republican-Michigan)
1980: Former Governor Ronald W. Reagan (Republican-California)
1984: President Ronald W. Reagan (Republican-California)
1988: Vice President George H.W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
1992: Businessman H. Ross Perot (Independent-Texas)
1996: Former Senator Robert J. Dole (Republican-Kansas)
2000: Governor George W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
2004: President George W. Bush (Republican-Texas)
2008: Senator John S. McCain III (Republican-Arizona)
2012: Former Governor Willard Romney (Republican-Massachusetts)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Once again, I'll comment that it's somewhat laughable if someone who isn't either a WASP or black to think they'd have been a Republican before 1920 or so.  19th-century Republicans were fond of calling out the police or other goons to billy-club you away from the polling stations.

(Assuming you got to the polling station, the fact that you deposited a pre-filled out non-secret ballot would have your evident English illiteracy swiftly mocked).

McKinley actually did pretty well with Catholics and Lutherans, so you should adjust to say "before 1896 or so".

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

FTR, it's estimated McKinley may have gotten as mch as 45% of all Catholics, up quite much from the 20-25% that Harrison got in 1892.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Okay, let's start from the beginning for the Dems...

1844: former President Martin Van Buren (NY)
1848: Former Ambassador to France Lewis Cass (MI)
1852: Former Secretary of State James Buchanan (PA)
1856: President Franklin W. Pierce (NH)
1860: Senator Stephen Douglas (IL)
1864: General George C. McClellan (NJ)
1868: President Andrew Johnson (TN)
1872: Former Secretary of State Jereiah S. Black (PA)
1876: Governor Samuel J. Tilden (NY)
1880: Senator Thomas F. Bayard (MD)
1884: Governor S. Grover Cleveland (NY)
1888: President S. Grover Cleveland (NY)
1892: Former President S. Grover Cleveland (NY)
1896: Governor Claude Matthews (IN)
1900: Admiral George Dewey (VT)
1904: Justice Alton B. Parker (NY)
1908: Former Senator George Gray (DE)
1912: Governor Judson Harmon (OH)
1916: President Woodrow Wilson (NJ)
1920: Governor Alfred E. Smith (NY)
1924: Governor Alfred E. Smith (NY)
1928: Governor Alfred E. Smith (NY)
1932: Former Governor Alfred E. Smith (NY)
1936: Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy Henry S. Breckenridge (NY)
1940: Vice President John Nance Garner (TX)
1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (NY)
1948: Senator Richard Russell (GA)
1952: Senator Richard Russell (GA)
1956: Senator Estes Kefauver (TN)
1960: Senator John F. Kennedy (MA)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Conventions

1840
Whig: William Henry Harrison

1844
Democrat: Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk

1848
Whig: Zachary Taylor
Democrat: Lewis Cass

1852:
Democrat: Lewis Cass
Whig: Winfield Scott

1856:
Democrat: James Buchanan
Republican: John C. Fremont
American: Millard Fillmore

1860:
Republican: Abraham Lincoln
Southern Democrat: Daniel S. Dickinson
Democrat: Stephen Douglas
Constitutional Union: Samuel Houston

1864
Republican: Abraham Lincoln
Democrat: Thomas H. Seymour

1868:
Republican: Ulysses S. Grant
Democrat: Winfield Scott Hancock

1872:
Republican: Ulysses S. Grant
Democrat: James A. Bayard

1876:
Republican: Rutherford B. Hayes
Democratic: Winfield S. Hancock

1880:
Republican: John Sherman, though earlier would've considered Ulysses S. Grant
Democrat: Thomas F. Bayard

1884
Democrat: Grover Cleveland
Republican: Chester Alan Arthur

1888:
Republican: John Sherman
Democrat: Grover Cleveland

1892:
Democrat: Grover Cleveland
Republican: William McKinley
Populist: James H. Kyle

1896:
Republican: William McKinley
Democrat: Horace Boies
Gold Democrat: John M. Palmer

1900:
Republican: William McKinley
Democrat: George Dewey

1904:
Republican: Theodore Roosevelt, though would have leaned towards Mark Hanna earlier
Democrat: Nelson A. Miles

1908:
Republican: Joseph B. Foraker
Democrat: George Gray

1912:
Democrat: Beauchamp Clark
Republican: William Howard Taft

1916:
Republican: Henry Ford

1920:
Republican: John Calvin Coolidge
Democrat: Alfred E. Smith

1924:
Republican: John Calvin Coolidge
Democrat: Alfred E. Smith

1928:
Republican: John Calvin Coolidge
Democrat: Alfred E. Smith

1932:
Republican: John Calvin Coolidge
Democrat: Alfred E. Smith

(End of this as I've done 1932-onward already. Guess I got a little too pro-Coolidge and pro-Smith at the end. Both of those guys were candidates, or at least supported by delegates, in their parties' conventions 1920-1932)