Presidential Election Events

1852 Douglas Attempts to Run for Presidency
By 1852, Douglas felt politically strong enough to attempt a run for the presidency. He was backed by "Young America," a movement that supported a strong nationalistic policy and called f...
1856 Douglas Attempts Democractic Party Nomination for a Second Time
The 1856 Democratic National Convention, held at Smith & Nixon's Hall in Cincinnati was the first national party nominating convention to be held outside the original thirteen states. Cal...
1860 Nov 6 Abraham Lincoln Elected 16th President of the United States
Lincoln was chosen as the Republican candidate for the 1860 election for several reasons. His expressed views on slavery were seen as more moderate than those of rivals William H. Seward ...
1864 Nov 8 1864 Presidential Election
After Union victories at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga in 1863, overall victory seemed at hand, and Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant General-in-Chief on March 12, 1864. When the...
1960 Oct 21 Final Debate Airs Between Vice President Richard M. Nixon And Senator John F. Kennedy
On October 21, 1960, American viewers were riveted to their television sets for the broadcast of the fourth and final debate between Vice President Richard M. Nixon, the Republican presid...
1968 May 2 Ronald Reagan Draft Movement for the 1968 Presidential Nomination Takes Off
In his first term, he froze government hiring and approved tax hikes to balance the budget. Shortly after the beginning of his term, Reagan tested the presidential waters in 1968 as part ...
1968 Aug 5 Ronald Reagan Announces Candidacy for 1968 Presidential Nomination
The 1968 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Dade County, Florida, from August 5 to August 8,...
1976 Aug 19 Ronald Reagan Addresses Kansas City Convention Delegates
February 24: Ford squeaks by Reagan in the New Hampshire primary. February 27: 11 of 12 former chairs of the Republican National Committee endorse Ford. March 3: Polls show Presiden...
1979 Nov 13 Ronald Reagan Announces Candidacy for President of the United States
Reagan-formerly an actor, Democrat, and governor of California-had first run for president in 1976 and was only barely beaten for the Republican nomination by Gerald Ford. Undaunted, he b...
1980 Jul 17 Ronald Reagan Becomes the Republican Candidate for the 1980 Presidential Election
Ronald Reagan, the 33rd Governor of California, announced his candidacy for President of the United States in New York City on November 13, 1979. On July 17, 1980, he became the nominee o...
1980 Sep 9 Ronald Reagan Speaks at the International Business Council in Chicago
Almost two months ago, in accepting the Presidential nomination of my party, I spoke of the historically unique crisis facing the United States. At that time I said: "Never before in o...
1980 Oct 14 Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter Debate
ROBERT MacNEIL: We're back now, for a full analysis of the Carter-Reagan encounter we've just witnessed. With us to score the debate as they saw it we have two top political pros, and add...
1980 Nov 4 Reagan Wins the 1980 US Presidential Election
After receiving the Republican nomination, Reagan selected one of his primary opponents, George H.W. Bush, to be his running mate. His showing in the October televised debate boosted his ...
1984 Nov 4 Ronald Reagan Wins the 1984 Presidential Election
Reagan accepted the Republican nomination in Dallas, Texas, on a wave of positive feeling. He proclaimed that it was "morning again in America," in reference to the recovering economy and...
2008 Aug 25 Edward Kennedy Addresses DNC in Denver
The operation and follow-up treatments left Kennedy thinner, prone to seizures, weak and short on energy, and hurt his balance. Kennedy made his first post-illness public appearance on Ju...
2010 Dec 7 Elizabeth Edwards Dies
"You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces – my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me th..." —Elizabeth Edwards
2012 Jan 3 Iowa Republican Caucus a Virtual Tie for Romney and Santorum
The Republican nomination process to choose a candidate to run against President Barack Obama began with a virtual tie in the Iowa caucus. The race was originally called in favor of fo...
2012 Jan 10 Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire Republican Primary
Former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, won the New Hampshire Republican Primary for the 2012 Presidential Nomination. Texas Congressman, Ron Paul - considered a long-shot and a prote...
2012 Jan 21 Newt Gingrich Wins South Carolina Republican Primary
Former Georgia Congressman and Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, won the South Carolina Republican Primary, beating out presumed front-runner, former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romne...