Walker Records 3rd Shortest Presidential Campaign Since 1972

Only two major party candidates had a briefer White House campaign than the Wisconsin governor in the modern primary era

While it was no secret that Scott Walker’s presidential campaign was struggling mightily days after the second Republican presidential debate, few were prepared for his announcement on Monday that he was withdrawing from the race.

That exit came just 71 days after formally launching his campaign on July 13th.

If that sounds like a short campaign, it is.

Thad McCotter. Tom Vilsack. Larry Pressler. Cliff Finch. Birch Bayh. John Ashbrook. Douglas Wilder. Pete Wilson. All of these presidential candidates lasted longer on the campaign trail than the once-promising Wisconsin politician.

In fact, less than a handful of presidential hopefuls have closed up shop so quickly in the modern political era.

Smart Politics examined the presidential campaign entrances and exits of the more than 170 campaigns launched since 1972 and found that only two were shorter than Scott Walker’s 71 day journey: Democrat Fred Harris of Oklahoma in 1972 and Republican Lowell Weicker of Connecticut in 1980.

This study examined major party presidential candidacies by non-fringe candidates who formally launched presidential campaigns over the last 12 cycles including 2016. Excluded were candidates who only formed exploratory committees (e.g. Pat Schroeder in 1988, Evan Bayh in 2008) or were non-competitive perennial candidates (e.g. Lyndon LaRouche, Harold Stassen).

Since the 1972 cycle, when a majority of states began selecting convention delegates via primaries or caucuses, Walker can only point to two presidential campaigns that were shorter than his 2016 bid.

Fred Harris was a two-term Democratic U.S. Senator from Oklahoma when he launched his first presidential campaign on September 24, 1971.

Harris’ White House bid lasted just 48 days when he withdrew on November 10, 1971 due to his campaign being in debt $40,000.

Harris would again run for president four years later and this time lasted 454 days on the campaign trail (from January 11, 1975 to April 8, 1976) but failed to carry any states.

Facing a beleaguered Jimmy Carter presidency, Republicans came out of the woodwork in the 1980 cycle to vie for their party’s nomination to challenge the Democrat.

One of those GOPers was two-term Connecticut U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker who formally announced his candidacy on March 12, 1979.

A self-described “long-shot,” Weicker exited the race just 67 days later on May 17th citing polls showing both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush well ahead of him in his home state.

Walker’s short-lived campaign lasted four days longer than Weicker’s.

However, what distinguishes Walker from both the Oklahoma and Connecticut U.S. Senators mentioned above is that he was leading in the polls at one point in the cycle (as of late Spring 2015) and dubbed by many as a top-tier candidate if not a front runner.

So how rare is it for a presidential campaign to not even last 100 days?

Of the 170+ presidential candidacies under analysis since 1972, only 10 failed to reach the 100-day mark:

• Republican Jim Gilmore of Virginia (2008): 80 days
• Republican Thad McCotter of Michigan (2012): 83 days
• Democrat Vance Hartke of Indiana (1972): 84 days
• Republican Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota (2012): 85 days
• Democrat Tom Vilsack of Iowa (2008): 86 days
• Democrat Frank Church of Idaho (1976): 89 days
• Democrat John Lindsay of New York (1972) 99 days

Note: Colorado Democrat Gary Hart’s second bid at the White House was initially cut short at 26 days in May 1987 following the Donna Rice scandal, but Hart reentered the race in December of that year and logged another 88 days on the trail for 114 total days of campaigning in the 1988 cycle.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, the first GOPer to drop out of the 2016 race, lasted 100 days this cycle – two months shy of the 160 days logged by his 2012 campaign.

As for the longest major party presidential campaign among candidates who fell short of their party’s nomination, that distinction belongs to former Alaska U.S. Senator Mike Gravel. Gravel – more than a quarter century out of office – kicked off his 2008 White House campaign on April 17, 2006 and ran for the Democratic nomination for 710 days until he withdrew to seek the Libertarian Party nod on March 26, 2008.

Gravel is followed by Illinois Republican Phil Crane in 1980 (625 days), Arizona Democrat Mo Udall in 1976 (570 days), Delaware Republican Pierre du Pont in 1988 (521 days), Colorado Democrat Gary Hart in 1984 (519 days), Virginia Republican Pat Buchanan in 1996 (514 days), and New York Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2008 (505 days).

Note: Two current 2016 GOP contenders have not yet passed Walker’s 71-day mark and, though unlikely, could still drop out after a shorter run. Through September 23rd, John Kasich’s campaign is 65 days old with Jim Gilmore’s at 56 days.

Length of Failed Major Party Presidential Campaigns, 1972-2016

Cycle	Candidate	State	Party	Entered	Exited	# Days
1972	Fred Harris	OK	DEM	September 24, 1971	November 10, 1971	48
1980	Lowell Weicker	CT	REP	March 12, 1979	May 17, 1979	67
2016	Scott Walker	WI	REP	July 13, 2015	September 21, 2015	71
2008	Jim Gilmore	VA	REP	April 26, 2007	July 14, 2007	80
2012	Thad McCotter	MI	REP	July 2, 2011	September 22, 2011	83
1972	Vance Hartke	IN	DEM	January 3, 1972	March 26, 1972	84
2012	Tim Pawlenty	MN	REP	May 22, 2011	August 14, 2011	85
2008	Tom Vilsack	IA	DEM	November 30, 2006	February 23, 2007	86
1976	Frank Church	ID	DEM	March 18, 1976	June 14, 1976	89
1972	John Lindsay	NY	DEM	December 28, 1971	April 4, 1972	99
2016	Rick Perry	TX	REP	June 4, 2015	September 11, 2015	100
1980	Cliff Finch	MS	DEM	December 24, 1979	April 2, 1980	101
1988	Joe Biden	DE	DEM	June 9, 1987	September 23, 1987	107
1996	Pete Wilson	CA	REP	June 15, 1995	September 29, 1995	107
1980	Larry Pressler	SD	REP	September 25, 1979	January 9, 1980	107
1988	Gary Hart	CO	DEM	April 13, 1987; December 15, 1987	May 8, 1987; March 11, 1988	114
2004	Carol Moseley Braun	IL	DEM	September 22, 2003	January 15, 2004	116
1992	Douglas Wilder	VA	DEM	September 13, 1991	January 8, 1992	118
1976	Robert Byrd	WV	DEM	January 9, 1976	May 11, 1976	124
1976	Jerry Brown*	CA	DEM	March 12, 1976	July 15, 1976	126
1980	Howard Baker	TN	REP	November 1, 1979	March 5, 1980	126
1972	Terry Sanford*	NC	DEM	March 8, 1972	July 13, 1972	128
1972	Wilbur Mills*	AR	DEM	March 5, 1972	July 12, 1972	130
2008	Tommy Thompson	WI	REP	April 4, 2007	August 12, 2007	131
1976	Birch Bayh	IN	DEM	October 21, 1975	March 4, 1976	136
2008	Fred Thompson	TN	REP	September 6, 2007	January 22, 2008	139
1988	Bob Dole	KS	REP	November 9, 1987	March 29, 1988	142
1980	Jerry Brown	CA	DEM	November 8, 1979	April 1, 1980	146
1972	Walter Fauntroy	DC	DEM	December 7, 1971	May 2, 1972	148
2004	Wesley Clark	AR	DEM	September 16, 2003	February 11, 2004	149
2000	John Kasich	OH	REP	February 15, 1999	July 14, 1999	150
2004	Bob Graham	FL	DEM	May 6, 2003	October 6, 2003	154
1992	Bob Kerrey	NE	DEM	September 30, 1991	March 5, 1992	158
2012	Rick Perry	TX	REP	August 13, 2011	January 19, 2012	160
2000	Lamar Alexander	TN	REP	March 9, 1999	August 16, 1999	161
1972	John Ashbrook	OH	REP	December 29, 1971	June 7, 1972	162
2000	John McCain	AZ	REP	September 27, 1999	March 9, 2000	165
2000	Dan Quayle	IN	REP	April 14, 1999	September 27, 1999	167
2004	John Edwards	NC	DEM	September 16, 2003	March 2, 2004	169
1976	Milton Shapp	PA	DEM	September 25, 1975	March 12, 1976	170
1988	Jim Traficant	OH	DEM	November 15, 1987	May 3, 1988	171
1972	Shirley Chisholm*	NY	DEM	January 25, 1972	July 13, 1972	171
1996	Steve Forbes	NY	REP	September 22, 1995	March 14, 1996	175
1992	Tom Harkin	IA	DEM	September 15, 1991	March 9, 1992	177
1972	George Wallace*	AL	DEM	January 13, 1972	July 13, 1972	183
2000	Bill Bradley	NJ	DEM	September 8, 1999	March 9, 2000	184
1984	George McGovern	SD	DEM	September 13, 1983	March 14, 1984	184
1972	Hubert Humphrey*	MN	DEM	January 10, 1972	July 11, 1972	184
1976	Sargent Shriver	MD	DEM	September 20, 1975	March 22, 1976	185
1988	Pat Robertson	VA	REP	October 1, 1987	April 6, 1988	189
1972	Edmund Muskie*	ME	DEM	January 4, 1972	July 11, 1972	190
2012	Michele Bachmann	MN	REP	June 27, 2011	January 4, 2012	192
1972	Sam Yorty	CA	DEM	November 16, 1971	June 6, 1972	204
2012	Herman Cain	GA	REP	May 21, 2011	December 11, 2011	205
1972	Eugene McCarthy	MN	DEM	December 17, 1971	July 12, 1972	209
2000	Orrin Hatch	UT	REP	July 2, 1999	January 26, 2000	209
2012	John Huntsman	UT	REP	June 21, 2011	January 16, 2012	210
1976	George Wallace	AL	DEM	November 12, 1975	June 9, 1976	211
2008	Alan Keyes**	MD	REP	September 14, 2007	April 15, 2008	215
2012	Buddy Roemer**	LA	REP	July 21, 2011	February 22, 2012	217
2000	Elizabeth Dole	NC	REP	March 10, 1999	October 20, 1999	225
1972	Scoop Jackson*	WA	DEM	November 19, 1971	July 13, 1972	238
2000	Pat Buchanan**	VA	REP	March 2, 1999	October 25, 1999	238
1996	Arlen Specter	PA	REP	March 30, 1995	November 22, 1995	238
2004	Howard Dean	VT	DEM	June 23, 2003	February 18, 2004	241
1976	Ellen McCormack	NY	DEM	November 16, 1975	July 15, 1976	243
1972	Pete McCloskey	CA	REP	July 9, 1971	March 10, 1972	246
1976	Terry Sanford	NC	DEM	May 19, 1975	January 25, 1976	252
2012	Gary Johnson	NM	REP	April 21, 2011	December 28, 2011	252
1992	Pat Buchanan	VA	REP	December 10, 1991	August 17, 1992	252
2000	Bob Smith	NH	REP	February 18, 1999	October 28, 1999	253
1984	Jesse Jackson*	IL	DEM	November 3, 1983	July 19, 1984	260
2008	Tom Tancredo	CO	REP	April 2, 2007	December 20, 2007	263
1996	Morry Taylor	MI	REP	June 17, 1995	March 8, 1996	266
1992	Jerry Brown*	CA	DEM	October 21, 1991	July 16, 1992	270
2008	Sam Brownback	KS	REP	January 20, 2007	October 19, 2007	273
1976	Ronald Reagan*	CA	REP	November 20, 1975	August 19, 1976	274
1980	Ted Kennedy*	MA	DEM	November 7, 1979	August 11, 1980	279
2004	Dennis Kucinich	OH	DEM	October 13, 2003	July 22, 2004	284
1988	Jesse Jackson*	SC	DEM	October 10, 1987	July 21, 1988	286
2000	Gary Bauer	KY	REP	April 21, 1999	February 4, 2000	290
2008	Rudy Giuliani	NY	REP	April 12, 2007	January 30, 2008	294
1988	Al Gore	TN	DEM	June 29, 1987	April 22, 1988	299
1980	Bob Dole	KS	REP	May 14, 1979	March 15, 1980	307
2012	Rick Santorum	PA	REP	June 6, 2011	April 10, 2012	310
2000	Alan Keyes	MD	REP	September 20, 1999	July 25, 2000	310
1984	Ernest Hollings	SC	DEM	April 18, 1983	March 1, 1984	319
1980	John Anderson**	IL	REP	June 8, 1979	April 24, 1980	322
1996	Dick Lugar	IN	REP	April 19, 1995	March 6, 1996	323
1992	Paul Tsongas	MA	DEM	April 30, 1991	March 19, 1992	325
1988	Paul Simon	IL	DEM	May 18, 1987	April 7, 1988	326
1988	Alexander Haig	PA	REP	March 24, 1987	February 12, 1988	326
1992	Larry Agran*	CA	DEM	August 22, 1991	July 16, 1992	330
1984	John Glenn	OH	DEM	April 21, 1983	March 16, 1984	331
2000	Steve Forbes	NJ	REP	March 16, 1999	February 10, 2000	332
2004	Dick Gephardt	MO	DEM	February 19, 2003	January 20, 2004	336
2008	Joe Biden	DE	DEM	January 31, 2007	January 3, 2008	338
1988	Jack Kemp	NY	REP	April 6, 1987	March 10, 1988	340
1988	Bruce Babbitt	AZ	DEM	March 10, 1987	February 18, 1988	346
1996	Alan Keyes	MD	REP	March 26, 1995	March 6, 1996	347
2008	Bill Richardson	NM	DEM	January 21, 2007	January 10, 2008	355
1996	Phil Gramm	TX	REP	February 24, 1995	February 14, 1996	356
2008	Chris Dodd	CT	DEM	January 11, 2007	January 3, 2008	358
2012	Newt Gingrich	GA	REP	May 11, 2011	May 2, 2012	358
1976	Lloyd Bentsen	TX	DEM	Feburary 17, 1975	February 10, 1976	359
2008	Duncan Hunter	CA	REP	January 25, 2007	January 19, 2008	360
2008	Mitt Romney	MA	REP	Feburary 13, 2007	February 7, 2008	360
1984	Reubin Askew	FL	DEM	February 23, 1983	March 1, 1984	373
1996	Lamar Alexander	TN	REP	February 28, 1995	March 6, 1996	373
2004	Joe Lieberman	CT	DEM	January 13, 2003	February 3, 2004	387
1980	George H.W. Bush	TX	REP	May 1, 1979	May 26, 1980	392
1984	Alan Cranston	CA	DEM	February 2, 1983	February 29, 1984	393
2008	John Edwards	NC	DEM	December 28, 2006	January 30, 2008	399
1988	Dick Gephardt	MO	DEM	February 23, 1987	March 28, 1988	400
2008	Mike Huckabee	AR	REP	January 28, 2007	March 4, 2008	402
2008	Dennis Kucinich	OH	DEM	December 11, 2006	January 24, 2008	410
1980	John Connally	TX	REP	January 24, 1979	March 9, 1980	411
2004	Al Sharpton	NY	DEM	January 3, 2003	March 15, 2004	438
1976	Scoop Jackson	WA	DEM	February 6, 1975	May 1, 1976	451
1976	Fred Harris	OK	DEM	January 11, 1975	April 8, 1976	454
2008	Ron Paul	TX	REP	March 12, 2007	June 12, 2008	459
2012	Ron Paul*	TX	REP	May 13, 2011	August 28, 2012	474
1996	Bob Dornan*	CA	REP	April 13, 1995	August 14, 1996	490
2008	Hillary Clinton	NY	DEM	January 20, 2007	June 7, 2008	505
1996	Pat Buchanan*	VA	REP	March 20, 1995	August 14, 1996	514
1984	Gary Hart*	CO	DEM	February 17, 1983	July 19, 1984	519
1988	Pierre du Pont IV	DE	REP	September 16, 1986	February 18, 1988	521
1976	Mo Udall*	AZ	DEM	November 23, 1974	June 14, 1976	570
1980	Phil Crane	IL	REP	August 2, 1978	April 17, 1980	625
2008	Mike Gravel**	AK	DEM	April 17, 2006	March 26, 2008	710

Through September 22, 2016. * Did not withdraw / continued campaign until party convention. ** Withdrew from major party bid to third or independent party. Table compiled by Smart Politics.

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