Who's an Independent? Part One: Independent Presidents

image
Lauren MooreLauren Moore
Published: 31 Jul, 2012
1 min read

George Washington was the only president officially elected as an independent. He was never formally affiliated with any party before or during his two terms of presidency. What other Independent Presidents have there been in US history?

John Tyler, though affiliated with the Whig Party until his expulsion in september of his first year in office (1841) finished his term as an Independent President. In 1844 Tyler sought reelection as a democrat, but withdrew.

The most recent almost Independent Presidents have been John Anderson in 1980, Ron Paul in 1988, Ross Perot in 1992 and Ralph Nader in 2004 and 2008.  Ralph Nader and Joe Lieberman have recently taken up creating "independent parties" to gain a ballot entry, despite contradicting the independent motive. In some states, it is easier to create a new party than gather signatures for a petition.

You Might Also Like

Will the Texas Republican Party be Successful Where the Hawaiian Democratic Party Failed?
Will the Texas Republican Party be Successful Where the Hawaiian Democratic Party Failed?
The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) is suing Secretary of State Jane Nelson in an effort to close the state’s primary elections to party members only – a move that the Democratic Party of Hawaii (DPH) tried back in 2013 in its state and failed. ...
05 Sep, 2025
-
3 min read
Supreme Court building.
Retired Attorney Takes Voting Rights Case All the Way to the Supreme Court -- By Himself
The next big voting rights case the Supreme Court of the United States could consider wasn’t filed by the ACLU, the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, or another household name when it comes to voter rights. ...
09 Sep, 2025
-
5 min read
congress flag
Poll: 82% of Americans Want Redistricting Done by Independent Commission, Not Politicians
There may be no greater indication that voters are not being listened to in the escalating redistricting war between the Republican and Democratic Parties than a new poll from NBC News that shows 8-in-10 Americans want the parties to stop....
10 Sep, 2025
-
3 min read