1992 Presidential Election

1992 Presidential Election Candidates

Who were the candidates?

Republican Candidate

The Republican candidate in 1992 was the sitting president George H. W. Bush. During his term, the Berlin Wall fell, Germany was reunited, the Soviet Union fell and America was the only remaining world superpower. In pursuit of these accomplishments, U.S. military and space spending skyrocketed. Meanwhile, taxes had been lowered until Congress pushed for tax increases to fix a growing federal budget deficit. George Bush's 1988 vow against "no new taxes" was broken in 1990 as the President reversed course. The primary issue of 1990-1991 was the Persian Gulf War as Bush earned high praise and public support for his role as America's Commander in Chief. Bush's high approval ratings soon plummeted as economic factors opened the door to a Democrat alternative.

Fig. 1: President George H.W. Bush

Democratic Candidate

The Democrats nominated William Jefferson Clinton as the presidential candidate in 1992. Bill Clinton was considered a "New Democrat", intentionally moderate on social and economic policies. Out of the White House since 1981, the Democratic Party realized they had to run a candidate that would be tough on crime and address the abuse of social services (welfare) in order to win over middle-class voters. A renewed push for national health care was central to the platform of Clinton, an Arkansas lawyer, state Attorney General, and Governor. The candidate also benefitted from election media likening Clinton to John F. Kennedy.

Fig. 2: Bill Clinton and AL Gore

Third-Party Candidate

A strong third-party bid was made by Texas billionaire Ross Perot. Perot ran as an unaffiliated, independent candidate on a reform-based platform that would later become the Reform Party (post-election). The technology business leader personally financed most of his campaign which focused on balancing the budget, promoting American business, combatting drugs, and making the democratic process more transparent and accessible through technology. Electoral reform emerged as a campaign issue and the success of his third-party run is confirmation. Perot also focused on the protection of American corporations and lamented Clinton's proposal for free trade agreements.

1992 Presidential Election Results

1992 Presidential Election Major Issues

In 1992, America was experiencing peace and population growth. The candidates offered proposals for trade, health care, welfare, and criminal justice reform. Bush pointed to his foreign policy successes while Perot and Clinton offered alternatives. The biggest issue on the minds of voters in 1992 was the economy. In 1990, America entered an economic recession.

Most Americans were concerned about the loss of American jobs as a result of corporate downsizing and hiring reductions. An increase in federal budget deficits caused many politicians and citizens to call for tax changes, an examination of federal spending, and a focus on improving the economy overall. Political polling showed concern about the economy even when individuals' personal finances had not deteriorated.

1992 Presidential Election Polls

1992 Presidential Election Average monthly polling data compiled from Gallup Polling. StudySmarter Original.

1992 Presidential Election Electoral Map

U.S. Electoral College map of the 1992 presidential election. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Final Electoral College Tally

Bill Clinton (winner) - 370

George Bush - 168

Ross Perot - 0

1992 Presidential Election Significance

Clinton's win was the last time a candidate won the Presidency without winning Florida. The election is an example of a President unable to win re-election, representing voter dissatisfaction with the candidate or state of the nation. Clinton won a plurality of the vote rather than a majority as Ross Perot was able to win a significant 19% of the vote.

Historians such as William Chafe have maintained that Bill Clinton's landslide electoral victory did not give him a strong governing mandate due to the close popular vote and support for a third political party. Many have argued that Perot voters drew more votes from Bush than from Clinton although the actual results vary with interpretation. What is clear is that a large number of Americans were concerned about the economy and did not like the two-party offerings. William Jefferson Clinton offered a positive, fresh alternative that appealed to many voters nationwide.