The only 2 Democrats to be elected President between James Buchanan in 1856 & FDR in 1932

The Final Jeopardy category for Wednesday, February 26, 2025, was “Presidential Elections.” The clue given to contestants was:

“The only 2 Democrats to be elected President between James Buchanan in 1856 & FDR in 1932.”

Who are Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson?

From the election of James Buchanan in 1856 to the victory of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, the Democratic Party won the presidency only twice, with Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson as the successful candidates. This period was largely dominated by the Republican Party, which emerged in the 1850s and became the dominant force in American politics following the Civil War.

James Buchanan, the 15th president, was the last Democratic president before the Civil War. His term was marked by increasing sectional tensions that ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War. After Buchanan, Republicans controlled the White House for most of the next seven decades, with only two Democratic victories breaking their dominance.

Grover Cleveland’s Unique Presidential Wins

Grover Cleveland, a former governor of New York, became the 22nd president in 1885 after winning the 1884 election against Republican James G. Blaine. His presidency was marked by a focus on political reform and opposition to high tariffs, which put him at odds with many in Congress. Despite his initial success, he lost his reelection bid in 1888 to Republican Benjamin Harrison.

However, Cleveland made history in 1892 by defeating Harrison in a rematch, becoming the 24th president and the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms at the time. His second presidency was defined by economic challenges, including the Panic of 1893, which severely impacted the nation’s economy. After Cleveland left office in 1897, Republicans continued their dominance until the 1912 election.

Woodrow Wilson and the 1912 Election

The second Democrat elected during this period was Woodrow Wilson, who won the 1912 election in a unique three-way race. The Republican Party was deeply divided between incumbent President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt, who ran as a Progressive under the “Bull Moose Party.” This split in the Republican vote allowed Wilson, then the governor of New Jersey, to secure a decisive victory.

Wilson was reelected in 1916, narrowly defeating Republican Charles Evans Hughes. His presidency was defined by progressive reforms, the establishment of the Federal Reserve, and U.S. involvement in World War I. Despite his leadership during the war, his post-war efforts to secure U.S. participation in the League of Nations were unsuccessful, and Republicans regained control of the White House in 1920.

The Return of Democratic Leadership with FDR

After Wilson’s presidency, Republicans held the White House for three consecutive terms, with Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover serving as presidents. It wasn’t until the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 that the Democratic Party regained the presidency, bringing an end to the long Republican dominance that had characterized the post-Civil War era.

Roosevelt’s landslide victory over Hoover marked a major political shift in American history, ushering in the New Deal era and the transformation of the Democratic Party into the dominant force in American politics for much of the 20th century. His election also signified the end of the Democratic drought in presidential elections that had lasted nearly 80 years.

Conclusion

The correct response to this Final Jeopardy clue highlights an important aspect of U.S. presidential history. Between the presidencies of James Buchanan (1856) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1932), Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson were the only two Democrats to win the presidency. Their victories were exceptions in a period of Republican dominance, reflecting the challenges the Democratic Party faced in the decades following the Civil War.

Cleveland’s unique two-term split and Wilson’s victory in a fractured political climate both stand out in history, demonstrating how shifts in party influence, economic conditions, and political divides shaped presidential elections in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.