A perennial candidate is a political candidate who frequently runs for public office without a reasonable chance of winning. The term is the opposite of an incumbent politician who repeatedly defends their seat successfully. In the U.S., perennial candidates are often affiliated with third party politics.
Generally speaking, candidates are considered perennial if they seek a specific elected office or general high office (such as president, governor, congressperson or mayor) more than three times without success.Also-Rans: What Drives The Perennial Candidates?, NPR, September 23, 2011
The United States, a representative democracy with low hurdles to running for elected office, has a long tradition of perennial candidates.
American perennial candidates who have run for president CandidateOccupation Current/final political party Home stateNotable elections lostNotable resultsJeff BossConspiracy theorist, website ownerDemocratic 3 presidential elections (2008, 2012, 2016) U.S. Senate (2008, 2014)New Jersey gubernatorial (2009, 2013) 8.3% in the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election Democratic primaryHarry BraunRenewable energy consultantDemocratic 4 presidential elections (2004, 2012, 2016, 2020)2 congressional (1984, 1986) Democratic nominee for U.S. House, Arizona district 1 in 1984 and 1986Mark CallahanTechnology consultantRepublican 2012 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary2014 United States Senate election in Oregon2016 United States Senate election in Oregon2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon Republican nominee, 2016 United States Senate election in OregonRepublican nominee, Oregon's 5th congressional district, 2018John H. CoxBusinessman, real estate developerRepublican Illinois's 10th congressional district (2000)2002 United States Senate election in Illinois 2008 Republican Party presidential primary2018 California gubernatorial election2021 California gubernatorial recall election Republican nominee, 2018 California gubernatorial electionJacob CoxeyBusinessman, landownerDemocratic 1932 United States presidential electionU.S. Senate in Ohio (1916, 1928) Governor of Ohio (1895, 1897) Congressman from Ohio (1894, 1922, 1924, 1928, 1936) Mayor of Massillon, OhioFarmer–Labor Party nominee, 1932 United States presidential electionEugene V. DebsTrade unionistSocialist 5 presidential elections:1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920 Indiana State Senate (1885–1889)6% of popular vote, 1912 United States presidential electionRocky De La Fuente Automobile dealerReform 2016 presidential election 2017 New York City mayoral election 10 U.S. Senate elections since 201821st California congressional district, 2020 Reform presidential nominee in 2016 and 2020David DukeKKK leader, political commentatorRepublican 2 presidential (1988, 1992) 3 U.S. Senate (1990, 1996, 2016) 1 gubernatorial (1991) U.S. House (1999) Louisiana House of Representatives (1989–1992)Top Republican: 1990 United States Senate election in Louisiana 1991 Louisiana gubernatorial electionJoe ExoticAnimal park ownerDemocratic 2016 presidential election2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial election2020 Libertarian Party presidential primaries2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries 18.7%, 2018 Oklahoma Libertarian Party gubernatorial primaryJack FellureEngineerRepublican Every presidential campaign between 1988 and 2020 2012 Prohibition Party presidential nomineePaul Noel FiorinoBallet instructor, museum directorUnity 2024 United States presidential election Every Denver mayoral election since 2011 Every Colorado gubernatorial campaign since 2006 2024 Unity Party presidential nominee 5.6%, 2015 Denver mayoral electionRichard GraysonWriter, performance artistDemocratic (1984, 2014-2016, 2022)Green Party (2010-2012, 2018, 2026) Americans Elect (2012)No Labels (2024-2025) 1984 United States presidential electionFlorida's 4th congressional district in 2004Arizona's 6th congressional district in 20102012 United States presidential election Arizona's 9th congressional district in 20222025 Arizona's 7th congressional district special election Democratic nominee for Wyoming's at-large congressional district in 2014Howie HawkinsPolitical executive, blue collar workerGreen 2006 United States Senate election in New YorkNew York's 25th congressional district(2000, 2004, 2008)3 gubernatorial (2010, 2014, 2018) 2017 Syracuse mayoral election2020 presidential election 2020 Green Party presidential nomineeHenry HewesReal estate developerDemocratic 1989 New York City mayoral election1994 United States Senate election in New York2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries New York State Right to Life Party nominee for Mayor of New York City and U.S. SenateZoltan IstvanAuthor and entrepreneurTranshumanist (before 2017)Libertarian (2017-2020)Republican (2019-2020)Democratic (2025-present) 2016 United States presidential election2018 California gubernatorial election2020 United States presidential election2026 California gubernatorial election 0.2% in the 2018 California gubernatorial election primaryE.W. JacksonMinister, lawyerRepublican 2012 United States Senate election in Virginia2013 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election2018 United States Senate election in Virginia2024 United States presidential election Republican nominee, 2013 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial electionBob KelleherAttorneyRepublican 1976 Democratic Party presidential primaries5 gubernatorial (1980, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2004)3 U.S. Senate (2002, 2006, 2008)1 U.S. House (1968) Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Montana, 2008Democratic nominee for U.S. House, Montana District 2, 1968Alan KeyesDiplomat, political scientist, government officialRepublican 3 presidential (1996, 2000, 2008) 3 U.S. Senate (1988 and 1992 in Maryland, 2004 in Illinois) 5% in 2000 Republican Party presidential primaries 3-time Republican nominee for U.S. SenateGloria La RivaEditor, activistPeace and Freedom Every presidential campaign between 1984 and 20203 gubernatorial (1994, 1998, 2018)1983 San Francisco mayoral electionCalifornia's 8th congressional district (2008) Peace and Freedom Party presidential nominee, 2016 and 2020Lyndon LaRoucheLeader of the LaRouche movementDemocratic Every presidential campaign between 1976 and 2004 Founder of the LaRouche movementAndy MartinJournalistRepublican 4 presidential (1988, 2000, 2012, 2016) 7 U.S. Senate (1978, 1980, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2010, 2014)3 U.S. House (1986, 1992, 2018)2 gubernatorial (1990, 2006)1977 Chicago mayoral special election 1996 Republican nominee for Florida State Senate, District 35Jimmy McMillanVeteran, activistRent Is Too Damn High New York City mayoral (1993, 2005, 2009, 2013)New York gubernatorial (1994, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018)2012 Republican Party presidential primaries2017 New York City Council election Second place finisher, District 2, 2017 New York City Council electionRalph NaderLawyer, author, environmentalistIndependent 4 presidential campaigns (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) 3% of popular vote, Ralph Nader 2000 presidential campaignPat PaulsenComedianIndependent Every presidential campaign between 1968 and 1996 1%, 1992 Republican Party presidential primaries 1%, 1996 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primaryPaperboy Prince Artist Democratic U.S. House in New York's 7th district (2020, 2022)2 New York City Democratic mayoral primaries (2021, 2025)2024 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary Second place, NY-7 Democratic Congressional primary in 2020, 2022Joe SchrinerJournalist, rehab counselorIndependent Every presidential campaign since 2000 Candidate in the 2020 American Solidarity Party presidential primaryJerome SegalPhilosopherDemocratic 2018 United States Senate election in Maryland2020 presidential election (Bread and Roses Party)2022 Maryland gubernatorial election2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries 3.6%, 2018 Maryland U.S. Senate Democratic primarySam SloanFormer broker-dealer, chess executiveDemocratic 2 Gubernatorial elections (2010, 2014)2 Presidential elections (2012, 2016) 2013 New York City mayoral election3 congressional elections (2014, 2016, 2020) Second place finisher, 2014 New York congressional district 13 Democratic primaryHarold StassenAttorney, military officer, government officialRepublican Every Republican presidential primary between 1944 and 1992, except for 1956 and 1972 U.S. Senate (1978, 1994) U.S. House (1986)Governor of Minnesota (1982)Governor of Pennsylvania (1958, 1966)1959 Philadelphia mayoral election Governor of Minnesota (1939–1943)Chair of the National Governors Association (1942–1943)Delegate to the 1944, 1948, 1952, 1964, 1968, and 1992 Republican National ConventionsJill SteinPhysicianGreen 2012, 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns2 Gubernatorial (2002 and 2010) Member of the Lexington Town Meeting (2005–2010)Green Party presidential nominee, 2012, 2016 and 2024.Vermin SupremePerformance artistLibertarian Every presidential campaign since 2004 2020 Libertarian National Convention, third placeHis running mate in the 2020 Libertarian primaries, Spike Cohen, became Libertarian vice presidential nominee in the general electionRandall Terry Anti-abortion activist Constitution 2012 and 2024 presidential campaigns New York's 26th congressional district (1998) Florida State Senate (2006)Florida's 20th congressional district (2012) Constitution Party presidential nominee, 2024 18%, 2012 Oklahoma Democratic presidential primary 13% in Florida's 20th congressional district, 2012Norman ThomasMinisterSocialist 6 presidential runs between 1928 and 19481 gubernatorial in 19241 U.S. Senate in 19341929 New York City mayoral election 6-time Socialist Party presidential nomineeWillie WilsonBusinessmanDemocratic 2016 Democratic Party presidential primary3 Chicago mayoral elections (2015, 2019, 2023)2020 United States Senate election in Illinois 3rd place, 2015 Chicago mayoral election and 2020 United States Senate election in IllinoisJohn Wolfe Jr.AttorneyDemocratic 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries2018 United States Senate election in TennesseeTennessee's 3rd congressional district (1998, 2002, 2004, 2010) Second place finisher, 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Local, statewide and federal candidates
Northeastern United States Shiva Ayyadurai, an anti-vaccine activist and entrepreneur who claims to be the inventor of email, ran for the United States Senate twice in Massachusetts; he received 3.4% of the vote as an independent candidate in 2018, then lost the Republican nomination to Kevin O'Connor in 2020. He then mounted an independent bid for president in 2024, where he received the lowest number of votes of any third-party candidate in the election, with just 0.02%. He also announced a bid for Governor of Massachusetts in 2022, but never filed to run. William Bryk, New Hampshire retired attorney, won 2018 election to the Antrim Town Planning Board and 2023 election to the Contoocook Valley School District Board, formerly resident in New York, has run for multiple offices, including running for the U.S. Senate in 4 states simultaneously in 2014. Pasquale Caggiano, seven-time candidate for Mayor of Lynn, Massachusetts. Elected on his final attempt, but died three months into his term. He had previously served as a member of the Lynn City Council and the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Unsuccessful Candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Massachusetts's 7th congressional district in 1956, Lieutenant Governor in 1960 and 1962, Governor of Massachusetts in 1964 and the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1968.