Veteran Electability to the Presidency

Abstract

Academics and other commentators have posited a voter preference for veterans in American Presidential elections. Indeed, Albert Somit, in an oft cited article in Public Opinion Quarterly (Vol. 12, 1948, 192-200), went so far as to maintain that on the basis of the historical record, “a party nominating a military hero [for president] would be enhancing its chances of winning the election,” and called for such nominations to provide “a real test of this thesis.” (p. 200) This research note raises questions about Somit’s research methodology, offers one of its own, and finds Somit’s and other commentators’ claims to be unfounded. It concludes with some considerations as to why these claims were faulty.