Given the dearth of the Democratic bench in the South, this trend seems likely to continue in 2020, provided the GOP renominates Trump. The last time there were four straight elections without a southern nominee was 1948-60. At that time, the South was still recovering from its post-Civil War marginalized status.
Why has the nation's largest region done such a poor job of producing major party nominees in the past decade?
Are you counting running mates?
Tim Kaine. (I don't think Joe Biden counts, does he?)
Delaware doesn't count. Virginia does (unless it's districts 1, 8, 10, or 11, which Kaine is not from).