Last election between two candidates who would've both been great presidents

[Daniel Adams]

There have been all too few.

1816: Both James Monroe (D-R) and Rufus King (F) would've been good presidents. King was   great opponent of slavery and deliver a great speech in 1820 decrying it, one of the first times in world history a political leader has criticized slavery in such a radical manner. But he never stood a chance of winning the election.

1884: I think both Cleveland and Blaine would've made good presidents

1924: Calvin Coolidge was a very good president who cut taxes, reduced the national debt, was not as isolationist as most Republicans, granted citizenship to Native Americans, supported the elected Mexican government, and overall presided over a period of great economic prosperity. He was not a laissez-faire ideologue but simply though such economic matters should be left up to the states. Democrat John W. Davis was not a bad candidate either, denouncing the KKK and supporting blacks' right to vote. But I think Coolidge was definitely better.

1940: Both Roosevelt and Willkie would've been great presidents. Willkie defied isolationism within his party and supported the Allies in the war. Roosevelt gave the country hope during the Great Depression and won the war.

1944: Again Roosevelt and Dewey were good candidates.

And that's it. In 1948, both Truman and Dewey would've been good presidents, but the presence of Strom Thurmond disqualifies this election. Also in 1876 and 1880 both the Republican and Democratic candidates were "good" but would've made average presidents.