Which president(s) could have won the most terms?

[Sir Mohamed]

Let's assume there would be no term limit and the two term presidents keep on running until they are defeated (they don't die). Which president(s) could have won most terms?

for example:
FDR in 1948, 1952,....
Truman in 1952, 1956...
Ike in 1960, 1964....
and so on....

[NHI]

FDR easily 1948 and quite possibly 1952.
Eisenhower 1960, possibly 1964.
Reagan: 1988 and possibly 1992.
Clinton: 2000, 2004, may be 2008
Obama: may be 2016.

[OSR stands with Israel]

FDR in 1948

IKE would have won 1960 and  1964

Reagan would have won in 1988 and maybe 1992

Clinton would have won in 2000 maybe 2004

Obama may in 2016

[pbrower2a]

Add Roosevelt in 1908.

Lincoln 1868?

[/]

Umm Washington

If, of course, he wanted to. Same probably goes with Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson. Polk too?

[Intell]

Washingoton, Monroe, FDR, Eisenhower.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Washington might still be President today in your scenario.  Who would vote against George Washington- but, part of why I say this is why he would not keep running and running.

[President Johnson]

FDR in 1948 and maybe in 1952

Ike in 1960 and 1964

LBJ maybe in 1968

Without Watergate, Nixon in 1976

Reagan in 1988 and maybe 1992

Clinton in 2000 and probably 2004

Obama in 2016

[Higgs]

FDR in 1948 and maybe in 1952

Ike in 1960 and 1964

LBJ maybe in 1968

Without Watergate, Nixon in 1976

Reagan in 1988 and maybe 1992

Clinton in 2000 and probably 2004

Obama in 2016

No way LBJ wins in 1968, he was too unpopular

[ScottieF]

TR in 1908, FDR in 1948, Eisenhower in 1960 and 1964, Reagan in 1988, Clinton in 2000 and 2004, Obama in 2016.

[Agonized-Statism]

Jefferson could have won 7 terms: 1800, 1804, 1808, 1812, 1816, 1820, 1824. The Federalists literally could not win an election after the growing number of frontier states reached critical mass.

FDR, had he been more healthy and wanted to run as long as possible, would eventually have to contend with segregation and would lose sometime in the 1950s. Had Watergate not been uncovered, I could see Nixon going into the 1980s. He would have been able to adapt to the farther-right environment, but eventually the Democrats would nominate someone to his right.

[Alben Barkley]

Washington probably could have won as many terms as he wanted, assuming he didn’t still die in 1799 (in which case he could have only won one more term). There’s an argument that eventually people would have turned on his policies (they certainly did turn on the Federalists, who he sympathized with despite not formally being a member of the party, not long after he died). But I just find it hard to imagine him losing.

As mentioned, Jefferson likely could have kept on winning until his death as well. The Federalists were all but destroyed and the country effectively became a one-party state during that time run by his Democratic-Republicans.

Jackson could have won at least one more term. Panic of 1837 might have hurt him in 1840, but there’s a decent chance he still could have pulled it out, and won in 1844 as well if you set aside his age/health (he died in 1845).

Had Lincoln not been assassinated, he probably could have won more terms as well. I see him making it to at least 1876 if he wants it, possibly beyond.

Grant could likely have won 1876 and, if so, 1880.

Teddy Roosevelt could have won in 1908, and if he had he could have won in 1912 and maybe 1916 as well.

FDR could have won in 1948 if he survived in good health, but if Ike still runs in 1952, he might finally meet his match.

Speaking of Ike, he could have won 1960 and maybe 1964. If things still go poorly with Vietnam and civil unrest, probably not beyond that, even disregarding his age/health.

JFK definitely would have won 1964, maybe 1968 depending on how things change if he survives. From there it’s way more speculative, but if he’s still popular, 1972 is a possibility.

Watchmen famously has Nixon still president in 1985, after he prevents Woodward and Bernstein from exposing the Watergate scandal (it’s implied he has them killed). I don’t know if that actually would have happened, but I think he could have won 1976 at least. Some of the same problems that hurt Jimmy Carter would still have happened under his watch during that term, however, so I think he’s vulnerable in 1980.

Assuming age and Alzheimer’s aren’t an issue, Reagan could have won 1988, but I actually think Bill Clinton takes him down as he did Bush in 1992; people were ready to move on by that point, and a moderate, charismatic Democrat could take Reagan down after a recession.

Clinton could have won 2000 and 2004. Assuming the financial crisis still happens, probably not 2008.

Obama could have won 2016 for sure. I’m not as sure about 2020; depends on how he handles COVID.

[brucejoel99]

Yeah, Washington could've literally died a King lol

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

Watchmen famously has Nixon still president in 1985, after he prevents Woodward and Bernstein from exposing the Watergate scandal (it’s implied he has them killed). I don’t know if that actually would have happened, but I think he could have won 1976 at least. Some of the same problems that hurt Jimmy Carter would still have happened under his watch during that term, however, so I think he’s vulnerable in 1980.

Well, the Comedian rescued the Iran hostages (though I’m not sure that particular crisis would’ve happened under Nixon and Kissinger), and maybe Dr.Manhattan did something to prevent stagflation.

[Sir Mohamed]

I just wondered why I forgot about this thread until I noticed it was from 2015, lol.

I think Obama could have won both 2016 and 2020. He would have handled COVID-19 much more competent.

[jmsstnyng]

William McKinley 1900
Theodore Roosevelt in 1908
FDR in 1948 and 1952 at the latest
Eisenhower in 1960.
Kennedy would likely win '64 and '68 (maybe '72).
Reagan would have won in '88.
Clinton would have won through '04.
Obama would have won '16.