Most embarrassing campaign by election

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Here's my picks:

2024: So far, obviously Ron DeSantis.

2020: If asked at the point Biden secured the nomination I'd say Kamala Harris, but she ended up getting the VP spot out of it so in the end not really. Michael Bloomberg thus becomes the obvious answer with how much he spent per delegate. Actually one could argue he even tops Harris for that reason.

2016 R: Jeb. Pretty easy.
2016 D: With the general election obviously Hillary. But in just primary season....either Martin O'Malley or Lincoln Chafee, the latter had dirt low expectations and still managed to fail to meet them. O'Malley actually had some level of hype though so...

2012: Rick Perry, if nothing else for that debate moment. Even with it he was kind of the biggest underperformer.

2008 R: Rudy Giuliani. The standard bearer pre-Jeb.
2008 D: Technically John Edwards but not really fair to base this on a scandal that broke after his campaign. I'll say Bill Richardson for being somewhat hyped and going nowhere ala Martin O'Malley.

2004: It feels kind of weird saying this because he had a pretty notable rise to begin with and still managed to make a good career out of it...but Howard Dean definitely is a possibility with his performance once the primaries actually started. But the "winner" here has to be Joe Lieberman.

Not sure about 2000 and prior.

[TheTide]

1968:

Ds: LBJ, given that he was an incumbent president and was forced to pull out due to a poor performance against an insurgent candidate.
Rs: Romney. Should have had the nomination on a platter, but blew it and in so doing allowed the political comeback of Nixon.

1972:

Ds: Muskie. Lost his frontrunner status in spectacular fashion even if it wasn't entirely his fault, and the tears.

1976:

Ds: Not sure, maybe Wallace.
Rs: Ford, given that he was an incumbent president who almost lose the nomination.

1980:

Ds: Ted Kennedy. Could have won the nomination with a more competent campaign.
Rs: Probably Connally, the party switcher.

1984:

Ds: I think this was the one where Jackson made his antisemitic remark about New York City, so him.

1988:

Ds: Gary Hart or Joe Biden.
Rs: Alexander Haig. Former SoS, but went nowhere.

1992:

Ds: Maybe Tom Harkin or Bob Kerrey.
Rs: George H. W. Bush. Did badly enough to display the frictions and divisions within the GOP.

1996:

Rs: Pete Wilson. Governor of California, didn't even make it to the actual primaries.

2000:

Ds: Bradley should have won at least one state somewhere.
Rs: Dan Quayle, which is perhaps not surprising.

2004:

Ds: Lieberman, given his spot on the ticket four years earlier. I suppose Clark didn't exactly cover himself in glory either after the initial hype.

2008:

Ds: Dodd, if anyone realised that he was running.
Rs: Giuliani, but Thompson isn't that far behind. Both should have at least won some primary contests.

2012:

Rs: Pawlenty. I'm counting those who ran but didn't make it to any actual contests, in case that isn't clear already.

2016:

Ds: O'Malley, given how good he looked on paper (and how good he looked in general). Chafee was amusing too.
Rs: Jeb!, then perhaps Scott Walker (the latter, again, looked good on paper).

2020:

Ds: O'Rourke, given how he was the most hyped Democrat in the country during and just after the midterms.

2024:

Rs: DeSantis, clearly, then Pence.

[Vosem]

2024: So far, obviously DeSantis, although maybe there's an argument to be made for Pence.

2020: Bloomberg entered months later than everybody else and at the closest pass came within a few points of eclipsing Biden for the main anti-Sanders candidate; he broke many common-sense rules and still came closer to winning than is remembered. The obvious answer here is Beto O'Rourke, with a close second for Elizabeth Warren. Kamala was not as embarrassing as either of them and also ended up winning Veepstakes.

2016: Very obviously Jeb.

2012: Very obviously Perry.

2008: Very obviously Giuliani.

2004: Actually kind of a difficult one; Dean did collapse at a certain point, but he had to rise very far to get there. Similarly, Clark fell far from his peak, but attaining the peak in itself was kind of impressive. Gephardt or Lieberman.

Earlier is hard for me to comment about since I legitimately don't remember, and it also feels like losing campaigns were less embarrassing back then. 2020 was by far the most embarrassing presidential cycle yet, beating out 2016, which destroyed the old record, beating out 2012, which demolished the record. 2024 feels like it'll be a break in the trend, just because Trump's presence means an unusually small Republican field, but I think future cycles will end up being even more embarrassing than 2020 was.

[The Economy is Getting Worse]

2006/2008: George Allen. Still did better than Youngkin did in NoVA and the Richmond suburbs though.