Worst popular vote defeats for incumbent Presidents.

1) 1912: Wilson defeats Taft, 42%-23% (19 points).
Keep in mind that an important X-factor in this election was Teddy Roosevelt's candidacy on the "Bull Moose" Progressive Party ticket. He pulled 27% of the popular vote, relegating the incumbent Taft to a humiliating third place defeat and a mere 8 electoral votes.

2) 1932: FDR defeats Hoover, 57%-40% (17 points).

3) 1828: Andrew Jackson defeats President John Quincy Adams, 56%-44% (12 points).
Interestingly, John Quincy Adams ascended to the Presidency in 1824 by a vote in the House of Representatives, even though Andrew Jackson held an overwhelming plurality of the popular vote (41% to JQA's 31%).

4) 1980: Reagan defeats Carter, 51%-41% (10 points).

5a) 1992: Clinton defeats George H.W. Bush, 43%-37% (6 points).
Perot pulled 19% of the popular vote.
5b) 1840: William Harrison defeats Van Buren, 53%-47% (6 points).

-MR

the vote an incumbent president has ever received when running for re-election. Let's hope his son will fair even worse.

the FDR/Hoover results. If the media were being honest and we didn't have to worry about BBV it could happen.