What United States President wasn't elected the first they ran for office?

Answer 1

If I am understanding your question, George W. Bush lost in his first race for elected office -- a seat in Congress from West Texas. Others may also have lost their first race.

Both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan lost in their first try for President (and likewise, there may have been others).

Answer 2

Nixon got the Republican nomination for President in 1960, but he lost the general election. Then he ran for President again in 1968 and won.

As the above answer noted, Reagan ran for President in 1976 and lost before running in 1980, when he won. But he didn't get the nomination in 1976, so that might not be what you mean.

There may be lots of people who ran for offices other than President and lost, then later ran for President and won. George W. Bush is one, as the other answer noted.

Answer 3

Richard Nixon lost to JFK in 1960. Andrew Jackson lost to John Quincy Adams in 1824. Thomas Jefferson lost to John Adams in 1796. Ronald Reagan failed to get the Republican nomination in 1976. George H.W. Bush failed to get the Republican nomination in 1980.

Several presidents have lost elections to other offices, most notably Abraham Lincoln losing the 1858 senate race in Illinois to Stephen Douglas. Dougles was one of the candidates that Lincoln would defeat in the 1860 presidential election.