Failed U.S. Presidential Candidates

[Jim Eshelman]

For another project I'm working on, I've compiled the luminary signs of everyone who ever failed to be elected president of the U.S. (Well, not everyone: Just the primary contender that lost. There were often three or more candidates, of whom most barely registered on history.) Some of these contenders, of course, became president at a different time (e.g., this includes all failed reelection of incumbents). Multiple runs/fails show up as separate entries.

Here is the breakdown:

SUN
Tau 4
Gem 3
Can 3
Leo 3
Vir 2
Lib 4
Sco 3
Sag 4
Cap 8
Aqu 6
Pis 11
Ari 4

This is not at all the same as the pattern of those who won! There is also amazing clustering: It was obvious that America doesn't elect Aquarians (outside of "archetypal" presidents Washington & Lincoln), but the severe numbers in Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces - 25 out of 55 (nearly half) in just those three signs is stunning. - Pisces' peak is nearly at the 1,000-to-1 level, and Capricorn (beyond .10) gets honorable mention.

MOON
Tau 7
Gem 5
Can 3
Leo 3
Vir 5
Lib 7
Sco 2
Sag 6
Cap 3
Aqu 4
Pis 3
Ari 7

Moon-signs are quite a different pattern! Aries, Taurus, and Libra lead those who have run and lost most. I'm also taken with the fact that Sagittarius, which is the Moon-sign of the most presidents, is also one of the most common for those who failed to win election, which tells us that Sagittarius Moons have run for this office more than any other sign.

[Jim Eshelman]

My prior studies with U.S. president charts only count each chart once. The numbers may come out different if we count each time a person became president, which gives the following:

SUN
Tau 3
Gem 6
Can 3
Leo 5
Vir 6
Lib 5
Sco 4
Sag 6
Cap 9
Aqu 4
Pis 7
Ari 9

Capricorn and Aries are clear standouts in this list, though nothing breaks a statistically significant level.

MOON
Tau 5
Gem 8
Can 6
Leo 6
Vir 6
Lib 6
Sco 4
Sag 10
Cap 8
Aqu 0
Pis 1
Ari 7

Sagittarius remains the champ, with Capricorn and Gemini coming next. Aquarius and Pisces are low enough to be statistically significant (Pisces beating .05 an Aquarius beating .02); the Sagittarius high is nearly .05.

[Jim Eshelman]

Therefore, to show the top-tier serious contenders, here is a combination of the luminary counts for those who became president (once for each time they became president) and those who were the chief contender for the office that failed to be elected.

SUN
Tau 7
Gem 9
Can 6
Leo 8
Vir 8
Lib 9
Sco 7
Sag 10
Cap 9
Aqu 10
Pis 18
Ari 13

Easily, more people have run for U.S. president born in the last five signs of the zodiac - 60 in those 5 vs. 52 in the other 7 - with Pisces and Aries at the peak.

MOON
Tau 12
Gem 13
Can 12
Leo 6
Vir 11
Lib 13
Sco 6
Sag 16
Cap 11
Aqu 4
Pis 4
Ari 14

More Sagittarius Moons (and, secondarily, Aries Moons) have run for U.S. president more often than any other signs - quite the mark of ambition. - Aquarius and Pisces are low enough to be statistically significant (beating the .05 threshold).