Tom Harkin 1992 presidential campaign
United States political campaign / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1992 presidential campaign of Tom Harkin, a U.S. Senator from Iowa, began with a campaign rally on September 15, 1991. Harkin had first been elected to a national office in 1974 as a member of the House of Representatives, serving from 1975 to 1985, when he became a senator. A member of the Democratic Party, Harkin established himself as a populist liberal, supporting New Deal-style policies while receiving broad support from organized labor and left-leaning voters. Harkin was very critical of then-President George H. W. Bush, a conservative Republican, and positioned himself as the most liberal candidate in the Democratic field. His policy positions included support for a national health insurance system, cuts to military funding, and increased funding for infrastructure.
Tom Harkin 1992 | |
---|---|
Campaign | 1992 Democratic Party presidential primaries |
Candidate | Tom Harkin |
Affiliation | Democratic Party |
Status | Dropped out on March 9, 1992 |
Announced | September 15, 1991 |
Going into 1992, Harkin began to decline in opinion polls and lag behind other candidates, such as Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton and Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas. While he won the Iowa caucuses in a landslide as a favorite son, he had a poor showing in the New Hampshire primaries and continued to struggle in subsequent primaries. On March 9, the day before Super Tuesday, he withdrew from the race and subsequently announced his support for Clinton. Clinton went on to win the Democratic nomination and later the presidency, with Harkin campaigning for him in both the remaining primaries and the general election. Harkin returned to the Senate, where he served for over two more decades before retiring in 2015.