Donald Trump is still the Republican primary frontrunner, outlasting any other 'fad' candidate since at least 2004


At what point is a fad no longer a fad? As of Monday, Donald Trump has been the GOP frontrunner in the primary polls for longer than any other "fad" candidate since at least 2004, according to numbers crunched by Bruce Mehlman at Mehlman Castagnetti for the quarterly Washington Update. Howard Dean, who was governor of Vermont during the 2004 election, is the next longest-lasting "fad" candidate, having been the frontrunner for the Democratic primary for 90 days in 2004. Donald Trump broke that record on Monday with 91 days — over three months in the lead.
Other memorable primary fads have had much shorter runs in first place, including Herman Cain's 22 days in 2012, Mike Huckabee's 37 days in 2008, and Dick Gephardt's 11 days in 2004. Donald Trump, meanwhile, has been rising in the polls since late September, holding first-choice support of 25 percent of GOP primary voters, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
5 darkly funny cartoons about Israel blocking aid to Gaza
Cartoons Artists take on forcing famine, avoiding aid, and more
-
The easy elegance of Cap Ferret
The Week Recommends 'Elemental and otherworldly' destination is loved for its natural beauty
-
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: flirting with authoritarianism?
Talking Point Ukraine's president is facing first major domestic unrest since the Russian invasion, over plans to water down the country's anti-corruption agencies
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein