Democrat Bill Clinton elected 42nd president of the United States, defeating President George H.W. Bush 30 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 3 1992)

1990s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'ABC NEWS - ELECTION NIGHT 1992 (11-3-1992)' (coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. EST)

(Tuesday, November 3, 1992, ABC News projected Clinton as the winner at 10:47 p.m. EST, NBC News projected Clinton the winner at 10:48 p.m. EST; during the 1992 United States presidential election) — Democratic Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas was elected the 42nd president of the United States today, defeating Republican President George H. W. Bush of Texas and independent businessman Ross Perot of Texas.


Video: 'NBC NEWS - ELECTION NIGHT 1992 (11-3-1992)' (coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. EST)

Clinton and his running mate, Tennessee Senator Al Gore, received 43.0 percent of the popular vote compared to 37.4 percent for Bush and his running mate, Vice President Dan Quayle. Perot and his running mate, retired Vice Admiral James Stockdale, picked up 18.9 percent of the popular vote.

Bush received the lowest percentage total for a sitting president seeking re-election since William Howard Taft in 1912 (23.2 percent). It was also the lowest percentage for a major-party candidate since Alf Landon received 36.5 percent of the vote in 1936. Bush had a lower percentage of the popular vote than even President Herbert Hoover, who was defeated in 1932 (Hoover received 39.7 percent) at the height of the Great Depression.


Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1992'

The Democratic ticket was officially elected on Dec. 14, 1992, when members of the Electoral College met and cast 370 votes for Clinton and Gore and 168 votes for Bush and Quayle.

While the most successful third-party ticket in terms of the popular vote since Theodore Roosevelt in the 1912 election, the Perot-Stockdale ticket did not win any states.


Video: 'The 1992 Election Explained'

The electors’ votes were tabulated and certified on Jan. 6, 1993, during a joint session of Congress. Clinton and Gore were inaugurated on January 20, 1993.

The 1992 election marked the end of a period of Republican dominance in American politics that began in 1968, and also marked the end of 12 years of Republican rule of the White House.