If you ask a trivia buff how many independent presidents have we had, you’re probably going to get a very short answer. One. Maybe two if they’re feeling argumentative about the early 1800s. But the truth is actually a lot messier than a simple number on a flashcard because the definition of "independent" has shifted as much as the political parties themselves.
Most people just say George Washington and leave it at that. He’s the gold standard. He hated the idea of parties—famously calling them "factions" that would tear the country apart—and he refused to join one. But history isn't always that clean-cut. Depending on how you look at John Tyler or the chaotic collapse of the Whig party, that number might wiggle.
We’ve lived through over 230 years of American democracy. Yet, our "two-party system" feels so permanent that it's hard to imagine anyone winning without a massive "R" or "D" next to their name. It wasn't always a foregone conclusion.
George Washington: The Only "True" Independent
Let’s be real. George Washington is the only person who fits the description perfectly. When he took the oath in 1789, there were no official parties. None. He was the consensus choice, a man who loomed so large over the American landscape that a party platform would have actually shrunk his influence.
He was terrified of what was coming. In his Farewell Address, Washington warned that political parties would lead to a "frightful despotism." He saw them as a way for "cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men" to subvert the power of the people. Honestly, he wasn't wrong.
During his two terms, his cabinet was basically a cage match between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton’s fans became the Federalists. Jefferson’s crew became the Democratic-Republicans. Washington sat in the middle, trying to play referee while technically remaining unaligned. He’s the only president to ever be elected as a non-partisan candidate, and he’s the only one to never represent a political organization.
If you're looking for a hard number for how many independent presidents have we had, the factual, strictly-by-the-books answer is one. Just George.
The John Tyler Loophole: A President Without a Party
Then there’s John Tyler. This guy is a fascinating footnote.
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Tyler was elected as William Henry Harrison’s Vice President in 1840 on the Whig ticket. "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" was the slogan. But Harrison died just 31 days into his term. Suddenly, Tyler was the president, and the Whigs realized they had made a massive mistake.
Tyler didn't actually believe in the Whig platform. He vetoed their biggest bills, specifically the ones trying to establish a national bank. His own party got so angry that they literally kicked him out of the party while he was still sitting in the Oval Office. His entire cabinet resigned in protest, except for Daniel Webster.
For most of his presidency, Tyler was a man without a country. Or at least, a man without a party. He wasn't elected as an independent, but he governed as one because neither the Whigs nor the Democrats wanted anything to do with him. He even tried to create his own party for a re-election bid—the Democratic-Republican Association—but it flopped. So, does he count? Most historians say no, because he started as a Whig. But if you're talking about who actually functioned as an independent, Tyler is your guy.
Why It’s Almost Impossible Today
You’ve probably noticed that third-party candidates get a lot of "spoiler" talk every four years. Whether it’s Ross Perot in 1992 or Ralph Nader in 2000, the system is rigged against them. Not necessarily by a "deep state" conspiracy, but by the math of the Electoral College.
The "winner-take-all" system in 48 states means that if an independent gets 19% of the national vote—like Ross Perot did—they get exactly zero electoral votes. It’s brutal.
To understand how many independent presidents have we had, you have to understand the barriers that stopped there from being more.
- Ballot Access: Each state has its own rules for how a candidate even gets their name on the paper. It costs millions of dollars in legal fees and signature gathering just to be an option.
- The Debates: The Commission on Presidential Debates (which was controlled by the two major parties for decades) usually requires a candidate to poll at 15% nationally to get on stage. How do you get to 15% if you aren't on the stage? It's a classic Catch-22.
- Funding: Modern campaigns cost billions. Without a party infrastructure, you're relying on personal wealth or a grassroots miracle.
The "Almost" Independent: Andrew Johnson
After the Civil War, things got weird again. Andrew Johnson was a War Democrat, but he ran on a "National Union" ticket with Abraham Lincoln, who was a Republican.
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The goal was to show unity after the war. But after Lincoln was assassinated, Johnson found himself at odds with the "Radical Republicans" in Congress. He was eventually impeached (though not removed). Like Tyler, he was a president who didn't really fit into the party that put him in power. However, he’s still generally categorized by his Democratic roots.
The distinction matters because it shows that "independent" isn't just a label—it's a state of being. Many presidents have felt isolated, but only Washington truly stood alone from the start.
Misconceptions About the Founders
A lot of people think all the Founding Fathers were independent. That’s a total myth.
While they hated the idea of parties, they were incredibly partisan. John Adams was a die-hard Federalist. Thomas Jefferson was the architect of the opposition. The moment Washington stepped away, the gloves came off. The 1800 election was one of the nastiest, most partisan brawls in history. They called each other everything from "hermaphrodites" to "tyrants."
So, if you’re wondering why we haven't had more independent presidents, it's because the people who built the country started fighting almost immediately. They realized that parties were the only way to organize voters and pass laws.
The Future of Independent Presidency
Is it possible to have another one? Maybe.
Public dissatisfaction with the two-party system is at an all-time high. People are tired of the "lesser of two evils" choice. But for an independent to win today, they’d likely need to be a billionaire with 100% name recognition or a celebrity who can bypass traditional media.
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Even then, they’d have to deal with a Congress that is entirely split into two camps. An independent president would have no "base" in the House or Senate to help pass their budget or confirm their judges. It would be John Tyler all over again—gridlock and vetoes.
When analyzing how many independent presidents have we had, the number remains a lonely "1" if you're being strict. George Washington stands as a singular figure in a system that quickly evolved to favor teams over individuals.
Next Steps for Understanding Executive History
If you want to dig deeper into why the system stays this way, your next step is to look into Duverger's Law. It’s a political science principle that explains why plurality-rule elections (like ours) almost always result in a two-party system. Understanding this "law" makes it clear why an independent president is such a statistical anomaly.
You should also look into the 12th Amendment. Before 1804, the person with the second-most votes became Vice President. This led to a Federalist President (Adams) and a Democratic-Republican VP (Jefferson) working together—or rather, sabotaging each other. The 12th Amendment changed the rules to ensure the President and VP were on the same team, effectively hard-wiring parties into the Constitution's operational manual.
Finally, check out the 1992 election results. Seeing how Ross Perot's nearly 20 million votes translated into zero electoral power is the best visual aid for why Washington remains the only independent to ever hold the keys to the White House.