Presidential Running Mates Quiz

Name the running mates of the Republican and Democratic nominees for President since 1960.
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: August 11, 2020
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First submittedAugust 12, 2012
Times taken15,389
Average score50.0%
Rating4.17
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Year
Candidate
Running Mate
2020
Donald Trump
Mike Pence
2016
Donald Trump
Mike Pence
2012
Mitt Romney
Paul Ryan
2008
John McCain
Sarah Palin
2004
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
2000
George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
1996
Bob Dole
Jack Kemp
1992
George H.W. Bush
Dan Quayle
1988
George H.W. Bush
Dan Quayle
1984
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
1980
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
1976
Gerald Ford
Bob Dole
1972
Richard Nixon
Spiro Agnew
1968
Richard Nixon
Spiro Agnew
1964
Barry Goldwater
William Miller
1960
Richard Nixon
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
2020
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris
2016
Hillary Clinton
Tim Kaine
2012
Barack Obama
Joe Biden
2008
Barack Obama
Joe Biden
2004
John Kerry
John Edwards
2000
Al Gore
Joe Lieberman
1996
Bill Clinton
Al Gore
1992
Bill Clinton
Al Gore
1988
Michael Dukakis
Lloyd Bentsen
1984
Walter Mondale
Geraldine Ferraro
1980
Jimmy Carter
Walter Mondale
1976
Jimmy Carter
Walter Mondale
1972
George McGovern
Sargent Shriver
1968
Hubert Humphrey
Edmund Muskie
1964
Lyndon B. Johnson
Hubert Humphrey
1960
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
+3
Level 64
Mar 24, 2014
16. paul ryan was one of five i missed. couldn't figure out how to spell bensten.
+7
Level 75
Aug 12, 2020
You still didn't figure out how to spell "Bentsen"...
+3
Level 72
Aug 22, 2020
Paul Ryan has his picture on top of the quiz... (I know some people may not know what he looks like, but if you got 16 right answers, you probably do.)
+9
Level 83
Nov 15, 2014
Lloyd Bentsen, winner of perhaps the most lopsided VP debate in US History (Against one of the worst choices in VP ever). To Dan Quayle, who compared himself to JFK: "I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy."
+2
Level 68
Mar 15, 2016
I could remember all of that, but not how to spell the gentleman's name. I kept trying variations on Buntsen.
+4
Level 89
Jul 7, 2018
And talkative Perot's running mate, Stockdale, not saying much until "Why am I here?".
+2
Level 85
Aug 19, 2020
He said that as a rhetorical question but was cut off by the moderator. Stockdale was a great man that will unfortunately be remembered most by a misinterpretation.
+3
Level 77
Nov 20, 2014
It's hard to get less than 6 right. All you have to do is try each name given to you.
+4
Level 86
Nov 9, 2015
Yeah, I got those six, plus Palin, Cheney and Biden that are hard not to know, even for a Belgian.
+1
Level 36
Jun 2, 2017
What do you mean by given?
+2
Level 86
Dec 29, 2018
I'm assuming the quiz originally gave you the presidential candidates.
+4
Level 25
Jul 26, 2016
I put Spagnew instead of Agnew. *facepalm*
+9
Level 73
Aug 31, 2017
Couldn't even recall Tim Kaine. Not even 12 months ago. I guess that's what the conventional wisdom is for VP choices - utterly forgettable. Nobody's voting for the second name on the ticket, after all.
+2
Level 51
Sep 17, 2017
I can personally attest that there have been times when I was voting more for the vice presidential nominee than the presidential candidate. However, in general, you're right. And I couldn't think of Tim Kaine, either. Then I also blanked on the current vice president. I think I shouldn't be taking this quiz at 4 in the morning rather than sleeping. lol
+3
Level 82
Aug 16, 2020
Out of curiosity.. when, why on Earth, and for whom were you voting in as VP? It's a completely insignificant job. And... of all of these pairings... I don't see any where the VP outshone the person on the top of the ticket. Except maybe Pence. But why would anyone want to vote for Mike Pence? And in the future you could probably add Kamala Harris to that short list but it's not possible that you voted for her yet.
+2
Level 93
Aug 17, 2020
Kalbahamut I think now is the time when people will vote more for the name in the VP slot than the name in the Presidential spot.
+1
Level 82
Aug 18, 2020
again I don't see anyone voting for Pence. But it's possible that Kamala will bring out some voters who wouldn't have otherwise gone for Biden.
+3
Level 85
Aug 19, 2020
Joe Biden will be a vegetable by the end of his term. Kamala's a great pick - she's sharp enough to be the President and will bring out voters who aren't all that excited about choosing between two senile old white men.
+2
Level 59
Dec 11, 2020
ah yes humans usually turn to vegetable at the age of 82
+1
Level 51
Feb 22, 2021
Of course not! Humans are born vegetables!
+1
Level 89
Aug 16, 2020
I got Kaine easily. Though I don't know if it's because I'm from Virginia or because my memory of the 2016 elections are still pretty good. Or both. Probably both.
+2
Level 82
Aug 16, 2020
I'm from Virginia and I could picture his face but was having the damndest time trying to remember his name. Pretty forgettable, as were many of these. I, too, remembered the famous debate featuring Bentsen. I remembered Edwards for the scandal. And I remembered Lieberman because he was much vilified in the magazines I was reading at the time for going after violent video games like Mortal Kombat. But I missed all of the other low percentage ones.
+1
Level 67
Aug 19, 2020
I remember Lieberman because my conservative neighbor had a bumper sticker that said "Sore Loserman," a dig at the "Gore/Lieberman" ticket after they challenged the Florida tally in the Supreme Court. Seems like a lifetime ago that Republicans were capable of even a modest level of wit.
+1
Level 74
Aug 22, 2020
I knew Kaine but I was not putting the "e" at the end so I didn't get it.
+2
Level 65
Oct 19, 2017
This quiz makes you realize how forgettable these guys were...hell, it took me a minute to remember who Hillary's running mate was.
+3
Level 89
Jul 7, 2018
Maybe Stockdale asked, "Why am I here?" and you said I dunno, don't bother then? Perot made a huge dent into the Presidential election and certainly tore into the vote, giving Clinton the win. Give us Stockdale as the one serious independent challenger's running mate.
+1
Level 86
Dec 29, 2018
I got every one since I was old enough to be aware of elections except for Bob Dole's running mate. Though it did take me an awfully long time to remember Hillary's . . .
+1
Level 72
Aug 11, 2020
Alright, time to update!
+1
Level 84
Aug 11, 2020
Tried Kane, Kain, Cane, and Cain, and gave up.
+1
Level 73
Aug 11, 2020
Wow. I just spent quite a bit of time trying to remember who Obama's VP was.
+9
Level 67
Aug 19, 2020
So did Obama's VP.
+4
Level 67
Aug 19, 2020
I actually like Joe Biden and think reports of his mental decline are overblown, but you just teed that one up for me.
+1
Level 74
Aug 22, 2020
jmellow13, you think Biden's very obvious mental decline is overblown? He's called his sister his wife, called his wife his husband, rarely knows where he is, walks away from the mic mid sentence, told a crowd he was running for senator, slurs his words, barely gets thoughts out that are written down in front of him, and actually told a group of reporters that people should vote for Trump. I don't like him and I think it's horrible what his family and friends are doing to him. If any of them had an ounce of love for him they would stop this mess. This is the epitome of elder abuse.
+1
Level 59
Dec 11, 2020
He literally realized his mistake about 1 second after he "called his sister his wife"
+1
Level 67
Feb 10, 2022
Also, the orange guy would literally word vomit in front of the entire nation and then somehow make it about how the establishment was against him, lol. He dug his own graves in terms of understanding or contributing to the political machine. He unfortunately woke up a large sector of the population who has never voted and doesn't care to understand the many factors at play when voting. *sigh* *pinches bridge of nose*...I'm just so tired of this country
+1
Level 56
Aug 16, 2020
Lol I just wrote the names of all the president nominees given. I only know biden pence and harris
+2
Level 66
Aug 16, 2020
But I'm supercereal.
+2
Level 82
Aug 16, 2020
Paul Ryan... what a goober. Just look at that dookie eating grin in the thumbnail. It's like he knew he was going to betray his country, force through a bunch of tax cuts for his wealthy donors, and then get out of Dodge immediately afterward so he could collect his paycheck from said donors. The swamp has only gotten swampier since he left, but, for a while he was just about the stinkiest swamp rat in it. Lots of competition for that title, though.
+1
Level 67
Aug 19, 2020
But the wonkiness! You're forgetting his wonkiness! So wonky.
+1
Level 73
Sep 23, 2020
"Goober" describes pretty much everyone on this list.
+1
Level 75
Aug 16, 2020
Interesting, I did very badly but interesting nonetheless. It's amazing how quickly they disappear (unless they go on to become president later). Although some, like Cheney, were more famous during their time as VP, most VPs just melt away...!
+1
Level 78
Aug 17, 2020
Premature to have Pence for 2020 VP nominee?
+1
Level 67
Aug 19, 2020
He's been a loyal soldier and he has established Christian credentials. I think the media is stirring the pot with speculation that he'll be replaced. I wouldn't put anything past this administration, but there's no reason right now to think it won't be Pence again.