So far, 10 of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, and seven other appointees, are people who lost political races at one point or another – a higher percentage than the makeup of past administrations.
It’s not entirely uncommon for presidents to tap current or former political candidates to hold cabinet or cabinet-level positions, regardless of election success.
President Joe Biden tapped former presidential candidate Kamala Harris to serve as vice president and Pete Buttigieg as secretary of transportation- both after losing the Democratic primary. Tom Vilsack, the secretary of agriculture, also unsuccessfully ran for president in 2008. Former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh lost a congressional race in 1996.
But it seems Trump - who promised before his first White House stint to surround himself with “the best and most serious people” - has created a noticeable pattern when nominating people to serve in his administration. Marco Rubio, nominated to serve as secretary of state, unsuccessfully ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Pete Hegseth, nominated as secretary of defense, briefly ran in the 2012 Minnesota Senate race – though he withdrew his own candidacy. Linda McMahon, nominated as secretary of education, lost a Connecticut Senate race in 2010 and 2012.
Doug Collins, nominated as secretary of veteran affairs, lost the 2021 Georgia Senate special election.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated as secretary of health and human services, unsuccessfully ran against Trump in the 2024 presidential election as an Independent candidate, but dropped out before Election Day.
Similarly, Doug Burgum, nominated to be secretary of the interior, also had a short-lived failed presidential campaign this past election cycle.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer, nominated as secretary of labor, lost a congressional election in Oregon in 2016, 2018 and 2024. Scott Turner, who Trump nominated to serve as secretary of housing and urban development, lost a congressional race in California in 2006.
Lee Zeldin, nominated as Environmental Protection Agency administrator, lost a New York congressional race in 2008 and the New York gubernatorial race in 2022.
Tulsi Gabbard, nominated to serve as director of national intelligence, unsuccessfully ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential election.
Other individuals nominated to serve in Trump’s second administration also follow this pattern. Dr. Mehmet Oz, nominated to serve as head of Medicare and Medicaid, famously lost the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election to John Fetterman.
Matthew Whitaker, nominated as U.S. ambassador to NATO, lost the 2002 Iowa Treasury election and 2014 Iowa senate primary. Pete Hoekstra, nominated as ambassador to Canada, lost the 2010 Michigan gubernatorial primary and 2012 Michigan senate race. Mike Huckabee, nominated as ambassador to Israel, lost the Republican nomination in the 2008 and 2016 presidential elections.
Karoline Leavitt, tapped to serve as White House press secretary, lost a New Hampshire congressional race in 2022.
Dave Weldon, tapped to head the CDC, lost the 2012 Florida Senate primary and a congressional race in 2024.
Vivek Ramaswamy, who co-chairs the advisory committee, the Department of Government Efficiency, also unsuccessfully ran against Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
And, of course, Trump himself lost the 2020 presidential election.
