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This article describes dark horse candidates. For other uses, see Dark Horse.

A dark horse candidate is one who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice. Often a dark horse is selected as a compromise when other, more prominent candidates' factions cannot come to an agreement. This metaphoric expression originally alluded to an unknown horse winning a race and was so used in a novel by Benjamin Disraeli (The Young Duke, 1831).

The expression was soon applied to political candidates, among the first of whom was James K. Polk. He won the 1844 Democratic presidential nomination over Martin Van Buren on the eighth ballot and went on to win the election.

Other famous dark horse candidates for the United States presidency include:

• Franklin Pierce, who was chosen as the Democratic nominee and later elected the 14th president in 1852
• Abraham Lincoln, was chosen as the Republican nominee and elected as the 16th president in 1860.
• Rutherford B. Hayes, elected the 19th president in 1876
• James A. Garfield, elected the 20th president in 1880
• Warren G. Harding, elected the 29th president after his surprise nomination.
• James K. Polk was nominated and surprisingly elected to the Presidency despite the presence of many a stronger and more charismatic candidate. However, he would eventually go on to become one of America's most famous presidents, mostly due to his acquisition of what is now the American Southwest through the Mexican-American War.
• John W. Davis, the unsuccessful Democratic nominee in 1924
• Wendell Willkie, the unsuccessful Republican nominee in 1940

More recently, some have described Bill Clinton as a dark horse, after he overcame a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls to win the 1992 presidential election. The same has been said about Jimmy Carter and the 1976 presidential election.

The term dark horse is applied more commonly in recent history for media and pop culture. Surprising or unlikely nominations for such prizes as the Academy and Juno Awards are referred to as dark horses.

Ron Paul was recently nominated "Dark Horse of the Year" by GQ magazine's Men of the Year 2007 article.^[1]

• Stalking horse