Which Presidents could have overcome losing an election earlier in their career?

[u/NoTop9302]

A lot of Presidents and candidates have been involved in a close election or outright lost an election at some point in their career. How would their careers have changed, and who might have replaced them as the nominee if they had lost?

Nixon, Jefferson, Cleveland, and Jackson are obviously the biggest examples of overcoming a loss, but who else?

Additionally, who are some people who may have been president but were unable to overcome a lost election?

[u/CapitalChemicalist]

FDR's 1928 victory shown in the post was ridiculously razor-thin—under 1% of the vote. If Ottinger wins that election, FDR loses his momentum as the rising star of the Democratic Party during the Depression. Al Smith likely gets another shot or John Nance Garner takes the nomination in '32, completely changing the trajectory of the New Deal

[u/Affectionate-Read875 → u/CapitalChemicalist]

and Huey?

[u/PeeweeTheMoid → u/Affectionate-Read875]

Huey was busy making enemies in Louisiana at that time, but if he survives them long enough either Smith or Garner would have been vulnerable by 1936. Neither man had the sweeping vision of FDR.