Everyone loves a dark horse. And that goes double when it comes to presidential politics.
Although being crowned the front-runner in a fight for the presidential nod conveys some benefits (money and media attention, mostly), there is something the electorate loves about getting behind an unknown candidate and riding him (or her) from worst to first – or close to it.
James K. Polk is widely regarded as the original dark horse. His opponents mocked his anonymity – “Who is James K. Polk?” – but he went on to become the country’s 11th president.
Full Story: Republicans’ 2012 dark horse still has no name
