Candidate Confessional - Defeated Politicians Tell All

Jon Huntsman On His 2012 Presidential Campaign

Jon Huntsman's presidential campaign never took off in 2012, despite being the candidate that President Obama feared most. Looking back, the former Utah Governor has several theories why, foremost among them that his Republican Party had grown too angry for a politician like him.

The Pain Of Losing By Four Votes

When Karl Kassel was recruited to run for a state Senate seat in Alaska, he had no idea just how historic his race would be. Out of 10,000 votes cast, Kassel ended up losing by just four -- one of the closest losses in American electoral history. In the latest Candidate Confessional, he explained all the drama, emotion and, ultimately, heartache that comes with falling just short.

Martin O'Malley Opens Up About His Presidential Campaign

Martin O'Malley brought an impressive resume to his 2016 White House run: a young, former governor with progressive results. But it never seemed to stick. He was overwhelmed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and overshadowed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). In his first major interview on the race, O'Malley dissects what went wrong and dishes out a bit of blame.

Anthony Weiner Relives His Run For Mayor Of New York City

When Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress in 2011, his career in politics appeared over, crushed by a scandal in which he sent lurid tweets and texts. But less than two years later, Weiner surprised many by launching a run for mayor of New York City. It was a tumultuous ride. Weiner briefly led the polls before scandal struck yet again. In the latest Candidate Confessional, he relives the race, and all its emotional highs and lows.

Richard Carmona On His 2012 Senate Campaign

For years Richard Carmona resisted pleas from both parties to run for office. He was a former U.S. Surgeon General under George W. Bush, a one-time police officer and public health administrator. His reputation was sterling and he didn't want to muck it up. When he finally decided to run -- for the U.S. Senate in Arizona as a Democrat in 2012 -- he quickly realized why he had declined all those prior overtures. Simply put: he hated his campaign.