President Lincoln is the G.O.A.T. But He’d Never Get Elected today.

By Jim Ludlow

America’s elected officials love to invoke Abraham Lincoln. They quote his speeches, compare themselves to his character and claim to carry forward his vision of unity. But here’s the hard truth: If Lincoln ran for office today, I believe he’d never make it out of the primaries.

His humility would be mistaken for weakness. His calls for unity would be labeled naive. His willingness to listen to opponents would be seen as disloyalty. Lincoln, the man who held a broken nation together, would struggle to win over a political system that now rewards division, outrage and partisanship.

That should concern us all. Because as newly elected officials take office in 2025, America needs Lincoln’s leadership more than ever. Not as a distant historical figure, but as a model for how to rebuild trust, govern with wisdom and serve the greater good over party loyalty.

The Leadership America Rejects Today

Lincoln governed in a time of far deeper division than ours. The Civil War didn’t just pit North against South—it fractured families, communities and institutions. He faced relentless opposition, yet he led with character, vision and courage.

Imagine if he had played the same political games we see today governing by stoking resentment, prioritizing party over principle or refusing to engage with opponents. America would have collapsed.

Lincoln’s greatest leadership qualities, his ability to listen, his moral integrity, his humility in power—are now the very traits that would make him unelectable. Voters today reward those who fight the loudest, not those who build bridges.

Consider how Lincoln would be judged in modern politics:
He assembled a “team of rivals”—including his critics—to serve in his cabinet. (Today, that would be seen as political betrayal.)

He called for reconciliation over revenge after the Civil War. (Today, he’d be accused of being too weak on his enemies.)

He refused to govern by public opinion polls and instead pursued difficult, unpopular moral decisions—like issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. (Today, that would be seen as political suicide.)

If Lincoln were here now, he wouldn’t waste his time on viral soundbites or social media platform feuds. He’d be asking: How do we restore trust? How do we govern with wisdom? How do we ensure democracy survives future generations?

It’s time we ask those questions, too.

Reintroducing the Lincoln Creed: A Leadership Standard for 2025

We don’t need to wonder how Lincoln would lead. His proven principles are a guidepost for today’s challenges. Together I call them the Lincoln Creed, a suggested modern leadership model rooted in his core virtues:

  • Integrity: Do what is right, even when it’s unpopular.
  • Empathy: Listen to and understand different perspectives.
  • Resilience: Persevere through setbacks with determination.
  • Vision: Look beyond immediate crises to build a better future.
  • Humility: Admit mistakes and learn from others.
  • Accountability: Take responsibility for decisions and their outcomes.

These aren’t just leadership traits; they’re essential to restoring trust in government. Imagine if every elected official in 2025 personally committed to these principles.

Would we see fewer political stunts and more serious governing?
Would Congress be more focused on solutions than party warfare?
Would voters begin to believe in democracy again?

A Challenge to America’s Leaders: Adopt the Lincoln Creed

The crisis in American politics isn’t just about policy—it’s about leadership failure. We reward division. We tolerate dishonesty. We prioritize short-term wins over long-term progress.

But the good news is, we have a choice.

Every newly elected official in 2025 has an opportunity to break this cycle. The question is: Will they?

This February 12th, on Lincoln’s birthday, I challenge every elected leader in America to make the Lincoln Creed their own. Not as a campaign stunt. Not as empty rhetoric. But as a personal commitment to lead with character, courage and conscience.

Because if we continue down a path where Lincoln himself would be unelectable, we will lose more than an election cycle, we will lose the very ideals that hold this country together.

The choice is ours.

Jim Ludlow is the Executive Producer of the Good Government Show podcast and Founder of Interactive Liquid LLC. He lives in Fogelsville, PA.