Chester A. Arthur vs Rishi Sunak

Arthur became the 21st president upon Garfield's death. His ascension was marked by a desire to distance himself from the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party, which had supported him as vice president.

Arthur vetoed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which would have banned Chinese immigration for 20 years. He argued it violated the Burlingame Treaty. Congress later passed a revised version with a 10-year ban, which Arthur signed.

Arthur signed the Pendleton Act into law, establishing a merit-based system for federal employment. The act created the Civil Service Commission and required competitive exams for many government positions, reducing the influence of patronage and political machines.

Rishi Sunak was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He oversaw the UK's economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the furlough scheme and other support measures.

Sunak became Prime Minister after winning the Conservative Party leadership election, succeeding Liz Truss. He was the first British Asian and first Hindu to hold the office. His premiership focused on economic stability and reducing inflation.

As Chancellor, Sunak reversed most of Liz Truss's mini-budget tax cuts, which had caused market turmoil. He reinstated the corporation tax rise and scaled back energy support, aiming to restore fiscal credibility.

Sunak led the Conservative Party to a landslide defeat in the 2024 general election, winning only 121 seats. Labour under Keir Starmer won a majority. Sunak resigned as Prime Minister and Conservative leader.