“No second prize in politics”

In an election, there is one winner, no matter how close the vote is. The saying that there’s “no second prize in politics” was described as “an old political axiom” by 1957.
 
     
Google News Archive
15 June 1957, Ottawa (Canada) Citizen, “End Of Another Era” by Frank Swanson (Associate Editor The Citizen), pg. 6, col. 3:
It is an old political axiom there are no second prizes in politics. You win or you lose.
 
19 December 1962, Mason City (IA) Globe-Gazette, pg. 4, col. 2:
No second prize in politics
Algona Advance: The Democrats seem to realize better than the Republicans there is no second prize in politics.
   
Google Books
The Games
By Hugh Atkinson
London: World Books
1967
Pg. 326:
There were no second prizes in politics.
 
26 June 1968, Montclair (CA) Tribune, “Chaffey GOP Women Hear Of Evils To be Corrected,” pg. 21, col. 1:
He reminded members that there are no second prizes in politics. You can’t do anything unless you are elected.
   
11 February 1973, Danville (VA) Register, Virginia News Briefs, pg. 3A, col. 1:
“There are no second prizes in politics.”
 
10 November 1986, Lodi (CA) News-Sentinel, “There’s no second prize in politics” by Andy Rooney, pg. 4, col. 4:
Of all the losing there is to be done in life, being a political loser must be toughest. It’s so final and there’s no second prize.
     
Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald
ALP fiddles while Crean burns up
By Michelle Grattan
September 28, 2003
(...)
“As Paul Keating taught us, in politics there’s no second prize. There’s only ever one winner.”