# "If elected, I will not serve!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064 "2007-03-15T18:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/1 "2007-03-15T18:34:55Z")
Who is the highest-profile candidate in the United States who actually lived up to these words, i.e. won an election but refused to be seated in the office? How about in other countries besides the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/2 "2007-03-15T18:50:02Z")
[William Tecumseh Sherman and Lyndon Baines Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shermanesque_statement) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/3 "2007-03-15T18:50:33Z")
I take it we’re not counting Mel Carnahan, who was elected after he died and for obvious reasons was not seated? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/4 "2007-03-15T18:51:50Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] [William Tecumseh Sherman and Lyndon Baines Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shermanesque_statement) [/QUOTE] Neither of them won an election following making the announcement and so do not answer the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/5 "2007-03-15T19:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Neither of them won an election following making the announcement and so do not answer the OP. [/QUOTE] Oh mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Pardon me for bringing the usual usage of the full phrase into the thread. Congratulation on your perspicaciousness. Do you have anything else to add? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/6 "2007-03-15T19:01:59Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I take it we’re not counting Mel Carnahan, who was elected after he died and for obvious reasons was not seated? [/QUOTE] Yes. I’m specifically only interested in cases where the winner wasn’t seated because of his principles, not his incapacity. So death, criminal conviction, or having to choose between multiple offices doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/7 "2007-03-15T19:03:26Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Pardon me for bringing the usual usage of the full phrase into the thread. [/QUOTE] I’m well aware of the origin of the phrase. I’m interested in cases where it has actually come true. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/8 "2007-03-15T19:18:24Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Oh mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Pardon me for bringing the usual usage of the full phrase into the thread. Congratulation on your perspicaciousness. Do you have anything else to add? [/QUOTE] You have got to be kidding. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/9 "2007-03-15T19:28:34Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] I’m well aware of the origin of the phrase. I’m interested in cases where it has actually come true. [/QUOTE] I’m going to that a WAG and say this it has never happened in a national or statewide, or even moderately sized citywide election. It is remotely possible that someone was elected to some county road commission or other obscure board or other and said, “Screw you, I ani’t a gonna do it.” ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/10 "2007-03-15T19:38:34Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] I’m going to that a WAG and say this it has never happened in a national or statewide, or even moderately sized citywide election. It is remotely possible that someone was elected to some county road commission or other obscure board or other and said, “Screw you, I ani’t a gonna do it.” [/QUOTE] I am inclined to agree with this assessment. In national and state elections, the sheer investment of time and money required to get nominated and then elected would weed out anyone who didn’t want the job way before the election. The only scenario I can envision would be someone who, after having secured the nomination and having passed the deadline for ballot changes, would change their mind due to some major personal or family reason, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/11 "2007-03-15T19:55:13Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Oh mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! Pardon me for bringing the usual usage of the full phrase into the thread. Congratulation on your perspicaciousness. Do you have anything else to add? [/QUOTE] Are we in the Pit? Then, no. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/12 "2007-03-15T19:55:42Z")
[Garret D. Wall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garret_D._Wall) was elected Governor of New Jersey in 1829, and declined to serve. However, it should be noted that the Governor of NJ at that time was elected by the Legislature, not by the people. A number of Representatives and Senators elected in 1860 never took their seats because of secession. This probably falls into the category of exceptions indicated by the OP. Adam Clayton Powell won a special election to the House in 1967 and never took his seat _in the ensuing Congress_ because it would have compromised his legal challenge to his exclusion from the House at the beginning of the session. Again, probably not what the OP is after. I’m not _aware_ of any person being popularly elected, either as a governor or member of Congress, and declining to serve without some reason such as scandal, appointment to a different office, or secession intervening. Since the advent of state-printed ballots in the late Nineteenth Century, this would be close to impossible. One usually must file some sort of declaration of candidacy to get on the ballot, and if not on the ballot it is all but impossible to get elected. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/13 "2007-03-15T20:08:12Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Neither of them won an election following making the announcement and so do not answer the OP. [/QUOTE] Actually, _technically_ Lyndon Baines Johnson was elected Senator from the State of Texas in 1960, but declined to serve, preferring instead to serve as Vice President. But as for someone who refused to serve without some higher office pulling them away? Can’t think of one. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/14 "2007-03-15T20:46:31Z")
[QUOTE=John Corrado] Actually, _technically_ Lyndon Baines Johnson was elected Senator from the State of Texas in 1960, but declined to serve, preferring instead to serve as Vice President. [/QUOTE] Yes, but that election was from before he made the announcement. The OP also eliminated choosing between multiple offices as a criterion in his second post. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/15 "2007-03-15T23:02:44Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] I’m going to that a WAG and say this it has never happened in a national or statewide, or even moderately sized citywide election. [/QUOTE] The closest I can recall is the curious case of [Fred Tuttle.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Tuttle) He won the Republican primary for US Senator in Vermont just so the “carpetbagger” millionaire from Massachusetts couldn’t win. After winning the primary, he then endorsed incumbent (Democrat) senator Patrick Leahy, and said that if elected, he wouldn’t serve. Leahy won, but Tuttle still for 22% of the vote. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/16 "2007-03-15T23:12:32Z")
weren’t there instances where the College of Cardinals elected someone pope and the individual elected declined to serve? ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/17 "2007-03-15T23:30:42Z")
Wasn’t there a preamble to Johnson’s statement where he said, “If nominated I will not run”, then added “if elected I will not serve.” He did serve. He served notice that he was serious about his decision. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/18 "2007-03-16T00:36:03Z")
Excuse me for this example, which is somewhat related to the OP but not an answer the question: In 5th century BC, a Roman farmer named Cincinnatus was named dictator ( the word had a specific legal meaning in Rome ) by the Senate when Rome was attacked by some neighbouring tribes. Cincinnatus took command of the army, defeated the invading army, and then promptly resigned and returned to his farm, even though legally he could have remained as dictator for six months. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/19 "2007-03-16T01:13:14Z")
[QUOTE=Spartydog] Wasn’t there a preamble to Johnson’s statement where he said, “If nominated I will not run”, then added “if elected I will not serve.” He did serve. He served notice that he was serious about his decision. [/QUOTE] Johnson’s precise words were, “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.” I’ve heard that the “will not accept” part was a late add to the speech – he originally wanted to at least keep open the possibility of a “Draft Johnson” movement, but his advisers convinced him that he needed to totally remove himself from consideration for the good of the Democratic Party. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064/20 "2007-03-16T01:30:38Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] Excuse me for this example, which is somewhat related to the OP but not an answer the question: In 5th century BC, a Roman farmer named Cincinnatus was named dictator ( the word had a specific legal meaning in Rome ) by the Senate when Rome was attacked by some neighbouring tribes. Cincinnatus took command of the army, defeated the invading army, and then promptly resigned and returned to his farm, even though legally he could have remained as dictator for six months. [/QUOTE] Also not responsive to the OP, but James K. Polk agreed to run for President and serve one term. He turned out to be a businesslike and determined President who believed strongly in[Manifest Destiny.](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-44,GGLJ:en&q=Manifest+Destiny) He succeeded in annexing Texas and Oregon together, thus avoiding a disturbance of the slave state-free state balance which was important at the time and annexed Californa for $20 million plus other considerations. True to his original promise, he didn’t run for a second term. (It must be added that after the one term his health wasn’t good and he died not long after leaving office.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-elected-i-will-not-serve/396064.md?page=2)