# Newt Gringrich - ever a serious candidate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 27, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086 "2012-04-27T00:52:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [April 28, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/21 "2012-04-28T16:37:12Z")
Thanks - did not know that about Polk. Still, only one case of it happening in 220 years doesn’t suggest the Speakership is a strong vaulting point for the Presidency. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/22 "2012-04-28T17:46:59Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I thought the only one to be elected President who had only been in the House was Garfield? Well, there’s Lincoln. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/23 "2012-04-28T18:28:33Z")
sorry, I wasn’t clear - I meant that Garfield was the only President elected while serving in the House. I see that Polk, for instance, wasn’t in the House when he was elected, but Governor of Tennessee. Madision of course also served in the House, in the First Congress. But was there any Representative elected President, other that Garfield? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/24 "2012-04-28T18:56:53Z")
There’s still time - Newt could join the army, work his way up to four-star General. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/25 "2012-04-28T22:09:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I see that Polk, for instance, wasn’t in the House when he was elected, but Governor of Tennessee. A nitpick, but Polk was not the Governor at the time he was elected President. His last day in office as Governor had been October 15, 1841 and he was elected President three years later in 1844. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/26 "2012-04-28T22:15:53Z")
You could technically argue Ford would qualify. He was never a Governor or Senator. He was a thirteen-term Representative when he was appointed Vice President and then became President after Nixon’s resignation. ---
**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:** [April 29, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086/27 "2012-04-29T02:27:40Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A nitpick, but Polk was not the Governor at the time he was elected President. His last day in office as Governor had been October 15, 1841 and he was elected President three years later in 1844. You’re right - I misread the wiki page - thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newt-gringrich-ever-a-serious-candidate/620086.md?page=1)