# VPs who later became president

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [April 9, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439 "2020-04-09T15:13:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439/21 "2020-04-30T05:10:55Z")

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U.S. Grant made a serious bid for a third term in 1876, four years after leaving the White House, but couldn’t secure the nomination even after 36 ballots: [Ulysses S. Grant - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant#Third_term_attempt)

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439/22 "2020-04-30T13:16:02Z")

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Garfield is the only sitting house member to be elected president and he only served 6 months because he was murdered.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439/23 "2020-04-30T18:03:24Z")

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Yes. Garfield was also elected to the U.S. Senate in 1880, but never took his seat: [James A. Garfield - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Garfield#U.S._Senate_election,_1880)

Rep. Matt Santos (D-Texas) on _The West Wing_ became only the second House member elected directly to the Presidency.

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**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:** [May 7, 2020, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vps-who-later-became-president/851439/24 "2020-05-07T06:51:14Z")

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> [@Bijou\_Drains](#):
>
> Yes forgot about TR

Words written on many a gravestone, to be sure.

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