Governors who won the White House
In this crowded Republican field, one characteristic is shared among most of the candidates: they have the name Governor in their title. The first two candidates to drop out were both Governors--Scott Walker is the current Governor of Wisconsin and Rick Perry is the former Governor of Texas, though he was the sitting governor when he ran in 2012. Sitting Governors John Kasich, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal remain in the race and former Governors like Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee and George Pataki are in as well.
Is the Governor's Mansion the stepping stone to the White House? It can help. 17 Presidents were a Governor at once and eight went right from their state's capitol to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Here's a look at some of the Governors who made the successful journey to Washington.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush was midway through his second term as Texas' 46th governor when he was elected president in 2000.
Bill Clinton
Then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton challenged George W. Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, in the 1992 presidential election. Clinton defeated Bush by a wide margin in the electoral college -- 370 to 168 -- and by an over five million vote margin in the popular vote.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan served as California governor from 1967-1975 and ran for president twice. In 1976 he lost the nomination to Gerald Ford, but in 1980 he prevailed and was elected president in the general election.
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter went straight from the Georgia Governor's Mansion to the White House in 1976 after defeating Gerald Ford in the general election.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Before leading the United States through the Great Depression and most of World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt followed in the footsteps of his cousin, Theodore, and served as governor of New York from 1929-1932.
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency in 1923 after the untimely death of Warren G. Harding. But before serving as vice president and eventually president, Coolidge was the 48th governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921.
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson led the United States through World War I, but before that, he led the state of New Jersey from 1911-1913.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was New York governor from 1899-1900 before he was tapped as William McKinley's running mate in the 1900 election. Teddy ascended to the presidency in 1901 after William McKinley was assassinated.
William McKinley
Before William McKinley moved to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he called the Ohio Governor's Mansion home and served as that state's 39th governor.
Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms--he was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. But before that, he served as the 28th governor of New York.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes oversaw the end of Reconstruction as the 19th president, but before that, he served as the 29th and 32nd governor of Ohio. As chief executive of the Buckeye state, he served two consecutive terms -- from 1868 to 1872, and then a third, from 1876-1877 before being elected president.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln after his assassination in 1865, but earlier in his career he served as governor of Tennessee from 1853 to 1857.
James K. Polk
James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States, also served as governor of Tennessee. He held the post from 1839-1841.
John Tyler
John Tyler became the tenth President of the United States when William Henry Harrison died in April 1841. Earlier in his career he served as the 23rd governor of Virginia, from 1825-1827.
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren served as the 9th governor of New York -- just as Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt did before they became president.
James Monroe
As president, James Monroe is perhaps known best for establishing the "Monroe Doctrine." But before he was making sweeping changes to U.S foreign policy, he was serving the people of Virginia as that state's governor. Monroe served two nonconsecutive terms--the first from 1799 to 1802 and the second from January 1811 to April 1811.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, is most widely known as the third president of the United States. But he too served as governor of Virginia from 1799 to 1781.