They are elected by the people before the president.
The answer is that several presidents had not previously held elected public office before becoming President: Zachary Taylor, U.S. Grant, William Howard Taft [although he was governor-general of the Philippines], Herbert Hoover, and Dwight Eisenhower. This now includes Donald Trump.
All but 4 of the 43 Presidents held an elected office before they were President. Those that did not were Taylor, Grant, Hoover and Eisenhower. George Washington did not serve any elected office under the US Constitution, but he was elected to serveral positions in the colonial government. Herbert Hoover was Secretary of Commerce which is a national office, but is not elected.
President Vincent
None of the individuals who were elected as President died before taking office. William Henry Harrison was sworn in and died 31 days later.
He ran a newspaper and then was elected US Senator from Ohio before he was elected president.
He ran a newspaper and then was elected US Senator from Ohio before he was elected president.
Warren G. Harding was elected Senator from Ohio in 1914, and in 1920, near the end of his term, he was elected President of the US. Harding's election was the first in Ohio following the 17th Amendment -- making senators elected by popular vote. Before that time, the state legislatures had selected the senators from almost all states.
Harding was a US Senator from Ohio when he ran for President. He ran a newspaper and was active in the Ohio political scene before he was elected Senator.
Warren G. Harding was elected Senator from Ohio in 1914, and in 1920, near the end of his term, he was elected President of the US. Harding's election was the first in Ohio following the 17th Amendment -- making senators elected by popular vote. Before that time, the state legislatures had selected the senators from almost all states.
Warren G. Harding (1865-1923) was elected in 1920 and sworn in as the 29th President on March 4, 1921. He died in office two years later, on August 2, 1923. He was succeeded by his Vice President, Calvin Coolidge.
Hoover was Secretary of Commerce for 8 years under Harding and Coolidge. This was his only experience in Washington. He never held any elected office before he was elected President.
Senator. He led the Navy before he left to go lead the Rough Riders, he came back to New York, was elected Governer, then elected President.
Senator. He led the Navy before he left to go lead the Rough Riders, he came back to New York, was elected Governer, then elected President.
Warren Harding
Before he was President, he passed the bar and established a law practice. He was a mayor of Northhampton, state senator, Lt. Governor and Governor of Massachusetts and served as Vice-president under Harding.
No U. S. President was elected before 1789.