Biography

A lawyer, he served (1898–1902) in the Texas legislature and then (1902) was elected to Congress. His senior standing made him (1921) the ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and subsequently he became minority leader in Congress.

With the shift to Democratic control in 1931 he was elected speaker of the House. After 30 years of service in Congress, Garner was in 1932 elected Vice President under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was reelected in 1936 but opposed Roosevelt’s third—term candidacy and retired (1941) from politics.

‹‹ predecessor                        successor ››

home        prez        vp        vs.        sources