In a presidential candidate, what is experience to you?

[Vega]

What do you define experience as when it comes to Presidential candidates?

A couple years in the Senate? Two terms as Governor, a combination of both? Something like that.

[Vega]

So say this man is a candidate for President, he has the following resume...

Elected at age 24 to a city council which is responsible for a city of 500,000+. Serves a 2 year term.

Elected at age 26 to the State House, serves a total of 4 years.

Elected at age 30 to the State Senate, serves a total of 2 years

Elected at age 32 to be Governor of a small state - about 1 million people. Serves one four year term.

Appointed after he leaves as Governor (age 36) to be Secretary of Energy, he's very popular at the job.

Leaves cabinet post to run for Senate, elected twice, and 1 year into his second term as Senator... runs for President.

Would that be enough experience? Or not?

[Vega]

Indeed, Winfield. I agree completely.

How would you feel to the following resume for a candidate?

Has a J.D. in law from Yale.

Fulbright Scholar.

Enlisted in the Navy with distinction.

Elected at age 26 to the State House, serves a total of 4 years.

Elected at age 30 to the State Senate, serves a total of 2 years

Elected at age 32 to be Governor of a small state - about 1 million people. Serves one four year term.

Appointed after he leaves as Governor (age 36) to be Secretary of Energy, he's very popular at the job.

Leaves cabinet post to run for Senate, elected twice, and 1 year into his second term as Senator... runs for President.

Would that be enough experience? Or not?

I ask this specific question, as I'm writing a timeline.

[Vega]

Thank you, Beet.

One more thing, our fictional 6'3 family man who's just been elected to his second term manages to become Majority Leader, that would help with name recognition etc.

I think it's important for him to be Secretary of Energy, it's under a popular President. It sets up his bid for U.S. Senate.

[Vega]

Possibly it could work, IMO, if you shift Secretary of Energy before his governorship. Bill Richardson and Andrew Cuomo pulled off similar moves. A Cabinet official needs elected experience as a must, to run for president. An elected official doesn't need to be in the Cabinet, bar extraordinary circumstances (Hillary, etc.). But that's just my opinion.

Thank you, I'll keep that in consideration. The state I thought he could originate from is Hawaii, where he deals with an energy crisis, which would then make him attractive to the President for Energy sec.

[Vega]

Thanks for the analysis!

Since he's in the State Legislature, it would be part time, giving him time to be a lawyer at a firm like many State Legislators. That would give him the needed private sector experience.