Public Appointed Offices that have never seen a Presidential candidate but could

[Vega]

(Probably a better way to phrase my earlier question).

Which public office, excluding Cabinet officers, (the office holder is appointed to and confirmed by congress) could see a major presidential candidate?

The Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is an example.

[Mr. Reactionary]

In House of Card, the Solicitor General runs for President. WH Taft was also formerly SG before ultimately rising to office (though he was also war secretary too). Chester Arthur was head collector for the NY port when he was put on the ticket as Veep.

[Zioneer]

Could a Secretary of Energy or Interior be a viable candidate?

[Vega]

Could a Secretary of Energy or Interior be a viable candidate?

If they were a former Governor or Senator, yes.

That title alone might not carry much... unless they were in charge of the department at a time of major crisis and preformed well.

I could see somebody who is Surgeon General running for President at some point.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

National Security Advisor comes to mind.

In House of Card, the Solicitor General runs for President. WH Taft was also formerly SG before ultimately rising to office (though he was also war secretary too). Chester Arthur was head collector for the NY port when he was put on the ticket as Veep.

Former Collector (as he was fired by Hayes).

[Middle-aged Europe]

What about a prominent (former) White House Chief of Staff?

Let's say, instead of running for mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel stayed on as CoS for Obama's entire first term, and then he started to prepare for his own presidential run following the 2012 election.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Has there ever been a candidate that was head of the FBI? I know that CIA had one of their own with GHW Bush.

[Vega]

Has there ever been a candidate that was head of the FBI? I know that CIA had one of their own with GHW Bush.

No, I don't believe so.

And COS could be feasible. Though, as I said, if there was national health crisis, I could see a Surgeon General running.

[Nutmeg]

What about a prominent (former) White House Chief of Staff?

Let's say, instead of running for mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel stayed on as CoS for Obama's entire first term, and then he started to prepare for his own presidential run following the 2012 election.

A la Leo McGarry in West Wing. Personally I thought that was a little far-fetched considering his personality and the position's relatively low profile considering it's ultimately a behind-the-scenes role.

[Maxwell]

If terrorism becomes extremely problematic within our borders, I could see the Secretary of Homeland Security becoming a serious candidate.

[Middle-aged Europe]

What about a prominent (former) White House Chief of Staff?

Let's say, instead of running for mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel stayed on as CoS for Obama's entire first term, and then he started to prepare for his own presidential run following the 2012 election.

A la Leo McGarry in West Wing. Personally I thought that was a little far-fetched considering his personality and the position's relatively low profile considering it's ultimately a behind-the-scenes role.

I don't know. Leo being on the ticket did make a certain amount a sense to me.

First, he was only the VP candidate and not running for president himself. Second, he seemed to be one of the more influential, "prime ministerial" Chiefs of Staffs. And third, he did have a political career of his own prior to becoming Bartlet's Chief of Staff.

He was a former Secretary of Labor who talked Bartlet into running for president, managed his campaign and then became his CoS. It was never canonically established what Leo did before his tenure as Secretary of Labor, but of course you're not appointed to the Cabinet out of the blue. So, it's likely that he held some other office prior to that too.

He probably wasn't extremely well-known in the general public, but then again that's not necessarily the case with VP candidates either. How big was Paul Ryan's name recognition on the national level prior to 2012?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

What about a prominent (former) White House Chief of Staff?

Alexander Haig.

Has there ever been a candidate that was head of the FBI?

The closest thing to this was former (acting) Director L. Patrick Gray briefly rumoured as a potential candidate in 1976, although this wasn't much serious.

[Middle-aged Europe]

What about a prominent (former) White House Chief of Staff?

Alexander Haig.

He was also a former Secretary of State though when he ran for president.