Market Data 
- In decades past, Americans often voted for candidates who had considerable politial pedigrees.
- But there’ve also been well-known figures who simply decided — for whatever reason — to give politics a try.
- Many voters are no longer giving a first preference to figures with extensive political backgrounds.
For generations, individuals who entered politics in the US generally followed similar career trajectories. Many of them have been lawyers who worked their way up to Congress or the Governor’s Mansion from city councils, county boards, and state legislatures. For these figures, their prominent roles led them to occupy some of the most influential positions in government.
In recent decades, extensive government experience has sometimes become a political liability, as nontraditional candidates have latched onto the frustrations of an electorate that has witnessed increased gridlock and polarization in the states as well as Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump effectively used the argument against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, as many voters that year were looking for a “change agent” candidate without the more traditional Washington pedigree. And despite his previous stint as president, Trump once again ran as an outsider in 2024 and won a second term in the White House.
Trump certainly isn’t the first person to have used this argument while running for office.
Here’s a look at several figures from nontraditional backgrounds who made the jump into politics:
