Garrett Allan Walker (born July 18, 1962) is a politician who served as the 45th President of the United States. A former Governor of Colorado, Walker was publicly inaugurated as President on January 20, 2013. He went on to pass an education reform bill and attempted to pass a watershed bill that was voted down in the House.
His first Vice President, Jim Matthews, eventually left office to run for another term as the Governor of Pennsylvania, feeling useless as the Vice President. This was a motion that was set into play by Frank Underwood after Walker had passed Underwood up as his Secretary of State.
Walker selected Underwood to take Matthews' place as his second Vice President. Underwood would go on to continue his schemes and with multiple conflicts with Walker and their mutual associate Raymond Tusk, Underwood managed to set in motion events that caused the country to call for Walker's impeachment.
Walker resigned to let the country begin to heal, rather than to face the possibility of conviction. President Walker resigned in 2014, allowing Underwood to become the 46th President of the United States and completing his year-long plan to seek vengeance on Walker and take his office. Walker and his family returned to their former lives as private citizens. Scholars and historians rank Walker as one of the worst presidents in American history.
Biography
Early life
Prior to entering politics, Garrett had a career in the private sector including being C.E.O. of Pioneer Airlines of which Raymond Tusk owned a third of shares. The two would go on to become good friends.
Political career
Governor of Colorado
Some time before his election to the Presidency, Walker was the Governor of the state of Colorado, having been elected in 2006 defeating Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez (having succeeded two-term Republican Bill Owens) to the governor's mansion with 57.0 percent of the statewide vote and re-elected in 2010 in a three-way race, defeating former Republican U.S. Congressman Tom Tancredo of the Constitution Party and Dan Maes, with Walker garnering 912,005 votes (51.05 percent) compared to Tancredo's 651,232 votes (36.43 percent) and Maes' 199,034 votes (11.13 percent).
Presidential election
In 2012, Walker was elected with 70 million votes and sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America, defeating the Republican nominee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, garnering 54.5 percent to Romney's 43.8 percent of the nationwide vote. While carrying the Obama states from 2008 (as well as swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, Nevada), he also held onto Indiana and North Carolina. Following his election to the presidency, Walker resigned as Colorado's 41st Governor in December 2012 to focus on his transition as President.
Lieutenant Governor John Hickenlooper (who previously served as Mayor of Denver, Colorado) ascended to the governorship to serve out the remainder of Walker's term and was elected to a full four-year term in the 2014 elections.
Presidency (2013–2014)
Inauguration
President Walker delivering inaugural address on January 21, 2013.
On January 21, 2013, President-elect Walker took the oath of office and was officially sworn-in as the 45th President of the United States. In attendance were Frank and Claire Underwood. Because January 20th was a Sunday, Walker had to be inaugurated on Monday (Dr. Martin Luther King's Holiday). However, he still would have assumed office on the 20th as per the Constitution.
Snubbing Frank Underwood
While Underwood was announcing some of his intentions for Secretary of State, he was informed by Linda Vasquez that President Walker had passed him over for the job, snubbing him and breaking a promise to him, which angered him. Underwood began plotting with his wife to seek vengeance on President Walker and Linda soon after.
Frank Underwood Vice Presidential nomination
Frank accepts the nomination for Vice President.
After being vetted, with the approval and in the presence of Tusk, President Walker officially offered Frank Underwood the Vice Presidency, to which Underwood quickly accepted. Underwood was soon sworn into office and begin a working partnership with President Walker and Tusk.
Resignation
President Walker resigns his office.
On October 30, 2014, after the efforts to hold onto his office, President Walker was faced with an 8% approval rating and the inevitability of impeachment. With this, he decided to resign his office of President, allowing Underwood to become the 46th President of the United States and completing his year-long plan to seek vengeance on Walker and take his office. Walker and his family returned to their former lives as private citizens.
Resume:
Work History
- CEO of Pioneer Airlines (duration unknown)
- 41st Governor of Colorado (Jan. 9, 2007 - Dec. 20, 2012)
- 45th President of the United States (Jan. 20, 2013 - Oct. 30, 2014)
Characters met
Behind the Scenes
Garrett Walker was portrayed by Michel Gill in Seasons 1, 2, 4 and 5 of House of Cards.
Appearances
| Season 1 | ||||
| "Chapter 1" | "Chapter 2" | "Chapter 3" | "Chapter 4" | "Chapter 5" |
| "Chapter 6" | "Chapter 7" | "Chapter 8" | "Chapter 9" | "Chapter 10" |
| "Chapter 11" | "Chapter 12" | "Chapter 13" | ||
| Season 2 | ||||
| "Chapter 14" | "Chapter 15" | "Chapter 16" | "Chapter 17" | "Chapter 18" |
| "Chapter 19" | "Chapter 20" | "Chapter 21" | "Chapter 22" | "Chapter 23" |
| "Chapter 24" | "Chapter 25" | "Chapter 26" | ||
| Season 4 | ||||
| "Chapter 40" | "Chapter 41" | "Chapter 42" | "Chapter 43" | "Chapter 44" |
| "Chapter 45" | "Chapter 46" | "Chapter 47" | "Chapter 48" | "Chapter 49" |
| "Chapter 50" | "Chapter 51" | "Chapter 52" | ||
| Season 5 | ||||
| "Chapter 53" | "Chapter 54" | "Chapter 55" | "Chapter 56" | "Chapter 57" |
| "Chapter 58" | "Chapter 59" | "Chapter 60" | "Chapter 61" | "Chapter 62" |
| "Chapter 63" | "Chapter 64" | "Chapter 65" | ||
Trivia
- Henry Collingridge is Garrett Walker's counterpart in the UK series of House of Cards.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Barack Obama |
President of the United States January 20, 2013 - October 30, 2014 |
Succeeded by Frank Underwood |
| Preceded by Bill Owens |
Governor of Colorado January 9, 2007 - December 20, 2012 |
Succeeded by John Hickenlooper |
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