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Garrett Walker 2
Presidency of Garrett Walker
January 20, 2013 – October 30, 2014
Vice President Jim Matthews (2013)
Frank Underwood (2013-2014)
Election 2012
Party Democratic
44th presidentFrank Underwood
Seal of the President of the United States of America
Seal of the President

The Presidency of Garrett Walker began on January 20, 2013, when he became the 45th President of the United States and ended in 2014 when he resigned due to an inevitable impeachment. Some time before his presidency, Walker was the 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.

Presidency (2013–2014)[]

Background[]

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.

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.

Walker inauguration

President Walker delivering inaugural address on January 21, 2013.

Inauguration[]

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.

Frank Underwood Vice Presidential nomination[]

Season 1 Chapter 13

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[]

Garrett Walker resigns

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 and let Frank become the 46th President of the United States.

After Garrett's resignation, Frank was sworn in as Walker and his wife left the stage, to begin their lives as private citizens.

Political offices
Preceded by
President of the United States
January 20, 2013–October 28, 2014
Succeeded by
Frank Underwood