Up the Political Ladder examines the motivations for pursuing a career in electorial politics in the US and reveals the surprising path taken by most of the country’s core leadership. Contrary to popular wisdom, most successful politicians do not emerge from trust fund, professional sports careers or Hollywood, but from a deliberate track through the political ranks. This book plots the rise to high office, beginning with the campaigning of local elections, and progressing through successively larger state districts, and then up the political ladder to state senate, national congress, and the Presidency.