Question: Who was the first Texan to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives as well as vice president of the United States?
Answer: John Nance Garner. Born in 1868 near Detroit, Texas, he served two terms in the Texas House of Representatives before being elected to Congress in 1902. In 1931, he became the speaker, and the following year, he was elected vice president of the United States, with Franklin Roosevelt at the top of the ticket. Following a series of disagreements with FDR, Garner was replaced as vice president during the 1940 election, prompting the elder statesman to retire. Garner State Park, established in Uvalde County in 1941, was named in his honor.
