Theodore Roosevelt Jr.: Encyclopedia II - Theodore Roosevelt Jr. - Political career

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. - Political career

After service in World War I, he began his political career. In 1919 he was elected to the New York State Assembly. In 1921 when Warren G. Harding was elected president, Teddy was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Here he oversaw the transferring of oil leases from the Navy to private corporations. This later became known as the Teapot Dome scandal. Although he was cleared of all charges, his image was tarnished.

In 1924, he was the Republican nominee for the office of governor of New York. Due to the vigorous campaigning of his first cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt he lost the support of many of his would-be voters. His opponent, Alfred E. Smith, defeated him by 105,000 votes. In the simultaneous race for President, the Republican Calvin Coolidge won New York by over 850,000 votes.

In September of 1929, President Herbert Hoover appointed him Governor of Puerto Rico. Roosevelt became a well-loved and popular figure in Puerto Rico. As governor, he did his best to ease the island's poverty. He was fond of local Puerto Rican culture and assumed many of the island's tradition. He became known as the "Jibarito de La Fortaleza" (Farmer of the Fortaleza) by locals.

Hoover was impressed with his work in Puerto Rico and moved him to Governor General of the Philippines in 1932. Teddy resigned that position and returned to the United States after his cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President.

In 1935, he was the vice president of the publisher Doubleday Doran & Company.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Political career", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki