If you think it’s necessary for political contenders to have nice statistics and resume’s to present on their behalf, you’d be surprised at Abraham Lincoln’s background as a politician. For one thing he loved George Washington.

Here are some of the things he accomplished (or didn’t):

Ran for the Illinois State legislature in 1832 he lost the campaign and also his job.
In 1833 his new grocery business (he was an entrepreneur) business failed. And it took him another 15 years to pay of the debt this caused him.
Elected to the State legislature in 1834.
He lost races for the Illinois speaker of the house in 1836 and 1838.
He ran for U.S. Congress in 1843 but lost.
He was elected to Congress in 1846, but he lost his attempt to be re-nominated in 1848.
He lost his race for land officer in 1849.
He ran for U.S. Senate in 1854 but lost.
In 1858 he again lost his campaign for U.S. Senate.
In 1860 he was elected President of the United States of America.
He was reelected in 1864, but that didn’t work out too well for his as he was soon assassinated!

How about that perseverance!!