Dr. Paul Kengor said on Newsmax Saturday that Pope Leo XIV's election stunned Vatican watchers because an American had long been viewed as an unlikely choice for the papacy, yet Robert Francis Prevost rapidly emerged as a consensus candidate inside the conclave.
Appearing on "Saturday Report," Kengor said the result upended assumptions heading into the vote, when other names were drawing more public attention.
He portrayed Leo XIV's rise as both unexpected and swift, saying the conclave moved quickly behind a candidate who had not dominated pre-election speculation.
"No, I mean, the one thing that we all knew, right?" Kengor said when asked whether he ever imagined an American would become pope.
"The one thing that you would bet your life on, you would bet $1 million on, is that it wouldn't be an American," he said.
Kengor said reports attributed to Vatican and Italian journalists suggested Prevost showed strength early in the voting and then gained support fast enough to prevail by the fourth round.
Robert Francis Prevost, originally from Chicago, was elected as the 267th pope on May 8, 2025.
No U.S.-born cardinal had ever been elected pope before.
"So very quickly, this guy who no one's even thinking about, not even on the radar, very quickly became a consensus candidate and won in pretty much a landslide," Kengor said.
"By the fourth round of balloting, with 89 votes to be elected pope, he ended up with 108 votes out of 133 altogether," he said.
"At one point, one of the Vegas oddsmakers put 66 to 1 odds on him.
"So, if you had bet $1 million on Prevost, you'd probably be a billionaire," he said.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.