David Beasley

David Beasley
113th Governor of South Carolina
In office January 11, 1995 – January 13, 1999
Lieutenant	Bob Peeler
Preceded by	Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
Succeeded by	Jim Hodges
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 56th District
In office January 9, 1979 – January 10, 1995
Preceded by	Gary E. Byrd, Jr.
Succeeded by	Denny Woodall Neilson
Personal details
Born	David Muldrow Beasley ( 1957-02-26) February 26, 1957 Darlington, South Carolina
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican(since 1991) Democratic (before 1991)
Spouse(s)	Mary Wood Payne
Children	Mary Hunter Sarah Catherine David, Jr., Samuel Ross
Residence	Society Hill, South Carolina
Alma mater	University of South Carolina University of South Carolina School of Law
Profession	Politician
Religion	Christian

David Muldrow Beasley (born February 26, 1957) is an American politician who served one term as the 113th Governor of South Carolina from 1995 until 1999, as a member of the Republican Party.

David Beasley, a native of Darlington, South Carolina, began his political career as a member of the Democratic Party, but switched to the Republican Party in September 1991, three years before his election as governor. His first run for public office came in 1978, when, as a 21-year-old junior attending Clemson University, he unexpectedly won a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He later graduated from the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Early political career

Beasley served as a member of the House from 1979 until 1995, rising through the party ranks to become Majority Whip. He served as the youngest Speaker pro tempore and Majority Leader in the nation, being elected to the position from 1987–1989.^[1] It was during the 1991–92 legislative session that Beasley switched to the Republican Party. During the 1994 election for governor, both Beasley and his Democratic opponent Lieutenant Governor Nick Theodore had tough primary fights within their own respective parties. Beasley, however, beat his toughest competitor, former Congressman and State Senator Arthur Ravenel, Jr., in both the primary and run-off, and went on to win the general election by a narrow margin of 50%–48%.

Governor

During his term as governor, Beasley was known for injecting his Christian faith into the public discourse.

In 1998, Beasley was defeated in his bid for re-election by Democrat Jim Hodges, 53-45 percent. There are several reasons for Beasley's surprising loss in a state that has since become heavily Republican.

First, owners of video poker machines, which were legal in South Carolina at the time, poured millions of dollars into advertisements attacking Beasley for trying to ban video poker. Second, Beasley changed his position on keeping the Confederate flag on top of the Capitol. He ordered it moved to a place nearby on the capitol grounds. Many descendents of the those who fought in the Confederate Army remembered this supposed "flip-flop" on Election Day, and simply stayed home. Third, Beasley opposed a proposal for the state to support all-day kindergarten, a decision which cost him Democratic votes

Post Governor

Following his term as governor, Beasley was invited as a fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2003, Beasley was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award by U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) for his controversial request to the South Carolina legislature to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house dome.^[2]

In 2004, the former governor unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate. Beasley lost the Republican nomination to Congressman Jim DeMint of Greenville, South Carolina.

In April 2005, Governor Beasley, along with his administration's former Chief Legal Counsel, Henry Deneen, incorporated the Center for Global Strategies, Ltd (CGS). CGS focuses on developmental initiatives in the non-integrated world. Governor Beasley serves as the Chairman of the Board.

In 2007, Beasley endorsed Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.^[3]

In 2010, Beasley endorsed Henry McMaster in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primaries.

In 2011, Beasley became a member of the board of the Peace Research Endowment.

Personal

Beasley is married to the former Mary Wood Payne and is the father of four children: Mary Hunter, Sarah Catherine, David, Jr., and Samuel Ross. Governor Beasley currently resides in Society Hill, SC, located in Darlington County.

References

1. ↑ David Muldrow Beasley
2. ↑ "'John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum". 
3. ↑ Sheinin, Aaron (May 19, 2007). "Huckabee Picks Up Key Endorsement". The State. Retrieved April 22, 2015. 

External links

• SCIway Biography of David Muldrow Beasley
• NGA Biography of David Muldrow Beasley

Governors of South Carolina
J. Rutledge Lowndes J. Rutledge Mathews Guerard Moultrie T. Pinckney C. Pinckney Moultrie Vanderhorst C. Pinckney E. Rutledge Drayton J. Richardson P. Hamilton C. Pinckney Drayton Middleton Alston D. Williams A. Pickens Geddes Bennett Wilson Manning I Taylor Miller J. Hamilton Hayne McDuffie Butler Noble Henagan Richardson II Hammond Aiken Johnson Seabrook Means J. Manning Adams Allston Gist F. Pickens Bonham Magrath Perry Orr Scott Moses Chamberlain Hampton Simpson Jeter Hagood Thompson Sheppard Richardson III Tillman Evans Ellerbe McSweeney Heyward Ansel Blease Smith Manning III Cooper Harvey McLeod Richards Blackwood Johnston Maybank Harley Jefferies Johnston R. Williams Thurmond Byrnes Timmerman Hollings Russell McNair West Edwards Riley Campbell Beasley Hodges Sanford Haley McMaster (Designate)