David Beasley
Encyclopedia
David Muldrow Beasley is a Republican
who served one term as the 113th Governor of South Carolina
from 1995 until 1999.
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
.
, 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%.
In 1998, Governor Beasley was defeated in his bid for re-election
by Democrat Jim Hodges
, 53-45%. There are several reasons for Beasley's surprising loss in such a staunchly Republican state.
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 conservative Republicans 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.
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 decision to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol.
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
.
In 2010, Beasley endorsed Henry McMaster
in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primaries.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who served one term as the 113th Governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
from 1995 until 1999.
David Beasley, a native of Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, began his political career as a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, but switched to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
, he unexpectedly won a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
. He later graduated from the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and the University of South Carolina School of Law
University of South Carolina School of Law
The University of South Carolina School of Law, also known as South Carolina Law or SC Law, is one of the professional schools of the University of South Carolina. South Carolina Law was founded in 1867 in Columbia, South Carolina and is the only public and non-profit law school in the state of...
.
Early political career
He 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. It was during the 1991–92 legislative session that Beasley switched to the Republican Party. During the 1994 election for governorSouth Carolina gubernatorial election, 1994
The 1994 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. The contest featured two politicians from the Upstate and David Beasley narrowly defeated Nick Theodore to become the 113th governor of South Carolina.-Democratic...
, both Beasley and his Democratic opponent Lieutenant Governor Nick Theodore
Nick Theodore
Nick Andrew Theodore was a State representative from 1963 to 1966 and 1970 to 1978, a South Carolina state senator from 1967 to 1968 and 1981 to 1986, and the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Theodore attended the University of Georgia...
had tough primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
fights within their own respective parties. Beasley, however, beat his toughest competitor, former Congressman and State Senator Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr. is a businessman and a Republican politician from Charleston, South Carolina.-Early life:The Charleston-born Ravenel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1946. He thereafter received a bachelor of science degree from the College of Charleston in 1950. He is a...
, 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, Governor Beasley was defeated in his bid for re-election
South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1998
The 1998 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1998 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Jim Hodges, the Democratic nominee, handily defeated Republican Governor David Beasley to become the 114th governor of South Carolina...
by Democrat Jim Hodges
Jim Hodges
James Hovis "Jim" Hodges is a Democrat who served one term as the 114th Governor of South Carolina from 1999 until 2003.-Early career:...
, 53-45%. There are several reasons for Beasley's surprising loss in such a staunchly Republican state.
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 conservative Republicans 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 UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. In 2003, Beasley was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award by U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
(D-Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
) for his controversial decision to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol.
In 2004, the former governor unsuccessfully ran
United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2004
The 2004 United States Senate election in South Carolina was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings decided to retire...
for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Beasley lost the Republican nomination to Congressman Jim DeMint
Jim DeMint
James Warren "Jim" DeMint is the junior U.S. Senator from South Carolina, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party and a leader in the Tea Party movement. He previously served as the U.S. Representative for from 1999 to 2005.-Early life and education:DeMint was born in...
of Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
.
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
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
(R-Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
) in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
.
In 2010, Beasley endorsed Henry McMaster
Henry McMaster
Henry Dargan McMaster is South Carolina's Republican attorney general, having been first elected on November 5, 2002. He was a unsuccessful candidate for the GOP nomination in the 2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election.- Biography :McMaster received a bachelor's degree in history from the...
in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primaries.