Nick Theodore
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Nick Theodore (born September 16, 1928) is an American politician who was the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
A 1952 graduate of Furman University, Theodore spent a total of 24 years serving in the South Carolina state legislature before being elected, in 1986, to the office of Lieutenant Governor. He served two full terms in that post under Republican Governor Carroll Campbell.
Ironically, it was fellow Greenville resident Campbell who, in 1978, had defeated Theodore in an election to the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina's 4th Congressional District, one of famed political strategist Lee Atwater's first major triumphs. Despite this history, and the differences in their political philosophies and party affiliations, Campbell and Theodore worked together quite effectively during their two terms in office, and remained friendly with each other.
At the conclusion of Campbell's two terms in office, Theodore ran for Governor in 1994, defeating Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. to secure the Democratic nomination. Theodore lost to Campbell protégé David Beasley, however, in the general election.
In 2002, Theodore came out of a quasi-retirement to accept an interim appointment to the South Carolina Public Service Commission, ending in 2004. In 2006, his son, Drew Theodore, became the Democratic nominee for the statewide office of Comptroller General.
