List of Governors of Kentucky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Party | Governors |
|---|---|
| Democratic | 34 |
| Democratic-Republican | 9 |
| Republican | 8 |
| Whig | 6 |
| National Republican | 2 |
| Know Nothing | 1 |
The following is a list of Governors of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As head of the executive branch of the state's government, the governor is given broad appointment power, and names many state commissioners and department heads without the need for legislative approval. The governor is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size.[B] He or she serves as commander-in-chief of the state's army, navy, and militia forces. Historically, the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States.[B]
The original 1792 Kentucky Constitution had the governor chosen by an electoral college for a term of four years. The second constitution in 1799 changed this to a popular vote, and prevented governors from succeeding themselves within seven years of their terms. The third constitution in 1850 reduced the succession limitation to four years. A 1992 amendment to the constitution allowed governors to have a second term before being prevented from succeeding themselves for four years.
Fifty-six individuals have held the office of governor of Kentucky. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, the governor of Kentucky was prohibited from succeeding himself in office, though four men (Isaac Shelby, John L. Helm, James B. McCreary, and A. B. "Happy" Chandler) served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul Patton, the first governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment, won his reelection bid in 1999. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, before the constitutional provision existed.
William Goebel, who was elected to the office in the disputed election of 1899, remains the only governor of any U.S. state to die from assassination while in office. Martha Layne Collins, who held the office from 1983 to 1987, was the first woman to serve as governor of Kentucky and was only the third woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state who was not the wife or widow of a previous governor.[B]
Steve Beshear (D) is the 61st and current governor, having served since December 11, 2007. He defeated incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) in the 2007 gubernatorial election held on November 6, 2007.
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[edit] Governors
Kentucky was initially Kentucky County in Virginia. It achieved statehood and was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792; see the list of governors of Virginia for the period before statehood. There have been 56 governors, serving 61 distinct terms.
An unelected group proclaimed Kentucky's secession from the Union on November 20, 1861, and it was annexed by the Confederate States of America on December 10, 1861. The Confederate government elected two governors (listed separately), but it never held much control over the state, and the main line of governors was preserved.
Democratic-Republican National Republican Democratic Whig Know Nothing Republican
[edit] Notes
- ^ The office of lieutenant governor was created by the second Kentucky Constitution, ratified in 1799.
- ^ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
- ^ a b c d Died in office.
- ^ a b c d e As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ^ Resigned to take office as Attorney General of the United States.
- ^ Resigned due to his disagreement with the state legislature over the American Civil War; he espoused neutrality.
- ^ As president of the senate, filled unexpired term – at the time the previous governor resigned, there was no lieutenant governor.
- ^ a b c d As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
- ^ a b c d Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ As president of the senate, filled unexpired term – at the time the previous governor resigned, there was no lieutenant governor; was later elected in his own right.
- ^ a b William S. Taylor was sworn in to office, but the legislature challenged the validity of his election win, claiming ballot fraud. William Goebel, his challenger in the election, was shot on January 30, 1900. The next day, the legislature named Goebel governor. However, Goebel died from his wounds three days later. Taylor fled the state and never returned, and was pardoned by Governor Augustus Willson in 1909.
- ^ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term until elected to fill it in a special election.
- ^ Resigned to take an appointed seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Governor Beshear's first term expires December 13, 2011; he is not yet term-limited.
[edit] Confederate governors
During the Civil War, a group of Confederate sympathizers met at the Russellville, Kentucky to form a Confederate government for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. While this government never successfully displaced the government in Frankfort, two men were elected governor of the Confederate government: George W. Johnson, who served from November 20, 1861 to his death on April 8, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh, and, on Johnson's death, Richard Hawes, who served until the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865. The Confederate government disbanded shortly after the end of the war in 1865.
[edit] Other high offices held
This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Kentucky except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | U.S. Congress | Other offices held | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | Senate | |||
| Christopher Greenup | 1804–1808 | H | ||
| John Adair | 1820–1824 | H | S | |
| Joseph Desha | 1824–1828 | H | ||
| Thomas Metcalfe | 1828–1832 | H | S | |
| James T. Morehead | 1834–1836 | S | ||
| James Clark | 1836–1839 | H | ||
| Charles A. Wickliffe | 1839–1840 | H | U.S. Postmaster General | |
| Robert P. Letcher | 1840–1844 | H | Ambassador to Mexico | |
| John J. Crittenden | 1848–1850 | H | S | U.S. Attorney General* (twice) |
| Lazarus W. Powell | 1851–1855 | S | ||
| Charles S. Morehead | 1855–1859 | H | ||
| John W. Stevenson | 1867–1871 | H | S* | |
| Preston Leslie | 1871–1875 | Governor of Montana Territory | ||
| James B. McCreary | 1875–1879, 1911–1915 | H | S | |
| J. Proctor Knott | 1883–1887 | H | ||
| John Y. Brown | 1891–1895 | H | ||
| William O. Bradley | 1895–1899 | S | ||
| J. C. W. Beckham | 1900–1907 | S | ||
| Augustus O. Stanley | 1915–1919 | H | S* | |
| William J. Fields | 1923–1927 | H | ||
| A. B. "Happy" Chandler | 1935–1939, 1955–1959 | S* | ||
| Earle C. Clements | 1947–1950 | H | S* | |
| Bert T. Combs | 1959–1963 | Sixth Circuit Court Judge | ||
| Wendell H. Ford | 1971–1975 | S* | ||
| Ernie Fletcher | 2003–2007 | H | ||
In addition, one Confederate governor, Richard Hawes, served as a U.S. Representative.
[edit] Living former governors
As of June 2008, seven former governors were alive, the oldest being Wendell H. Ford (1971–1975, born 1924). The most recent governor to die was Louie B. Nunn (1967–1971), on January 29, 2004. The most recently-serving governor to die was Wallace G. Wilkinson (1987–1991), on July 5, 2002.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Wendell H. Ford | 1971–1975 | September 8, 1924 |
| Julian Carroll | 1975–1979 | April 16, 1931 |
| John Y. Brown, Jr. | 1979–1983 | December 28, 1933 |
| Martha Layne Collins | 1983–1987 | December 7, 1936 |
| Brereton Jones | 1991–1995 | June 27, 1939 |
| Paul E. Patton | 1995–2003 | May 26, 1937 |
| Ernie Fletcher | 2003–2007 | November 12, 1952 |
[edit] References
- General
- Kentucky's Governors. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
- Governors of Kentucky. National Governors Association. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
- Texts of the Constitutions of Kentucky. Kentucky Court of Justice. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
- Specific
- [A] ^ Kentucky Constitution, Section 69. Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
- [B] 1 2 3 (1992) "Governor, Office of", in Kleber, John E.: The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720.
- [C] ^ Kentucky Constitution, Section 75. Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
- [D] ^ (1992) "Goebel Assassination", in Kleber, John E.: The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720.
- [E] ^ Kentucky's Officials. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives (2005-04-08). Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
- [F] ^ (1992) "Confederate Government", in Kleber, John E.: The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720.
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