Jere Beasley

Jere Locke Beasley (born December 12, 1935) was the acting governor of the US state of Alabama from June 5 to July 7, 1972.

Born in Tyler, Texas to Browder Locke and Florence Camp Beas. He was raised in Clayton, Alabama. In 1958 he married Sara Baker.

Beasley received his B.S. degree from Auburn University and his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. he worked for various law firms until he opened his own practice in 1965.

He was the 22nd Lieutenant Governor when Governor George Corley Wallace was shot and severely injured in an assassination attempt in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972. Since Wallace was out-of-state for more than 20 days, recovering in a Maryland hospital, the Alabama Constitution required that the lieutenant governor take over in the interim.

Beasley won the first round of Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 1970, but failed to win a majority. He won the runoff. In 1974 he faced a strong challenge from Charles Woods, who finished first in first round. Beasley, however, again won the runoff. He sought nomination for governor in 1978, but finished a distant fifth.

Beasley is currently the senior member of the firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

It was announced on June 16, 2009 that Beasley would be serving as the campaign chairperson for Alabama gubernatorial candidate, Artur Davis.

Electoral history

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor, 1970

• Jere Beasley – 256,081 (29.03%)
• Hugh Morrow – 185,333 (21.01%)
• Tom Radney – 163,462 (18.53%)
• Joe Money – 100,131 (11.35%)
• Jack Giles – 81,789 (9.27%)
• Joe Goodwyn – 75,085 (8.51%)
• James Gullate – 10,627 (1.21%)
• Jay Thomas – 9,631 (1.09%)

Democratic runoff for Lieutenant Governor

• Jere Beasley – 572,258 (57.78%)
• Hugh Morrow – 418,228 (42.23%)

Race for Lieutenant Governor, 1970

• Jere Beasley (D) – 589,618 (72.26%)
• Robert French (R) – 126,506 (15.50%)
• Isaiah Hayes (Alabama National Democrat) – 92,176 (11.30%)
• John G. Crommelin (Independent) – 7,678 (0.94%)

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor, 1974

• Charles Woods – 310,351 (38.68%)
• Jere Beasley (inc.) – 308,182 (38.41%)
• Richard Dominick – 150,455 (18.75%)
• Ron Creel – 25,392 (3.17%)
• Coleman Brown – 7,943 (0.99%)

Democratic runoff for Lieutenant Governor

• Jere Beasley (inc.) – 393,077 (56.10%)
• Charles Woods – 307,643 (43.90%)

Race for Lieutenant Governor, 1974

• Jere Beasley (D) (inc.) – 433,495 (72.06%)
• Don Collins (R) – 153,814 (25.57%)
• Edna L. Bowling (Prohibition) – 9,857 (1.64%)
• John Watts (Independent, write-in) – 4,387 (0.73%)

Democratic primary for Governor, 1978

• Fob James – 256,196 (28.47%)
• Bill Baxley – 210,089 (23.35%)
• Albert Brewer – 193,479 (21.50%)
• Sid McDonald – 143,930 (15.99%)
• Jere Beasley – 77,202 (8.58%)
• K.C. Foster – 4,948 (0.55%)
• Horace Howell – 4,730 (0.53%)
• Jim Folsom – 4,632 (0.52%)
• Bob Muncaster – 1,776 (0.20%)
• Shorty Price – 1,396 (0.16%)
• Charles Woods – 700 (0.08%)
• Fred Sandefer – 622 (0.07%)
• Cornelia Wallace – 217 (0.02%)

References

• [1]
• Encyclopedia of Alabama article on Beasley