From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Beverly Eaves Perdue[2] (born
14 January 1947(1947-01-14)[3]) is an
American politician and member of the Democratic Party
currently serving as governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina.
She is the first female
governor of North Carolina.
Personal
life
Beverly Marlene Moore[4]
was born in Grundy, Virginia to Alfred P. and Irene Morefield
Moore.[4]
Her father was a coal miner who became a utility CEO.[5]
She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky, as well
as a master's degree in education and a doctoral degree in
education administration from the University of Florida. She worked
as a hospital administrator and consultant before entering
politics.[6]
Perdue lives in Chapel Hill and formerly
lived in New Bern. She has been married to Bob Eaves
since 1997 and has two grown sons, Garrett and Emmett (b. 1976,
1979), from her previous marriage to Gary Perdue, which lasted from
1970 to 1994.[4]
She still keeps her last name as "Perdue," using her new married
name as her middle name.[4]
She is not related to Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia.
Political
career
Perdue, a Democrat, served in the North Carolina
House of Representatives from 1987 to 1991, and in the North
Carolina Senate from 1991 to 2001. During her last three terms
in the Senate, she served as one of the state's chief budget
writers and was the first woman to hold this position. While she
was in office, the General Assembly increased teacher pay and
passed Governor Hunt's
Excellent Schools Act and Smart Start. Additionally, she
led the debate that created North Carolina's Clean Water Management
Trust Fund.[5]
In 2000, she defeated Republican Betsy Cochrane for the
lieutenant governor's seat, becoming North Carolina's first female
lieutenant governor; she was re-elected to a second term in 2004.[5]
As lieutenant governor, Perdue's most significant act was casting
the tie-breaking vote that established the North Carolina Education
Lottery.[5]
2008
gubernatorial election
Perdue announced her 2008 candidacy for governor on October 1,
2007 at her hometown, New Bern, North Carolina. On
October 22, 2007, pro-choice Emily's List endorsed
her campaign.[7][8] On May
6, 2008, Perdue won the Democratic nomination for Governor,
defeating State Treasurer Richard H. Moore and Dennis
Nielsen.[9]
Perdue raised $15 million for the general election and ran
attack ads against her Republican opponent, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory,
criticizing him for not being tough enough on illegal
immigration.[6]
Despite a "national Democratic tide" and Perdue's fundraising
edge,[10]
in the general election McCrory led Perdue at first; Perdue slowly
gained with help from Barack Obama as the Democratic
presidential candidate.[11]
Perdue and McCrory remained close, with the two often polling in a
statistical tie[10]
in what was the closest race for governor in the nation.[6]
Perdue ran slightly behind her opponent in polls released the week
before the election.[10]
Pundits speculated that Perdue was hurt by current Democratic
Governor Mike
Easley's decreasing popularity and McCrory's efforts to tag her
as part of corruption in Raleigh: consultants mentioned
Perdue's "difficulty of being the candidate of continuity in a
change election."[11]
While McCrory received the endorsement of most major newspapers
in the state (which typically endorse Democrats),[12][13][14][15][16][17]
Perdue received the endorsement of actor and director Andy Griffith, who
filmed a campaign ad on her behalf.[18]
Perdue defeated McCrory on November 4, 2008, 50.3 % to
46.9 %.[19]
When Hillary Clinton dropped out of the 2008 presidential race the The New York
Times mentioned Perdue as a potential future presidential
candidate.[20]
Political
positions
Perdue's Senate record followed the lines of the Democratic
caucus.[5]
As a member of the Board of Community Colleges, she voted against
allowing illegal immigrants to attend the schools even if they
graduated from a North Carolina high school.[5]
She had previously said she would admit every high school graduate
to community college tuition-free.[5]
In late February and early March 2009, she announced that $87
million from the educational lottery would be used to ensure there
is money available for the state's day-to-day operations.[21]
In her first use of the veto
power, Gov. Perdue vetoed a bill that would have made various
documents that lawmakers use in drafting legislation
confidential.[22]
Electoral
history
Approval Rating as
Governor
After an initial peak in popularity after her inauguration,
Governor Perdue's approval rating has dropped, averaging in the low
30's since June 2009.
| Polling Organization |
Date |
Approve |
Disapprove |
Undecided |
| PPP |
11/9 - 11/11/09 |
30% |
49% |
22% |
| Elon
University |
10/26 - 10/29/09 |
36% |
47% |
18% |
| Citivas / McLaughlin |
10/20 - 10/21/09 |
43% |
49% |
8% |
| Citivas / Survey USA |
9/29 - 9/30 |
29% |
63% |
8% |
| Rasmussen |
9/15/09 |
40% |
58% |
2% |
| Public Policy Polling |
8/4 - 8/10/09 |
27% |
52% |
21% |
| Public Policy Polling |
7/10 - 7/12/09 |
25% |
55% |
20% |
| Public Policy Polling |
6/12 - 6/14/09 |
30% |
53% |
17% |
| Public Policy Polling |
5/8 - 5/10/09 |
34% |
51% |
15% |
| Public Policy Polling |
4/8 - 4/11/09 |
41% |
40% |
19% |
| Public Policy Polling |
3/12 - 3/15/09 |
44% |
35% |
21% |
| Civitas Institute |
2/16 - 2/19/09 |
52% |
16% |
32 % |
| Public Policy Polling |
1/17 - 1/18/09 |
60% |
24% |
16% |
Data provided by Pollster.
References
- ^
News & Observer: Rocking
chairs, part two. If colonial governors are included, Perdue is
the 100th chief executive of the state.
- ^
Washington Post and State letterhead indicate
that she places her second husband's surname, Eaves, before her
first husband's surname, Perdue.
- ^
"Perdue's change of
birthdate". News &
Observer. http://projects.newsobserver.com/blogs/perdues_change_of_birthdate.
- ^ a
b
c
d
Teague Beckwith, Ryan and Jones, Denise (2007-03-26). Beverly
Perdue. The News & Observer.
Retrieved on 2008-11-05 from http://projects.newsobserver.com/dome/profiles/beverly_perdue.
- ^ a
b
c
d
e
f
g
"Looking for real reform in
the governor's race". Independent Weekly.
2008-10-15. http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A266928. Retrieved
2008-11-25.
- ^ a
b
c
Romoser, James (2008-11-05). "Perdue, in a first, edges
McCrory". Winston-Salem Journal. http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/nov/05/050227/perdue-in-a-first-edges-mccrory/news-ncpolitics/. Retrieved
2008-11-25.
- ^
Perdue campaign press
release
- ^
Emily's List
- ^
State Board of
Elections
- ^ a
b
c
Johnson, Mark; Benjamin Niolet
(2008-11-02). "Race for Governor Remains
Close". The News &
Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1278609.html. Retrieved
2008-11-24.
- ^ a
b
"Is the Southern Strategy
Dead?". American Prospect. 2008-10-24. http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=is_the_southern_strategy_dead. Retrieved
2008-10-26.
- ^ "McCrory visits Chapel
Hill". Daily Tar Heel. 2008-10-30. http://www.dailytarheel.com/news/state_national/mccrory_visits_chapel_hill. Retrieved
2008-11-25.
- ^
[1]
- ^
[2]
- ^
[3]
- ^
[4]
- ^ "McCrory for governor:
Charlotte mayor would bring fresh and innovative leadership to
Raleigh". Daily Tar Heel. 2008-10-26. http://www.dailytarheel.com/opinion/mccrory_for_governor_charlotte_mayor_would_bring_fresh_and_innovative_leadership_to_raleigh. Retrieved
2008-10-28.
- ^
News & Observer: Perdue's
Mayberry Miracle
- ^ Gary Robertson (2008-11-04). "Democrat Perdue
becomes NC's 1st female governor". Associated Press.
- ^ Zernike, Kate (2008-05-18). "She Just Might Be President
Someday". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18zernike.html.
- ^
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29494123/
- ^
Perdue veto kills
confidentiality bill
External
links
|}
| Current statewide political officials of
North Carolina |
|
| U.S. Senators |
|
 |
|
| State
government |
Beverly Perdue, Governor
· Walter
Dalton, Lieutenant
Governor · Elaine Marshall, Secretary of
State · Roy Cooper, Attorney
General · Steve Troxler, Commissioner of
Agriculture · Wayne Goodwin, Commissioner of
Insurance · Cherie Berry, Commissioner of
Labor · June Atkinson, Superintendent
of Public Instruction ·
Janet Cowell, State
Treasurer · Beth Wood, State
Auditor
|
|
| Senate |
|
|
| House |
|
|
Supreme Court
(elected) |
|
|
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search
