Jim Hodges

Jim Hodges (2008)

James "Jim" Hovis Hodges (born November 19, 1956 in Lancaster , South Carolina ) is an American politician. He was Governor of South Carolina from 1999 to 2003.

Early years

James Hodges attended Davidson College and the University of South Carolina . There he studied law, among other things. After his admission to the bar, he practiced in Lancaster. He also became a prosecutor for Lancaster County . At the same time he was involved in various private businesses. Between 1987 and 1998 he was a member of the South Carolina state parliament for eleven years. In 1998 he was nominated for the office of governor by the Democratic Party. He won the subsequent election against incumbent David Muldrow Beasley with 53.3% of the vote. He was accommodated by Beasley's negative attitude towards all-day kindergartens. With Beasley, an incumbent governor was voted out for the first time since 1876.

Governor of south carolina

During his tenure, Hodges promoted education policy. He founded a state lottery whose profits of around $ 1 billion could be used to build new schools and improve care for preschoolers. Even so, the governor has not been able to solve all of the educational policy issues. The governor came under pressure in connection with his management during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. He was accused of organizational mistakes in preparation for the storm. In 2002, Hodges ran for re-election, but was defeated by his Republican rival Mark Sanford .

Another résumé

Since retiring from office, Hodges has served as chairman of the Hodges Consulting Group, a private company with offices in Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte , North Carolina . This company advises its clients in dealing with government authorities and provides assistance in difficult business situations. In the 2008 presidential campaign, Hodges supported Democratic candidate Barack Obama . Hodges lives in Columbia with his wife Rachel and their two children.

Web links

• Hodges in the National Governor Association (English)
• South Carolina Information Highway (English)