Jim Guy Tucker

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Jim Guy Tucker (1977)

James Guy "Jim" Tucker (born June 13, 1943 in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma ) is a former American politician ( Democratic Party ). He was governor of the state of Arkansas from 1992 to 1996 .

Early years and political advancement

Jim Tucker attended Harvard University until 1964 . Then he wanted to join the Reserve of the Marine Corps , but was turned down for health reasons. Between 1965 and 1967 he was a war correspondent from South Vietnam . He then studied law at the University of Arkansas , where he graduated in 1968. After a brief stint with a law firm, Tucker was a prosecutor in the Arkansas 6th Judicial District between 1971 and 1972. Between 1973 and 1975 he was a member of a commission for the revision of the Arkansas criminal law. At the same time he was Attorney General of the state between 1973 and 1977 .

From 1977 to 1979 he represented the 2nd Congressional constituency of Arkansas in the US House of Representatives in Washington . Within his party, he was an opponent of Bill Clinton , to whom he was repeatedly defeated in primary elections in the 1980s. Jim Tucker therefore temporarily withdrew from politics and was again active as a lawyer.

Arkansas Governor

Governor Tucker (left) with his predecessor Bill Clinton in the Oval Office shortly after he became the new US President (1993)

In 1990, Tucker originally wanted to run again for the office of governor; but he changed his mind and was instead elected lieutenant governor under Clinton. He had already counted on the possibility of Clinton being elected US president, which would have paved the way for him to the office of governor. This case actually occurred: Clinton resigned as governor after his election as President of the United States on December 12, 1992, and Tucker succeeded him in office. He first had to end the remainder of Clinton's tenure and then ran for re-election in 1994. In this election he was able to prevail against the Republican Sheffield Nelson.

As governor, Tucker promoted the economic upswing and expanded educational policy through a higher budget. At that time there was an increase in juvenile delinquency, which the governor fought with tougher laws. Finally, Tucker also campaigned for the further expansion of the roads in Arkansas. Then Tucker got involved in the Whitewater affair . He was convicted of conspiracy and postal fraud and was forced to step down from the governor's office on July 15, 1996. His lieutenant governor Mike Huckabee took office. Due to the separate election between governor and lieutenant governor, Huckabee became a Republican as the new head of government of the state.

Another résumé

Due to his health problems (kidney transplant), Tucker's sentence was suspended. Today he lives in retirement in Little Rock. He is married to Betty Tucker, with whom he has four children.

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