John C. West

John Carl West (born August 27, 1922 in Camden , Kershaw County , South Carolina , † March 21, 2004 in Hilton Head , South Carolina) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) and from 1971 to 1975 governor of the state of South Carolina .

Early years and political advancement

John West attended The Citadel Military Academy in Charleston and graduated in 1942. He then took part as an Army officer in World War II and rose to major by the end of the war. Between 1946 and 1948 he was a part-time lecturer in political science at the University of South Carolina . From 1948 to 1970 he was a lawyer with West, Holland and Furman . During his time as a lawyer, he also held a number of political offices. From 1948 to 1952 he served as the Highway Commissioner for the government of South Carolina. Between 1954 and 1966 he was a member of the State Senate , and in 1966 he was elected lieutenant governor .

Governor of south carolina

For the upcoming gubernatorial elections in 1970, West was nominated as a top candidate by his party without internal opposition. He won the November 3, 1970 election with 51.7% of the vote against Republican Albert William Watson (45.6%). His term of office began on January 19, 1971 and ended on January 15, 1975. Compared to the conflicts around and with the civil rights movement of his predecessors, his term of office was rather quiet. In April 1971, South Carolina ratified the 26th amendment to the constitution , which allowed the right to vote from the age of 18. In October of the same year, the first state exhibition with participation of all races took place in Columbia. In June 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the constituencies of South Carolina should be redistributed based on population numbers.

Another résumé

Due to a constitutional clause, John West was not allowed to run for re-election in 1974. After the end of his tenure, he initially worked as a lawyer again. US President Jimmy Carter appointed him in 1977 to succeed William J. Porter as the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia . He held this post until 1981; then he passed the office on to Robert G. Neumann . On his return he worked for some time as a professor of Middle East issues at the University of South Carolina. From 1993 until his death, he was a partner in a large law firm in Hilton Head. John West was married to Lois Rhome, with whom he had three children.

literature

The Governors of the American States, Commonwealths, and Territories: 1900-1980. Lexington, KY: The Council of State Governments, 1980.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	West, John C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	West, John Carl (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	August 27, 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH	Camden , South Carolina
DATE OF DEATH	March 21, 2004
Place of death	Hilton Head Island , South Carolina