Warren E. Hearnes

Warren E. Hearnes (1969)

Warren Eastman Hearnes (born July 24, 1923 in Moline , Illinois , † August 16, 2009 in Charleston , Missouri ) was an American politician . He was the 46th governor of the US state of Missouri from 1965 to 1973 .

Early years and political advancement

After elementary school, Hearnes graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and the University of Missouri . During World War II he was a first lieutenant in the US Army . He remained a member of the army until 1949. Between 1950 and 1960 he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives ; then he held the office of Secretary of State until 1965 . In November 1964 he was elected as the Democratic Party candidate for the new governor of his state, with 62.1 percent of the vote against the Republican Ethan Shepley.

Missouri governor

Hearnes took up his new office on January 11, 1965. After re-election in 1968 for the first time through a constitutional amendment, he was able to remain in office until January 8, 1973. This change was made during his first term in office. As governor, Hearnes campaigned for the expansion of the roads and their safety. He advocated civil rights laws and environmental protection. School policy has also been improved. From 1970 to 1971 he was chairman of the National Governors Association .

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, Hearnes applied unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate and for the position of auditor ( State Auditor ) in the state government of Missouri. In 1980 he became a judge at a district court. He was the first person in Missouri to hold positions in all three areas of democracy: the legislature (parliament), the executive (as governor) and the judiciary (as judge). For 16 years he served on the board of directors of South Missouri Legal Services , an organization that provides legal assistance to low-income citizens. Warren Hearnes was married to Betty C. Hearnes , who was nominated for governor by the Democrats as a member of the Missouri Senate in 1988 and was defeated by Republican John Ashcroft .

Web links

• Warren Hearns in the National Governors Association (English)
• Warren E. Hearne in the database of Find a Grave (English)