Longest serving Governors in history?
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bgwah
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« on: March 02, 2010, 05:08:31 PM »

Rick Perry will have served as Texas Governor for 10 years by the time his current term is done.

The only other current Governor who has served longer, and only by a matter of days, is ND Gov. Hoeven, who will undoubtedly be a Senator come January...

If Perry gets another term, which appears very possible, he could get to 14 years if he finishes the whole thing.

When is the last time anyone served as Governor for this long?

I'm aware of several people who have served longer, but only non-consecutively. LA Gov. Edwards, for example, served a total of 16 years, but he had three separate tenures. There is also SD Gov. Janklow, who again served 16 years, but during two separate tenures. In Oregon, popular former Governor Kitzhaber, who served two terms from 1995-2003, was term limited from seeking a third term in the 2002 election. However, Oregon's term limits only apply to consecutive terms. Kitzhaber is thus running for a third term this year. If he were hypothetically elected this year (he should win easily) and again in 2014, he could also achieve 16 years non-consecutively.

But what about the longest single Governorship? I know there were some 12+ year guys in the late 18th/early 19th century. Has anyone served more than three terms (12 years) consecutively in the past century?

Who are the longest serving Governors in the U.S. overall, under each standard?
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Franzl
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« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2010, 05:11:30 PM »

Well, Governor Thompson in IL served for 14 consecutive years....but somebody probably has served for longer, I guess.
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bgwah
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« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2010, 05:14:46 PM »

Ugh, yeah I forgot about him.

I also forgot about Wisconsin's Thompson, who also served 14 years, lol.
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Barnes
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« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2010, 05:15:38 PM »

Well, no GA Governor has served overt two terms. But these might be of interest:

-Zell Miller. Served as Lt. Gov. for 16 years from 1975-1991
-Thomas B. Murphy. Served as Speaker of the GA House for 30 years, 1973-2003. The longest serving Speaker in the Country. Grin

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bgwah
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« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2010, 05:22:34 PM »

Well, no GA Governor has served overt two terms. But these might be of interest:

-Zell Miller. Served as Lt. Gov. for 16 years from 1975-1991
-Thomas B. Murphy. Served as Speaker of the GA House for 30 years, 1973-2003. The longest serving Speaker in the Country. Grin



Hah, well Washington has only had four State Auditors since 1905, including one who served for 32 years (1933-1965).

We also had a Lt. Governor who served for 32 years (1957-1989).
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Barnes
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« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2010, 05:24:02 PM »

Well, no GA Governor has served overt two terms. But these might be of interest:

-Zell Miller. Served as Lt. Gov. for 16 years from 1975-1991
-Thomas B. Murphy. Served as Speaker of the GA House for 30 years, 1973-2003. The longest serving Speaker in the Country. Grin



Hah, well Washington has only had four State Auditors since 1905, including one who served for 32 years (1933-1965).

We also had a Lt. Governor who served for 32 years (1957-1989).

Good god. Grin
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Barnes
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« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2010, 05:26:52 PM »

Well, no GA Governor has served overt two terms. But these might be of interest:

-Zell Miller. Served as Lt. Gov. for 16 years from 1975-1991
-Thomas B. Murphy. Served as Speaker of the GA House for 30 years, 1973-2003. The longest serving Speaker in the Country. Grin



Hah, well Washington has only had four State Auditors since 1905, including one who served for 32 years (1933-1965).

We also had a Lt. Governor who served for 32 years (1957-1989).

Good god. Grin

Actually, I have one better.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Tommy Irvin has been in office since 1969. That 40!
He the longest serving Ag Commissioner in the US, and the longest serving Statewide officeholder in Georgia.
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Kalwejt
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« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2010, 06:16:29 PM »

Thad Eure - North Carolina Secretary of State for 53 years.

Not as impressive of course, but John Wilder, who died this January, served as Tennessee Lieutenant Governor/Senate Speaker of 36 years (1971-2007)
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Kalwejt
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« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2010, 06:22:12 PM »

As far as I know, no Governor broke 16 years (4 terms) in office, whether continiously or not.

Record holders thus are George Wallace (D-AL), Terry Brandstad (R-IO), William Janklow (R-SD), Edwin Edwards (D-LA), Jim Rhodes (R-OH). Nelson Rockefeller would acheive the same had he stayed until the end of his term.

Branstad is on a straight path to win record fifth term.
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2010, 06:28:14 PM »

William Milliken was Governor of Michigan for 14 years, though I'm sure that isn't the longest.
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bgwah
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« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2010, 08:00:02 PM »

Looking through Wikipedia, here are some older ones:

18 years - George Clinton (New York, 1777-1795) + 3 more (1801-1804) for a total 21
15 years - Arthur Fenner (Rhode Island, 1790-1805)
15 years - Jonathan Trumble (Connecticut, 1769-1784)
14 years - William Livingston (New Jersey, 1776-1790)

George Clinton wins under both methods as far as I can tell, though I've only checked the NE so far.
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Bo
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« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2010, 08:01:45 PM »

I believe that George Wallace might hold the record for greatest total number of years as Governor, even though his term were non-consecutive.
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bgwah
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« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2010, 08:06:58 PM »

I believe that George Wallace might hold the record for greatest total number of years as Governor, even though his term were non-consecutive.

He is also only 16 overall. 17 if you want to include Lurleen's tenure. Tongue
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Bo
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« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2010, 08:10:26 PM »

I believe that George Wallace might hold the record for greatest total number of years as Governor, even though his term were non-consecutive.

He is also only 16 overall. 17 if you want to include Lurleen's tenure. Tongue

Who served more than Wallace? (and I'm counting his wife's part-term as one more year for Wallace)
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Хahar 🤔
Xahar
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« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2010, 08:45:28 PM »

The aforementioned George Clinton.
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jimrtex
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« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2010, 11:33:02 PM »


Hah, well Washington has only had four State Auditors since 1905, including one who served for 32 years (1933-1965).


Jesse James was Treasurer of Texas for 36 years (1941-1977)

He was succeeded by Warren Harding.

It gets even zanier...

Harding was succeeded by Ann Richards, who was succeeded by Kay Bailey Hutchison.  Her successor, Martha Whitehead was elected on a platform of abolishing the office, which it was.


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Xahar
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« Reply #16 on: March 03, 2010, 12:39:17 AM »

Whitehead was, IIRC, the last Democrat elected to statewide office in Texas. The state went from having an all-Democratic government to an all-Republican government very fast.
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jimrtex
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« Reply #17 on: March 03, 2010, 02:48:06 AM »

Whitehead was, IIRC, the last Democrat elected to statewide office in Texas. The state went from having an all-Democratic government to an all-Republican government very fast.

The Treasurer office was abolished in 1995 or 96.

Perry was elected Lt.Governor in 1998, defeating John Sharp who was Comptroller.  And Bob Bullock had been Lt.Governor, Dan Morales AG, and Garry Mauro Land Commissioner.

The Republicans swept in 1998.
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Kalwejt
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« Reply #18 on: March 03, 2010, 04:59:31 PM »

I believe that George Wallace might hold the record for greatest total number of years as Governor, even though his term were non-consecutive.

He is also only 16 overall. 17 if you want to include Lurleen's tenure. Tongue

Who served more than Wallace? (and I'm counting his wife's part-term as one more year for Wallace)

Wallace served totally the same number of years as Rhodes, Branstad, Edwards and Janklow. Less than George Clinton, but still more than all others mentioned.
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nclib
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« Reply #19 on: March 03, 2010, 08:16:37 PM »

Jim Hunt served as North Carolina governor from 1977–1985 and 1993–2001.
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HappyWarrior
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« Reply #20 on: March 03, 2010, 08:43:05 PM »

Governor Albert Ritchie of Maryland served for 25 years as Governor between 1920-35.
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memphis
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« Reply #21 on: March 04, 2010, 02:40:59 PM »

Governor Albert Ritchie of Maryland served for 25 years as Governor between 1920-35.

He was in possession of a time slowing device?
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bgwah
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« Reply #22 on: March 04, 2010, 03:56:45 PM »

Governor Albert Ritchie of Maryland served for 25 years as Governor between 1920-35.

memphis is right,  you meant 15 years. Interesting, nonetheless. And narrowly defeated for a fifth term.

The longest (consecutively) since George Clinton, so far.
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The Mikado
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« Reply #23 on: March 04, 2010, 04:07:16 PM »

Whitehead was, IIRC, the last Democrat elected to statewide office in Texas. The state went from having an all-Democratic government to an all-Republican government very fast.

The Treasurer office was abolished in 1995 or 96.

Perry was elected Lt.Governor in 1998, defeating John Sharp who was Comptroller.  And Bob Bullock had been Lt.Governor, Dan Morales AG, and Garry Mauro Land Commissioner.

The Republicans swept in 1998.

Is Dan Morales still in jail?
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HappyWarrior
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« Reply #24 on: March 04, 2010, 08:36:15 PM »

Governor Albert Ritchie of Maryland served for 25 years as Governor between 1920-35.

memphis is right,  you meant 15 years. Interesting, nonetheless. And narrowly defeated for a fifth term.

The longest (consecutively) since George Clinton, so far.

Sorry I did mean 15.
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