Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee
North Carolina Yankee
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« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2009, 06:31:58 PM » |
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Gov. Steve Spencer started his career not in politics but as a successfull small business owner and manager in Pierre, SD where he was born and raised. Prior to that he had served in the Army and then managed several businesses in the area after graduating from the Univeristy of South Dakota in 1969. He bought one restaurant when it was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1982. In 1991 he sold it with over 5 locations for $15 million after succesfully turning it around. In 1992 he ran as a dark horse candidate for the States at-large Congressional seat and he pledge to only spend $5,000 in the primary. To everyone's surprise he defeated 15 other candidates including a former Governor and a state House Speaker. Then went on to win the General election 58-41 beating out yet another former Governor. He served for 4 years winning reelection 72%-28% in 1994. In the house he gained a reputation as a reformer, a fiscal conservative and a strong support of Pro-Life causes. He vote for Welfare Reform, Term Limits, a balanced budget amendment, and against Clinton's 1993 budget. In 1996 He ran for the Senate and won 51-49. He became an even more vocal critic of Clinton in the Senate going on to vote for his impeachment. He also voted for DOMA and the ban on partial birth abortion. In 2002 he left the Senate after one term and ran for Governor wining 54-46. In his term as Governor he began to criticize the Presidency of George W. Bush for some of its policies such as NCLB, Medicare Part D, the Patriot Act, going into the Iraq War(In 2007 he told reporters that he was pleased with the surge and thought the President had finally wised up in regards to the situation) , out of control spending, and later Immigration. He achieved a balanced budget in his second year in office, faught corruption, cut taxes and strengthened the state economy, and made significant gains in education. In 2006 he won reelection 64-36. In 2008 he did not endorse any particular candidates but hinted strong support for both Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson. After the primaries he publically endorsed McCain but did no compaigning and it was clear he wasn't enthusiatic about McCain at all. He is also a strong supporter of Gun Rights, the military, and lower taxes while he opposes abortion, Gay Marriage, amnesty, and big government.
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