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Michael Easley
Michael Francis (Mike) Easley (born March 23, 1950) was the Democratic governor of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009.
Biography
Easley was born in Nash County, North Carolina. In 1982, he was elected district attorney. According to the National Governors Association, Easley was one of the youngest people elected to that office in state history.[1]
Education
- B.A., political science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1972)
- J.D., North Carolina Central University School of Law (1975)
Political career
Governor of North Carolina
In 2000, Easley ran to succeed the term-limited Jim Hunt (D) as Governor of North Carolina. He defeated incumbent Lt. Governor Dennis A. Wicker in the Democratic primary and went on to defeat the Republican nominee, former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot, in the general election. He took office on January 2, 2001.
Easley was re-elected in 2004, running against New Hanover County's state senator, Patrick Ballantine. His term ended on January 10, 2009.[1]
North Carolina Attorney General
Easley was elected North Carolina Attorney General in 1992, serving during the administration of Governor Jim Hunt.[1]
Elections
2004
Easley was re-elected governor in 2004, running against New Hanover County's state senator, Patrick Ballantine (R), and Libertarian Barbara Howe. His term as governor ended on January 10, 2009.[2]
| Governor of North Carolina, General Election, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Mike Easley |
55.6% | 1,939,154 | |
| Republican | Patrick J. Ballantine | 42.9% | 1,495,021 | |
| Libertarian | Barbara Howe | 1.5% | 52,513 | |
| Total Votes | 3,486,688 | |||
2000
Easley was elected governor in 2000. He took office on January 2, 2001.[3]
| Governor of North Carolina, General Election, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mike Easley |
52% | 1,530,324 | |
| Republican | Richard Vinroot | 46.3% | 1,360,960 | |
| Libertarian | Barbara Howe | 1.5% | 42,674 | |
| Reform | Douglas Schell | 0.3% | 8,104 | |
| Total Votes | 2,942,062 | |||
1990 U.S. Senate campaign
Easley ran in the Democratic Party's 1990 primary for the U.S. Senate; he lost to former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, who himself lost the general election to incumbent Jesse Helms (R).
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Michael Easley' Governor 'North Carolina'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| North Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
- Office of the Governor website
- On the Issues: Mike Easley
- Michael Easley's Profile on Project Vote Smart
- North Carolina Democratic Party
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 National Governors Association, "Governor Michael F. Easley," accessed February 23, 2018
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2004 General Election Results," accessed February 23, 2018
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official Results Summary, General Election of the State of North Carolina, 11/07/2000," accessed February 23, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Hunt (D) |
North Carolina Governor 2001-2009 |
Succeeded by Beverly Perdue (D) |
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State of North Carolina Raleigh (capital) |
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