Don Sundquist

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Donald Kenneth Sundquist (born March 15, 1936) is an American politician from Tennessee. A Republican, he served as the 47th Governor of Tennessee from 1995 to 2003. Prior to that, he represented Tennessee's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995.

Early life

Sundquist, who is of Swedish descent, was born in Moline, Illinois, graduated from Moline High School in 1953 and attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. In his early career, he sold class rings for Jostens. He served in the United States Navy from 1957 to 1963 Moving to Memphis, Tennessee, he became very active in the Republican Party. He chaired the Young Republican National Federation from 1971 to 1973

Career in Congress

Sundquist first attracted political attention when he served as chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party (1975–1977) He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1976 and 1980. When 6th District Congressman Robin Beard ran for the Senate against incumbent Jim Sasser in 1982, Sundquist ran for the Republican nomination to succeed Beard in the district, which had been renumbered the 7th in redistricting. He succeeded in winning the nomination in August, 1982, and then defeated Democrat Bob Clement, son of former governor Frank G. Clement, in the November, 1982 general election by seven points. It was the first (and as of 2006, only) time a Democrat had come within 10 points in the 7th District since it fell into Republican hands in 1972. (Clement later won election to the Nashville-based 5th District in a 1988 special election and served there until 2003). He was unopposed for reelection in 1984 and was reelected four more times by landslide margins in what had become a solidly Republican district. While in Congress, Sundquist established a very conservative voting record in Congress, and was a darling of conservative-oriented groups such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the American Conservative Union.

Governor of Tennessee

When popular Democratic governor Ned McWherter was prevented from seeking a third term in 1994 by term limits, Sundquist seemed like the logical choice for the GOP nomination and easily won it in August 1994. He faced Phil Bredesen, the Democratic mayor of Nashville in November, and won by almost 10 points. The margin surprised many pundits who expected this to be one of the more competitive races of the 1994 cycle. It was a big night for Tennessee Republicans, who also captured both Senate seats. They also won a majority of the state's congressional delegation for only the second time since Reconstruction.

Sundquist's first term was highlighted by cleaning up a deficit budget inherited from his predecessor and for implementing one of the nation's first welfare reform efforts, moving tens of thousands of Tennesseans off welfare rolls. He attracted no serious opposition within his party for renomination in 1998. His Democratic opponent, Nashville attorney and entrepreneur John Jay Hooker, was regarded at this stage in his career as a perennial candidate and gadfly rather than a serious contender, and Sundquist won reelection with almost 69% of the vote.

Immediately upon his reinauguration, Sundquist set out to raise more revenue for the state, which had traditionally been one of the lowest-tax jurisdictions in the country. His tax reform plan included a state income tax, previously regarded as political suicide in Tennessee. He quickly offended most of his grassroots base, and his popularity plummeted. Only certain elements in the business community supported him from the Republican Party, and many Tennessee Democrats, especially conservative rural ones, had no interest in either alienating their constituents or helping a Republican. The income tax issue dominated Sundquist's second term, but was never passed. Sundquist became very isolated politically, with many of his Democratic supporters doing so only because they wished to see the income tax implemented in a way in that the Republicans could be blamed for it. Several of his original conservative supporters, such as State Senator Marsha Blackburn, led street demonstrations against him. Many leading figures in his own party publicly disavowed him.

Sundquist's tenure was known for its stellar economic development accomplishments, breaking nearly every economic development record of job creation and new capital investment in the state of Tennessee. {Fact|date=April 2008}}.

Sundquist, like McWherter before him, was barred from running for a third term in 2002 by the state constitution. Unlike McWherter, however, he was so unpopular at the end of his term that it is highly unlikely he would have even won the Republican nomination, let alone reelection, had it been possible for him to run again. In an interesting twist, many Sundquist allies supported democratic candidate Phil Bredesen and this support is considered a major factor in Congressman Van Hilleary's narrow loss to Bredesen in 2002.

Post-Governorship

In retirement, rumor and innuendo swirled around his administration for several years. They intensified with the conviction of a former low-level member of his administration in May, 2004 for illegally routing a "no-bid" contract for job training for the unemployed to a close personal friend of his. On November 4, 2004, another friend of his was indicted, charged with false statements allegedly made in conjunction with another no-bid contract. This friend was ultimately sentenced for tax evasion. Another friend was indicted, but after five years of investigation, all charges were ultimately dropped and settled as a misdemeanor. In July 2005 a federal judge said Sundquist was the "impetus" for the investigation, although he was never implicated in any wrong doing nor were any senior members of his administration. It is generally believed that these allegations and innuendos stemmed from political enemies of the governor.

In July 2005 Sundquist was named head of a national panel on improving Medicaid. He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Confraternity of Sao Teotonio.

Sundquist is a lobbyist and works for the firm he co-founded, Sundquist Anthony. He also serves as state co-chair of the McCain presidential campaign team

References

• Official Congressional Biography

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