Jim Edgar
| Jim Edgar | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 38th Governor of Illinois | |
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In office January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 |
|
| Lieutenant | Bob Kustra |
| Preceded by | James R. Thompson |
| Succeeded by | George Ryan |
| 35th Illinois Secretary of State | |
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In office January 12, 1981 – January 14, 1991 |
|
| Governor | James R. Thompson |
| Preceded by | Alan J. Dixon |
| Succeeded by | George Ryan |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
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In office 1977–1979 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 22, 1946 Vinita, Oklahoma |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Brenda Smith |
| Profession | Politician |
| Religion | American Baptist (ABCUSA) |
James "Jim" Edgar (born July 22, 1946) is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999. Previously he served as Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings. Though still popular, he surprised many by retiring from elected office after his second term as governor, claiming that heart problems he had while governor were not a factor in his decision.
Edgar was born in Vinita, Oklahoma and was raised in Charleston, Illinois. He graduated from Charleston High School and attended Wabash College for one year before graduating from Eastern Illinois University, also in Charleston.
A Republican, Edgar was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1976 and re-elected in 1978. In April 1979, Edgar resigned his state House seat to accept an appointment from Governor Jim Thompson as his legislative liaison. In early 1981, when then-Secretary of State Alan Dixon moved to the U.S. Senate, Thompson named Edgar to fill the vacancy. He won the office on his own in 1982 and 1986 and served until 1991. Edgar married Brenda Smith of Anna, Illinois; they have two children, Brad and Elizabeth.
In 1990, Edgar won the first of his two terms as governor, winning the Republican primary against Steve Baer, and then winning a close race against his Democratic opponent, Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan. In 1994, he defeated conservative challenger Jack Roeser in the Republican primary, and was reelected by a wide margin carrying all but one of the state's 102 counties in the general election against his Democratic opponent, State Comptroller and former state senator Dawn Clark Netsch.
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