Kirk Fordice
Kirk Fordice | |
|---|---|
| 61st Governor of Mississippi | |
| In office January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000 | |
| Lieutenant | Eddie Briggs Ronnie Musgrove |
| Preceded by | Ray Mabus |
| Succeeded by | Ronnie Musgrove |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniel Kirkwood Fordice Jr. February 10, 1934 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 2004 (aged 70) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Resting place | Parkway Memorial Cemetery, Ridgeland, Mississippi |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1957–1959; 1959–1977 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Daniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice Jr. (/fɔːrdaɪs/; February 10, 1934 – September 7, 2004) was an American politician and businessman who served as the 61st governor of Mississippi from 1992 to 2000. A member of the Republican Party, he was the state's first governor elected to two consecutive four-year terms (following a 1987 amendment to the state constitution). He was the first Republican governor to serve in Mississippi since Adelbert Ames, who resigned in 1876.
A staunch conservative, Fordice ran on a pro-business, anti-crime, low-tax, "family values" platform. Fordice's tenure was marked by an extramarital affair, which led to his divorce from his wife of forty-four years, Pat Fordice.
Fordice first ran for governor in 1991, defeating Democratic incumbent Ray Mabus with nearly 51% of the vote, and was decisively reelected in 1995. He was term limited in 1999, and was succeeded by Ronnie Musgrove.