1. David Muldrow Beasley was born on February 26,1957 and is an American politician and the former executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme.
20 Facts About David Beasley
1. 2.
David Beasley served as a state representative from 1981 until 1995.
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David Beasley is the son of Richard Lee Beasley and Jacqueline Beasley.
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David Beasley graduated from Lamar High School in 1975, then attended the Capitol Page School in Washington, DC while serving as a page in the US Congress.
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David Beasley was a member of the South Carolina House representing the Society Hill area from 1979 until 1995, serving as majority whip from 1985 to 1986 and the majority leader from 1987 to 1989.
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David Beasley served as the youngest Speaker pro tempore and majority leader in the nation.
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David Beasley defeated his toughest competitor, former congressman and state senator Arthur Ravenel Jr.
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David Beasley often made known his Christ-centered beliefs and conservatism in a state known for its strong ties to Christianity and conservative politics.
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David Beasley strongly opposed gambling, which was legal in South Carolina until 2002.
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At the time, many gas stations, convenience stores, and poker "casinos" were established across the state, and as David Beasley supported legislation that would outlaw gambling, the video poker industry generated "Ban David Beasley" billboards and radio ads.
11.
David Beasley initially supported the flag's presence but announced on statewide television in 1996 that he had reversed his decision and believed the flag should be relocated to a monument elsewhere on the grounds.
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David Beasley faced allegations of having an affair with his former press secretary, Ginny Wolfe.
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In 2000, after leaving office as governor, Beasley supported George W Bush in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary.
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David Beasley introduced Bush during a campaign speech at Bob Jones University, which drew controversy because of the fundamentalist school's anti-Catholic teaching and strict policy against interracial dating.
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In 2004, David Beasley unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate to replace retiring Democrat Fritz Hollings.
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David Beasley lost the Republican nomination to Congressman Jim DeMint of Greenville, South Carolina.
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In 2007, David Beasley endorsed Mike Huckabee in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.
18.
In February 2017, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley nominated David Beasley to be the next executive director of the World Food Programme.
19.
In December 2020, David Beasley accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the WFP for its efforts to combat world hunger.
20.
However, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended David Beasley's term, citing the current food crisis of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the COVID-19 pandemic.