26 Facts About Kirk Fordice

Kirk Fordice's tenure was marked by an extramarital affair, which led to his divorce from his wife of forty-four years, Pat Kirk Fordice.

Kirk Fordice was term limited in 1999, and was succeeded by Ronnie Musgrove.

Kirk Fordice studied civil engineering at Purdue University, earning a bachelor's degree and a master's in 1956 and 1957, respectively.

Kirk Fordice remained in the Army Reserve until 1977, retiring with the rank of colonel.

Kirk Fordice eventually took control of his father's firm, Kirk Fordice Construction Company.

Kirk Fordice joined the Republican Party during Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign.

Kirk Fordice chaired the Warren County organizations for Gil Carmichael's gubernatorial campaigns in the 1970s.

Kirk Fordice declared his support for legislative term limits and welfare reform.

Kirk Fordice labeled Mabus a "Kennedyesque liberal" who focused too much on education and criticized his deficit spending.

Later in the campaign, race became an issue, as Kirk Fordice declared his support for workfare and ending racial quotas.

Mabus aired a series of television ads which accused Kirk Fordice of planning to shut down the state's historically black schools.

On November 5, Kirk Fordice won with 50.8 percent to Mabus' 47.6 percent, the first Republican victory in a Mississippi gubernatorial race since 1874.

Turnout among black voters was lower in 1991, and some national Democrats accused Kirk Fordice of using race-baiting tactics.

Kirk Fordice was inaugurated as governor on January 14,1992.

Kirk Fordice vetoed the Education Enhancement Act of 1992, arguing that it was tantamount to a tax increase, but the legislature overrode his veto.

An outspoken conservative, Kirk Fordice advocated tax cuts, the abolishment of affirmative action, reductions in the welfare system, expanded capital punishment, tougher prison conditions and the building of more prisons.

Kirk Fordice offended Jewish groups such as B'nai B'rith by referring to America as "a Christian Nation" during a Republican governors conference.

South Carolina governor Carroll Campbell quickly offered a correction, adding "Judeo-" as a prefix to Christian, but Kirk Fordice snapped back that he meant what he said.

Kirk Fordice refused to discuss any increase in public school pay rates across the state, even though Mississippi ranked 49th in the nation.

Kirk Fordice said he would have quit his position of Governor while still in office, except that he did not want to give the Democratic candidate, Musgrove, any spot-light time of running the state before the actual election.

Kirk Fordice received much scorn when he suddenly announced that he had "irreconcilable differences" with his wife in 1993; she claimed that she had no intention of getting a divorce, and they remained together.

Outside the governor's private home in Madison, Kirk Fordice responded to WLBT reporter Bert Case asking questions in his news car by threatening to "whip your ass".

Just days after the divorce was finalized in early 2000, Kirk Fordice married Creson; they divorced in 2003.

Kirk Fordice died in 2004, surrounded by his children and former wife; the two are interred beside each other with their own individual grave markers.

Kirk Fordice was a member of the White supremacist group Council of Conservative Citizens.

Kirk Fordice died from leukemia in Jackson on September 7,2004, at age 70.