32 Facts About Mike Easley

Mike Easley is the first governor of North Carolina to have been convicted of a felony.

Mike Easley was born on March 23,1950, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to Henry Alexander Easley and Huldah Marie Easley.

Mike Easley grew up on his family's 60-acre farm in Nash County and was one of seven children in a large Irish Catholic family.

Mike Easley attended a local Catholic school before transferring and later graduating from Rocky Mount Senior High School in 1968.

Mike Easley attended Belmont Abbey College for two years before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a degree with honors in political science in 1972.

Mike Easley then attended the North Carolina Central University School of Law, earning his JD degree, with honors, in 1976.

Mike Easley is married to Mary Mike Easley, who worked in the Provost's Office at North Carolina State University until June 8,2009.

Mike Easley is a former law professor at North Carolina Central University and worked for ten years as a prosecutor.

Mike Easley became an assistant district attorney for the 13th Judicial District in 1976.

Mike Easley was elected District Attorney, one of the youngest ever in the state, in 1982.

Mike Easley was elected North Carolina Attorney General in 1992 and sworn-in on January 9,1993.

In 2000, Mike Easley ran to succeed the term-limited Hunt as Governor of North Carolina.

Mike Easley was commended by the NEA for his focus on improving teacher working conditions and for affording teachers a "seat at the table" in discussions surrounding the implementation of education reforms in the state.

Mike Easley's tenure faced budget shortfalls, tough economic times, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.

Mike Easley received mixed reviews on his handling of fiscal problems in the state.

Mike Easley's supporters claimed many of the budget shortfall situations were created before he even took office, during the Hunt administration, while his detractors criticized his support of raising sales taxes multiple times to cover the cost of new state programs.

Mike Easley is the first North Carolina governor to use the power of veto, which voters gave the governor's office in 1996.

Mike Easley has used his veto power a total of nine times as of 2008.

Mike Easley defeated Rickey Kipfer, his only opponent in the Democratic primary, and faced Republican former state senator Patrick Ballantine and Libertarian Barbara Howe in November 2004.

Mike Easley supported a controversial statewide lottery, which was ultimately approved on August 31,2005, after Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.

Mike Easley has stated that proceeds from the lottery will be used for much-needed educational programs.

Mike Easley presided over 27 executions, including the 1,000th after the death penalty was reintroduced in the United States in 1976.

Governor Mike Easley declined to run against Elizabeth Dole for her Senate seat in 2008.

Mike Easley was faced with controversies in 2006 stemming from campaign and overseas travel.

Mike Easley is the first governor of North Carolina to have been convicted of a felony.

Mike Easley represents businesses and corporations and has been involved in several significant civil trials.

Mike Easley joined in the filing of amicus briefs to oppose gerrymandered congressional and legislative districts in North Carolina.

Mike Easley was involved in a crash at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Concord, North Carolina, in 2003.

Mike Easley was not seriously injured, since he was wearing a head-and-neck restraint at the time.

Mike Easley is a fan of the cartoon King of the Hill, and while governor, instructed his pollster to separate the state's voters into those who watch the show and those who don't.

Mike Easley reasoned that his constituents ideologies were similar to characters on the show, and would base the explanation of his issues on whether or not the King of the Hill characters would understand them or not.

Mike Easley is an avid amateur woodworker, and appeared on an episode of The Woodwright's Shop where he made a walnut table.