36 Facts About Ronnie Musgrove

David Ronald Musgrove was born on July 29,1956 and is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 62nd governor of Mississippi from 2000 to 2004.

Ronnie Musgrove was the Democratic nominee in the 2008 special election for one of Mississippi's seats in the United States Senate, losing to incumbent Senator Roger Wicker.

Ronnie Musgrove is a principal at a public affairs consulting firm, Politics.

David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove was born on July 29,1956, in Sardis, Mississippi.

Ronnie Musgrove was raised in Tocowa and the city of Batesville.

Ronnie Musgrove's mother was a textile factory worker and his father was a road crew worker for the Mississippi Highway Department.

When Ronnie Musgrove was seven years old, his father caught pneumonia while laboring during a snowstorm and died.

Ronnie Musgrove attended Northwest Mississippi Junior College, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Mississippi School of Law.

In 1987, Ronnie Musgrove ran for the District 10 seat of the Mississippi State Senate, representing Panola and Tate counties, which was being vacated by its incumbent.

In 1995 Ronnie Musgrove ran as the Democratic candidate for the office of lieutenant governor of Mississippi, facing one-term Republican incumbent Eddie Briggs.

Briggs refused to debate his opponent, and Ronnie Musgrove accused him of hypocrisy for not releasing his tax returns when he had demanded the same of Brad Dye, whom he had defeated four years prior.

Ronnie Musgrove was sworn-in as lieutenant governor on January 4,1996.

Shortly after being elected lieutenant governor, Ronnie Musgrove was seriously injured in a car accident while traveling on official state business.

In 1998 Ronnie Musgrove chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.

Ronnie Musgrove ran for the office of governor in 1999, having hired a full-time fundraiser and a political consultant to mount such a campaign two years prior.

Ronnie Musgrove focused on education advancements, running a series of television ads showcasing his accomplishments as lieutenant governor in supporting elementary and secondary school improvements.

Ronnie Musgrove ran a significant amount of campaign ads on Christian radio stations and espoused socially conservative positions such as opposition to abortion.

Ronnie Musgrove spent a significant amount of time traveling and hosting events while his campaign staff innovated with using traffic density maps to strategically place campaign signs and deployed get out the vote efforts in every county.

The 1999 gubernatorial election was the closest in Mississippi history; Ronnie Musgrove earned an advantage in the popular vote, taking 379,033 votes to Parker's 370,691.

Ronnie Musgrove entered office with the intent to reform government institutions, specifically public education.

In 2000, Ronnie Musgrove signed a bill into law banning same-sex couples from adopting children, making Mississippi only the third state to have done so.

In 2003 Ronnie Musgrove ran for re-election, facing Republican challenger Haley Barbour.

Ronnie Musgrove targeted his critiques of his opponent on the latter's career as a lobbyist.

On January 4,2008, Ronnie Musgrove confirmed that he would be a candidate in the 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi against Republican incumbent Roger Wicker.

Ronnie Musgrove in turn attacked Wicker for voting to raise congressional salaries.

Late in the race, polls indicated Wicker had a sizeable lead, though The Clarion-Ledger endorsed Ronnie Musgrove, citing his support of education and child healthcare.

Ronnie Musgrove has remained active in public service since leaving office, continuing to serve on a number of boards and commissions that advocate for quality education and better access to health care for rural and low income families.

In February 2013, Ronnie Musgrove joined a former aide in launching a government relations consulting firm, Company.

When Governor Ronnie Musgrove took office in January 2000, fewer than 525 Mississippi children were enrolled in Children's Health Insurance Program.

Governor Ronnie Musgrove joined with the Department of Human Services, the Division of Medicaid and the Department of Finance and Administration to develop a new action plan and marketing plan for CHIP.

Governor Ronnie Musgrove is currently chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, and co-chairman of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee.

In 2001, Ronnie Musgrove signed legislation requiring the motto "In God We Trust" to be displayed in every public school classroom, as well as the school auditoriums and cafeterias, throughout the state.

In 2001, while Ronnie Musgrove was governor, the couple divorced after 24 years of marriage.

Ronnie Musgrove married Dr Melody Bruce Bounds on August 4,2007.

Melody Ronnie Musgrove died of leukemia at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota on September 27,2021.

Ronnie Musgrove teaches classes at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, as well as at Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi.