North Carolina's longest-serving governor dies at 88 after serving 4 terms in office
The longest-serving governor of North Carolina, Jim Hunt, died Thursday at the age of 88.His daughter, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, announced the Democratic leader’s death in a statement on X."It...
By Fox News · Fox News
The longest-serving governor of North Carolina, Jim Hunt, died Thursday at the age of 88. His daughter, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, announced the Democratic leader’s death in a statement on X. "It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of my beloved daddy and hero, former Governor Jim Hunt," she wrote. "He devoted his life to serving the people of North Carolina , guided by a belief that public service should expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and always put people first. His leadership and compassion left a lasting impact on so many across our state." CONGRESS TO HOLD CRIME HEARING IN CHARLOTTE FOLLOWING DEADLY LIGHT RAIL ATTACK Hunt served a total of 16 years as North Carolina’s governor, holding office from 1977 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2001. He was the only governor in state history to be elected to four terms, following a constitutional change allowing consecutive service. Hunt was widely regarded as the state’s education-focused governor who made schools and early childhood learning the centerpiece of his administration. He is widely known for launching "Smart Start," a 1993 initiative that provided health and education services to children under age five to help prepare them for school. He also successfully lobbied to raise North Carolina teacher salaries above the national median, expanded access to full-day kindergarten statewide, and established the nation’s first public residential high school focused on science and math . DESANTIS WARNS GOP FACES ‘ISSUE’ KEEPING TRUMP VOTERS ENGAGED IN FUTURE ELECTIONS "I can think of no one who shaped North Carolina’s recent successes as much as Governor Jim Hunt," North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said in a post on X. "Governor for 16 years, he was a visionary who founded Smart Start, raised teacher pay, protected air quality, and created the NC Biotech Center. On a personal level, he was a mentor and dear friend. Anna and I are keeping Carolyn, Rachel, and the entire Hunt family in our thoughts and praye…