Bill Graves
Encyclopedia
William Preston "Bill" Graves (born January 9, 1953), was the 43rd Governor of Kansas
from 1995 until 2003.
Graves was born in Salina, Kansas
in 1953 to parents who owned a trucking firm. After graduating from Kansas Wesleyan University
with a business degree, he worked in human resources.
In 1990, he was elected Kansas Secretary of State and in 1991, he was appointed as a representative of state governments to the Competitiveness Policy Council
. He defeated Democratic Congressman Jim Slattery
in the Republican sweeping elections
of 1994 at the age of 41, and became one of the youngest Governors in Kansas history. A moderate Republican
, Graves was known for his disputes with the conservative wing of the Kansas
Republican Party. His term of office saw strong economic growth for Kansas after years of recession, and a continued excellence and emphasis on education. In 1997 Graves served as the Chairman of the Midwestern Governors Association
. He won re-election in 1998 with 74% of the vote, which was the largest margin of victory by any Governor up for election in 1998, and one of the largest margins of victory in Kansas gubernatorial history. Graves was barred from running for a third term as Governor by Kansas state law, and was succeeded by Democrat
Kathleen Sebelius
in January 2003.
Serving with him as lieutenant governor were Sheila Frahm
(1995–1996), whom he appointed to fill Bob Dole's
seat in the Senate, and Gary Sherrer (1996–2003).
Following his tenure as Governor, he has served as President of the American Trucking Associations
. Graves was one of five former governors of Kansas interviewed for the public television documentary "The Kansas Governor".
He was considered a possible candidate to replace Norman Mineta
as Transportation Secretary, but was adamant that he did not want the job. Despite this, Governor Sebelius wrote a letter to the president strongly urging the appointment of her Republican predecessor.
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
from 1995 until 2003.
Graves was born in Salina, Kansas
Salina, Kansas
Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,707. Located in one of the world's largest wheat-producing areas, Salina is a regional trade center for north-central Kansas...
in 1953 to parents who owned a trucking firm. After graduating from Kansas Wesleyan University
Kansas Wesleyan University
Kansas Wesleyan University is a private four-year Methodist college founded in Salina, Kansas in 1886. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
with a business degree, he worked in human resources.
In 1990, he was elected Kansas Secretary of State and in 1991, he was appointed as a representative of state governments to the Competitiveness Policy Council
Competitiveness Policy Council
The Competitiveness Policy Council was an independent federal advisory committee chartered in 1988 to advise the President and the Congress on more effective policies to promote U.S. competitiveness...
. He defeated Democratic Congressman Jim Slattery
Jim Slattery
James Charles Slattery is an American politician and was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator from Kansas.- Early life and career :...
in the Republican sweeping elections
Republican Revolution
The Republican Revolution or Revolution of '94 is what the media dubbed Republican Party success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate...
of 1994 at the age of 41, and became one of the youngest Governors in Kansas history. A moderate Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Graves was known for his disputes with the conservative wing of the Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
Republican Party. His term of office saw strong economic growth for Kansas after years of recession, and a continued excellence and emphasis on education. In 1997 Graves served as the Chairman of the Midwestern Governors Association
Midwestern Governors Association
The Midwestern Governors Association is a 501 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the Midwestern governors of states to work cooperatively on public policy issues of significance to the region. The MGA was created in December 1962 in Chicago, when articles of organization were...
. He won re-election in 1998 with 74% of the vote, which was the largest margin of victory by any Governor up for election in 1998, and one of the largest margins of victory in Kansas gubernatorial history. Graves was barred from running for a third term as Governor by Kansas state law, and was succeeded by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius is an American politician currently serving as the 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services. She was the second female Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union address, and chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors...
in January 2003.
Serving with him as lieutenant governor were Sheila Frahm
Sheila Frahm
Sheila Sloan Frahm served in the U.S. Senate as a Republican from Kansas for a brief period in 1996.Frahm was born in Colby, Kansas...
(1995–1996), whom he appointed to fill Bob Dole's
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
seat in the Senate, and Gary Sherrer (1996–2003).
Following his tenure as Governor, he has served as President of the American Trucking Associations
American Trucking Associations
The American Trucking Associations , founded in 1933, is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering...
. Graves was one of five former governors of Kansas interviewed for the public television documentary "The Kansas Governor".
He was considered a possible candidate to replace Norman Mineta
Norman Mineta
Norman Yoshio Mineta, is a United States politician of the Democratic Party. Mineta most recently served in President George W. Bush's Cabinet as the United States Secretary of Transportation, the only Democratic Cabinet Secretary in the Bush administration...
as Transportation Secretary, but was adamant that he did not want the job. Despite this, Governor Sebelius wrote a letter to the president strongly urging the appointment of her Republican predecessor.