Ronnie Musgrove
Encyclopedia
David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove (born July 29, 1956) is an American
politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state
of Mississippi
. He was recently defeated by incumbent Senator Roger Wicker
for one of Mississippi's seats in the U.S. Senate.
, Musgrove grew up in the nearby city of Batesville
. When Musgrove was seven years old, his father, a road crew worker with the Mississippi Highway Department, caught pneumonia while laboring during a record snowstorm and died. His mother worked at a Fruit of the Loom
factory, tended a garden of 0.5 acres (2,023.4 m²) and raised him and his four siblings by herself.
After attending Northwest Mississippi Community College
, the University of Mississippi
, Musgrove went to the University of Mississippi School of Law
, where he became friends with fellow law student, future Mississippi House of Representatives member and future author John Grisham
. Grisham would later campaign for Musgrove in each of his races for Lt. Governor, Governor and U.S. Senate.
In 1977 Musgrove married his wife Melanie. In 2001, while he was in office, Musgrove and his wife, Melanie (Ballard), divorced after 24 years of marriage. The results and settlement of the divorce were sealed by the judge at the request of the Musgroves. Musgrove married Dr. Melody Bounds on August 4, 2007. The Musgroves are members of First Baptist Church Jackson. They have four children ranging in age from 19 to 24.
.
Shortly after being elected Lt. Governor, Musgrove was seriously injured in a car accident while traveling on official state business. Musgrove gained national attention a few months later when he was pressed to serve as acting governor after then Gov. Kirk Fordice (a Republican
-- and fierce political opponent) nearly died in his own car accident. While serving as acting governor in Fordice's absence, Musgrove was a model of political restraint, limiting his activities to signing proclamations, processing extraditions, declaring weather-related emergencies and making appointments recommended by Fordice's staff. At the time, Musgrove was quoted as saying, "When we're confronted by these types of matters, politics has to be put on the back burner and we have to do the right thing."
In 1998 he chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.
The 1999 gubernatorial election between Musgrove and Republican
Congressman Mike Parker was the closest in Mississippi history. Out of almost three quarters of a million votes cast, Musgrove had won 8,300 more votes than Parker in a four-way election, but fell a fraction of a percentage point short of receiving a majority (as required by the state’s 1890 Constitution). Since neither candidate received a majority of the popular vote, the Mississippi House of Representatives
had to select the winner. They chose Musgrove. It was the first time the election of a Mississippi governor was decided by the Legislature.
As Governor, Musgrove served as chair or vice chair of a number of boards and associations, including the National Governor's Association (vice chair), the Southern Regional Education Board
(chair), the Southern States Energy Board
(chair elect), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
(chair elect) and the Executive Committee for the Democratic Governors Association
(vice chair of policy).
As governor, Musgrove presided over what is still considered the largest economic development project in Mississippi history. In August 2000, he launched Advantage Mississippi Initiative (AMI) to create new jobs for the state, which brought in a new Nissan Motor Company production plant. Nissan's arrival gave legitimacy to the notion that the Southeastern United States could become an automotive manufacturing leader. Musgrove's AMI economic development package also helped set in motion the mechanics needed to recruit Toyota to Blue Springs.
After losing his bid for re-election in 2003
to Republican challenger Haley Barbour
, Musgrove returned to private practice with the law firm of Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, P.A. in Ridgeland, Mississippi
. On January 4, 2008, Musgrove confirmed that he would be a candidate for the United States Senate special election in Mississippi in 2008
against Republican candidate Roger Wicker
, who was appointed to the position by Governor Haley Barbour when Trent Lott
resigned. Musgrove lost to Wicker.
Governor Musgrove is active in volunteerism working with both Habitat for Humanity and Stewpot Community Services. He also 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
.
on state letterhead to praise the judge's unconstitutional
- as ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court - Ten Commandments
monument, inviting the judge to display the monument in the Mississippi State Capitol
for a week the following month and announcing his intention to encourage other governors to follow suit. Musgrove further wrote, "It would be my honor to host this monument as a symbol of every Mississippian's dedication to the fundamental principles of the Ten Commandments."
In 2001, 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.
ruled that the Mississippi flag
, a source of division among white and black Mississippians, was not official. The court ruled the flag was officially adopted in 1894, but the law designating the state flag was not among those carried forward in a 1906 update of the state code. The judges left the decision to adopt, or not adopt, the flag to the legislative and executive branches. In response to the ruling, Musgrove held a press conference to announce that he had issued an executive order the following day creating a 17-member commission to study the flag. In the executive order, Musgrove also called for continuing the use of the flag until the Legislature had received and reviewed the committee's report. During the press conference, flanked by a U.S. flag and the controversial state flag, Musgrove offered no indication of his opinion on the current flag or any possible future design. The commission eventually came up with a new flag design that replaced the battle flag from the canton with a circular array of twenty stars (Mississippi is the 20th state) on a blue background. As campaigning for the flags began leading up to a referendum, Musgrove did endorse the new flag. A referendum was held in April 2001 to determine whether the new flag would be adopted. The old flag won by a vote of 65% to 35%.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi is the second-highest ranking executive officer in Mississippi, right below the governor. The office of lieutenant governor was established when Mississippi became a state, abolished for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, and restored later...
from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. He was recently defeated by incumbent Senator Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
for one of Mississippi's seats in the U.S. Senate.
Personal life
A native of Tocowa, MississippiTocowa, Mississippi
Tocowa was a town located just outside of Batesville in Panola County, Mississippi, United States, but it is now an unincorporated ghost town.-History:Description of Tocowa from the 1938 book, Mississippi: A Guide to the Magnolia State:...
, Musgrove grew up in the nearby city of Batesville
Batesville, Mississippi
Batesville is a city in Panola County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,113 at the 2000 census.-History:The Land upon which present day Batesville is situated originally belonged to a Chickasaw Indian called Ish-Sho-Nu-Nah...
. When Musgrove was seven years old, his father, a road crew worker with the Mississippi Highway Department, caught pneumonia while laboring during a record snowstorm and died. His mother worked at a Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom is an American company which manufactures clothing, particularly underwear. The company's world headquarters is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is currently a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.-Company profile:...
factory, tended a garden of 0.5 acres (2,023.4 m²) and raised him and his four siblings by herself.
After attending Northwest Mississippi Community College
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Northwest Mississippi Community College is a two-year public community college located in Senatobia, Mississippi, USA and has been in existence since 1928. As of August 2008, Northwest's enrollment exceeds 7,100 students. There are approximately 3,000 students on the Senatobia campus—1,100 of which...
, the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, Musgrove went to the University of Mississippi School of Law
University of Mississippi School of Law
The University of Mississippi School of Law, also known as Ole Miss Law, is an ABA-accredited law school located on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The School of Law opened in 1854 and is the fourth-oldest state-supported law school in the country...
, where he became friends with fellow law student, future Mississippi House of Representatives member and future author John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
. Grisham would later campaign for Musgrove in each of his races for Lt. Governor, Governor and U.S. Senate.
In 1977 Musgrove married his wife Melanie. In 2001, while he was in office, Musgrove and his wife, Melanie (Ballard), divorced after 24 years of marriage. The results and settlement of the divorce were sealed by the judge at the request of the Musgroves. Musgrove married Dr. Melody Bounds on August 4, 2007. The Musgroves are members of First Baptist Church Jackson. They have four children ranging in age from 19 to 24.
Political career
Before being elected Governor, Musgrove was a two-term state senator and Lieutenant Governor under Kirk FordiceKirk Fordice
Daniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice, Jr. was a politician from the US state of Mississippi. He was the 61st Governor of Mississippi from January 14, 1992, until January 11, 2000.-Biography:...
.
Shortly after being elected Lt. Governor, Musgrove was seriously injured in a car accident while traveling on official state business. Musgrove gained national attention a few months later when he was pressed to serve as acting governor after then Gov. Kirk Fordice (a 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...
-- and fierce political opponent) nearly died in his own car accident. While serving as acting governor in Fordice's absence, Musgrove was a model of political restraint, limiting his activities to signing proclamations, processing extraditions, declaring weather-related emergencies and making appointments recommended by Fordice's staff. At the time, Musgrove was quoted as saying, "When we're confronted by these types of matters, politics has to be put on the back burner and we have to do the right thing."
In 1998 he chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.
The 1999 gubernatorial election between Musgrove and 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...
Congressman Mike Parker was the closest in Mississippi history. Out of almost three quarters of a million votes cast, Musgrove had won 8,300 more votes than Parker in a four-way election, but fell a fraction of a percentage point short of receiving a majority (as required by the state’s 1890 Constitution). Since neither candidate received a majority of the popular vote, the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
had to select the winner. They chose Musgrove. It was the first time the election of a Mississippi governor was decided by the Legislature.
As Governor, Musgrove served as chair or vice chair of a number of boards and associations, including the National Governor's Association (vice chair), the Southern Regional Education Board
Southern Regional Education Board
The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia that works to improve education in its 16 member states in the southeastern United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,...
(chair), the Southern States Energy Board
Southern States Energy Board
The Southern States Energy Board is a multi-state regional organization created by an interstate compact approved by sixteen states and two United States territories, committed to promote economic development and quality of life in the southern United States through innovations in energy and the...
(chair elect), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in education. Founded in 1987, NBPTS improves teaching and student learning by enhancing overall educator effectiveness and recognizing and rewarding highly...
(chair elect) and the Executive Committee for the Democratic Governors Association
Democratic Governors Association
The Democratic Governors Association is a Washington, D.C. based 527 organization founded in 1983, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Democratic Party. The mission of the organization is to provide party support to the election and re-election of Democratic...
(vice chair of policy).
As governor, Musgrove presided over what is still considered the largest economic development project in Mississippi history. In August 2000, he launched Advantage Mississippi Initiative (AMI) to create new jobs for the state, which brought in a new Nissan Motor Company production plant. Nissan's arrival gave legitimacy to the notion that the Southeastern United States could become an automotive manufacturing leader. Musgrove's AMI economic development package also helped set in motion the mechanics needed to recruit Toyota to Blue Springs.
After losing his bid for re-election in 2003
Mississippi gubernatorial election, 2003
The 2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on 4 November 2003 for the post of governor of Mississippi. The incumbent governor, Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, was defeated by Republican Haley Barbour....
to Republican challenger Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
, Musgrove returned to private practice with the law firm of Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, P.A. in Ridgeland, Mississippi
Ridgeland, Mississippi
Ridgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,173 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. On January 4, 2008, Musgrove confirmed that he would be a candidate for the United States Senate special election in Mississippi in 2008
United States Senate elections in Mississippi, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. The seat was regularly scheduled for election, unlike the special election taking place on the same day. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Thad Cochran won re-election to a sixth term.-Predictions:CQ Politics rated...
against Republican candidate Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
, who was appointed to the position by Governor Haley Barbour when Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
resigned. Musgrove lost to Wicker.
Governor Musgrove is active in volunteerism working with both Habitat for Humanity and Stewpot Community Services. He also teaches classes at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
, as well as at Mississippi College School of Law
Mississippi College School of Law
The Mississippi College School of Law is located in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The law school started out as the Jackson School of Law in 1930, but was acquired by Mississippi College in 1975. The main campus of Mississippi College is located in Clinton, Mississippi.In December 2005, the school...
in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
.
Education
During his tenure, Musgrove was known as the education governor. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal noted that Gov. William Winter has said the Adequate Education Program is the most significant piece of education legislation in the state's history. “A lot of politicians played major roles in the passage of the legislation, but Adequate Education would not have passed without the leadership of Musgrove as lieutenant governor.” However, Mississippi teachers are still the lowest paid in the nation.Religion
In August 2003, Musgrove wrote judge Roy MooreRoy Moore
Roy Stewart Moore is an American jurist and Republican politician noted for his refusal, as the elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse despite orders to do so from a federal judge...
on state letterhead to praise the judge's unconstitutional
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
- as ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court - Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
monument, inviting the judge to display the monument in the Mississippi State Capitol
Mississippi State Capitol
The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Mississippi, housing the Mississippi Legislature...
for a week the following month and announcing his intention to encourage other governors to follow suit. Musgrove further wrote, "It would be my honor to host this monument as a symbol of every Mississippian's dedication to the fundamental principles of the Ten Commandments."
In 2001, Musgrove signed legislation requiring the motto "In God We Trust
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. It is also the motto of the U.S. state of Florida. The Legality of this motto has been questioned because of the United States Constitution forbidding the government to make any law respecting the establishment of a...
" to be displayed in every public school classroom, as well as the school auditoriums and cafeterias, throughout the state.
Gay rights
In 2000, Musgrove signed a bill into law banning same sex couples from adopting children, making Mississippi only the third state having done so. The law also says that Mississippi will not recognize adoptions from other states by same sex couples.Abortion
Musgrove as Governor signed a bill banning the public funding of abortion, with the exceptions of when the mother's life is in danger, when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or when a fetal malformation is incompatible with the baby being born alive.Mississippi state flag
The state flag features the Confederate Battle Flag prominently. In 2000, the Supreme Court of MississippiSupreme Court of Mississippi
The Supreme Court of Mississippi is the highest court in the state of Mississippi. It was created in the first constitution of the state following its admission as a State of the Union in 1817. Initially it was known as the "High Court of Errors and Appeals." The Court is an appellate court, as...
ruled that the Mississippi flag
Flag of Mississippi
The Flag of the State of Mississippi was adopted by the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1894. It is the only United States state flag that incorporates the Battle Flag of the Confederacy.-Pledge to the Mississippi State Flag :The pledge to the state flag is:...
, a source of division among white and black Mississippians, was not official. The court ruled the flag was officially adopted in 1894, but the law designating the state flag was not among those carried forward in a 1906 update of the state code. The judges left the decision to adopt, or not adopt, the flag to the legislative and executive branches. In response to the ruling, Musgrove held a press conference to announce that he had issued an executive order the following day creating a 17-member commission to study the flag. In the executive order, Musgrove also called for continuing the use of the flag until the Legislature had received and reviewed the committee's report. During the press conference, flanked by a U.S. flag and the controversial state flag, Musgrove offered no indication of his opinion on the current flag or any possible future design. The commission eventually came up with a new flag design that replaced the battle flag from the canton with a circular array of twenty stars (Mississippi is the 20th state) on a blue background. As campaigning for the flags began leading up to a referendum, Musgrove did endorse the new flag. A referendum was held in April 2001 to determine whether the new flag would be adopted. The old flag won by a vote of 65% to 35%.
External links
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.org