Most successful & effective former US State Governors

[LoneStarDem]

Good afternoon everyone. Who do y'all see as the most successful & effective former US State Governors over the years & why ?

[Roll Roons]

Dubya for Republicans, and Brown (second stint) for Democrats. If Jerry Brown were 10-15 years younger, he'd easily be a top presidential contender.

[All Along The Watchtower]

The Bush brothers for Republicans and Brown for Democrats.

[😥]

Jerry Brown

[President Johnson]

Edmund Gerald Brown Jr.

Not even close, he was one of the best governors in US history. A massive freedom fighter.

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

Gov. Hugh L. Carey (D-NY), who was Governor of New York from 1975-1983.

Governor Carey presided over New York during years of a divided legislature.  He was the driving force behind the measures that resolved New York City's fiscal crisis in the mid-1970s, enabling it to avoid default and bankruptcy.  He was a Labor-Liberal Democrat with a conservative persona who governed New York and resolved the major issues of New York City's fiscal crisis and it's transit strikes, both of which had the potential to cripple New York City.

There are very few public officials that I have had more respect for than I do for Hugh Carey.  He governed in ways that were not designed to be popular.  He was not overly popular with most Democratic politicians, in that he didn't give them everything they wanted.  (I was a member of my county's Democratic Committee during Carey's Administration, and can vouch for the opinion of insiders; Carey appointed my County Chairman the Chairman of the State Committee.)  He brought New York through a very difficult time and he did so by making necessary compromises in order to foster needed achievement to ensure that New York City did not go down the fiscal drain, taking the rest of New York State with it. 

Carey left office with low popularity.  He was considered not likely to win a third term, and he married a woman late in his second term (whom he later divorced) who appeared to be something of an influence seeker; this drove his popularity even lower.  That was too bad; he was the responsible leader that would have been an excellent President if he had sought the position.  He represented the best of responsible liberalism.  There have been too few public officials like him in either party.

[junior chįmp]

Floyd Olson
Huey Long
Rick Scott (I mean with a criminal record like that, youve got to admire him)

[LoneStarDem]

Gov. Hugh L. Carey (D-NY), who was Governor of New York from 1975-1983.

Governor Carey presided over New York during years of a divided legislature.  He was the driving force behind the measures that resolved New York City's fiscal crisis in the mid-1970s, enabling it to avoid default and bankruptcy.  He was a Labor-Liberal Democrat with a conservative persona who governed New York and resolved the major issues of New York City's fiscal crisis and it's transit strikes, both of which had the potential to cripple New York City.

There are very few public officials that I have had more respect for than I do for Hugh Carey.  He governed in ways that were not designed to be popular.  He was not overly popular with most Democratic politicians, in that he didn't give them everything they wanted.  (I was a member of my county's Democratic Committee during Carey's Administration, and can vouch for the opinion of insiders; Carey appointed my County Chairman the Chairman of the State Committee.)  He brought New York through a very difficult time and he did so by making necessary compromises in order to foster needed achievement to ensure that New York City did not go down the fiscal drain, taking the rest of New York State with it. 

Carey left office with low popularity.  He was considered not likely to win a third term, and he married a woman late in his second term (whom he later divorced) who appeared to be something of an influence seeker; this drove his popularity even lower.  That was too bad; he was the responsible leader that would have been an excellent President if he had sought the position.  He represented the best of responsible liberalism.  There have been too few public officials like him in either party.

Is the controversial marriage the reason why Carey did NOT seek reelection in 1982 ?

[President Johnson]

Mario Cuomo was also a great governor and would have been a fantastic president.

[Badger]

Iirc, reubin Askew was listed in a Harvard study among the top 10 most effective governors in the 20th century. I think a similar study ranked Bob Graham as a similarly effective governor.

Also agree with both Browns in California.

[DINGO Joe]

Jim Hunt and Jerry Brown, in part to their long tenures.  There's no geographic or other organic reason for NC success in going from a poor tobacco-textile state to the Research Triangle-Charlotte dominated economy of today and while the seeds were planted prior to his tenure he certainly was instrumental in it's growth, especially given the Neanderthal elements that still exist in the state.

California is a huge state that has assimilated a huge influx of people and while it does have some geographic and organic advantages, Jerry clearly has been the most skilled at managing the excess.

[VPH]

Mark Dayton should be on here too.

[LoneStarDem]

Iirc, reubin Askew was listed in a Harvard study among the top 10 most effective governors in the 20th century. I think a similar study ranked Bob Graham as a similarly effective governor.

Also agree with both Browns in California.

Askew is listed.

[Young Conservative]

The Bush's are excellent administrators.