David Beasley

David Muldrow Beasley(born February 26, 1957) is an American politician and the former executive director of theUnited NationsWorld Food Programme.A member of theRepublican Party, he served one term as the113th Governor of South Carolinafrom 1995 until 1999 before losing reelection toDemocratJim Hodges. He also served as astate representativefrom 1981 until 1995.
Beasley was born inLamar, South Carolina. He is the son of Richard Lee Beasley and Jacqueline (Blackwell) Beasley. He graduated from Lamar High School in 1975, then attended the Capitol Page School in Washington, DC while serving as apage in the U.S. Congress.
Elected to theSouth Carolina House of Representativesat age 20, Beasley transferred from Clemson University to the University of South Carolina where he received a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in 1979 and a J.D. from the School of Law in 1983.Beasley was a member of the South Carolina House representing theSociety Hillarea from 1979 until 1995, serving as majority whip from 1985 to 1986 and the majority leader from 1987 to 1989.He served as the youngest Speakerpro temporeand majority leader in the nation.
During the 1991–92 legislative session Beasley switched to the Republican Party.
in the1994 election for governor, both Beasley and his Democratic opponentLieutenant GovernorNick Theodorefaced toughprimaryopposition within their respective parties. Beasley defeated his toughest competitor, former congressman and state senatorArthur Ravenel Jr., in both the primary and run-off, and went on to win the general election by 23,754 votes.
South Carolina had a strong economy while Beasley was governor, with unemployment at a record-low 3.5% in 1998.Beasley often made known his Christ-centered beliefs and conservatism in a state known for its strong ties to Christianity and conservative politics.
Beasley strongly opposed gambling, which was legal in South Carolina until 2002.At the time, many gas stations, convenience stores, and poker "casinos" were established across the state, and as Beasley supported legislation that would outlaw gambling, the video poker industry generated "Ban Beasley" billboards and radio ads.
Until 2000, theConfederate flagflew atop theSouth Carolina State House. It had been raised over the Capitol dome in celebration of the Civil War centennial. This celebration started in 1961 with the raising of the Army of Tennessee Battle Flag over the State House Dome. The Army of Tennessee Battle Flags were also displayed in the inner chambers of the SC Senate and SC House of Representatives.
Beasley initially supported the flag's presence but announced on statewide television in 1996 that he had reversed his decision and believed the flag should be relocated to a monument elsewhere on the grounds. Beasley's position on the Confederate flag cost him many Republican votes in the next election. The flag was removed from the capitol dome in 2000 after Beasley left office. It was displayed on a pole in front of the statehouse until it was removed from the grounds in 2015 after theEmanuel Nineshooting.
Beasley also faced allegations of having an affair with his former press secretary, Ginny Wolfe. Beasley refuted the claims, saying, "I can tell you right up front [my wife] Mary Wood and I love each other dearly. We both have been faithful to one another 100 percent."
In the1998 South Carolina gubernatorial election, Beasley Ran for reelection against Democrat Former state representativeJim Hodges, Hodges took advantage of controversy and missteps made by Beasley, namely Beasley's indecisiveness on allowing The Confederate flag to fly at the state capitol and call to eliminate video poker. While also Blaming Beasley for the poor SAT scores and the low achievement levels by the students of the state. Donations from video gambling interests helped Hodges narrow a near million-dollar fundraising gap with Beasley. On November 3rd 1998 Beasley Decisively lost to Hodges by 85,982 votes.
In 2000, after leaving office as governor, Beasley supported George W. Bush in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary.He introduced Bush during a campaign speech at Bob Jones University, which drew controversy because of the fundamentalist school's anti-Catholic teaching and strict policy against interracial dating. Referring to Bush's anti-abortion stance, Beasley said Bush "shares our values."
After his term as governor, Beasley was a fellow atHarvard Kennedy School. In 2003, he received theJohn F. Kennedy Profile in Courage AwardfromU.S. senatorTed Kennedyfor his controversial request to the South Carolina legislature to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse dome.
In 2004, Beasleyunsuccessfully ranfor theUnited States Senateto replace retiring DemocratFritz Hollings. He lost the Republican nomination toCongressmanJim DeMintofGreenville, South Carolina.In April 2005, Beasley, along with his administration's former chief legal counsel, Henry Deneen, incorporated the Center for Global Strategies, Ltd (CGS). CGS focuses on developmental initiatives in the non-integrated world. Beasley is chairman of the board.
In 2007, Beasley endorsedMike Huckabeein the2008 Republican presidential primaries.In 2010, he endorsedHenry McMasterin the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primaries.
In February 2017, United States Ambassador to theUnited NationsNikki Haley(also a former South Carolina governor) nominated Beasley to be the next executive director of theWorld Food Programme(WFP).United NationsSecretary-GeneralAntónio Guterresand U.N.Food and Agriculture OrganizationJosé Graziano da Silvaofficially appointed Beasley to the post in March 2017, saying he brought "extensive experience with key governmental and business leaders and stakeholders around the world, with very strong resource mobilisation skills."Guterres also said Beasley had been among 23 applications/nominations for the position.
In his capacity as executive director of WFP, Beasley served at the level ofUnder-Secretary-General of the United Nationsand was a member of the organization's Senior Management Group (SMG) under Guterres.Since 2019, he has been a member of theWorld Economic ForumHigh-Level Group on Humanitarian Investing, co-chaired byBørge Brende,Kristalina GeorgievaandPeter Maurer.
In December 2020, Beasley accepted theNobel Peace Prizeon behalf of the WFP for its efforts to combat world hunger.
As the term of the director of theWorld Food Programmeis five years, Beasley's term was originally set to expire in April 2022. However, United Nations Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterresextended Beasley's term, citing the current food crisis of theRusso-Ukrainian Warand theCOVID-19pandemic.PresidentBideninitially opposed extending Beasley's term, but bipartisan support in Congress encouraged Biden to support the extension.Beasley's term as executive director expired in April 2023.
In 2023, he was made a Grand officer of theOrder of the Two Nilesby the Sudanesehead of stateGeneralAbdel Fattah al-Burhan.
Beasley is married to Mary Wood Beasley.