Mel Carnahan

Melvin Eugene Carnahan (February 11, 1934 – October 16, 2000) was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 51st Governor of Missouri from 1993 until his death in a plane crash in 2000. A month after his death, he was elected to the United States Senate. He was a Democrat.

Early life
Carnahan was born in Birch Tree, Missouri in 1934. He studied at George Washington University and at the University of Missouri. In 1948, because his father was running for congress, Carnahan was present for Harry S. Truman's last campaign stop in St. Louis. Carnahan would later say his father inspired him to be a politician. 

Carnahan was married to Jean Carpenter from 1954 until his death. They had four children. His daughter is Robin Carnahan, former U.S. Senate candidate and Administrator of General Services. His son is Russ Carnahan, a former U.S. Representative. 

Political career
From 1989 to 1993, Carnahan was the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri when John Ashcroft was governor. In 1992, he was elected governor of Missouri and re-elected in 1996.

During his time as governor, Carnahan oversaw the increase and decrease of taxes in the state. He also had to deal with natural disasters such as the Great Flood of 1993, one of the deadliest floods in U.S. History. Carnahan would travel across the state afterwards, and also called a special session of the state legislature to figure out how to pay for the damage.

In 1999, Carnahan, a death penalty supporter, commuted the death sentence of a Missouri inmate, Darrell Mease, after Pope John Paul II asked him to do so during his visit to St. Louis. This move was controversial, with 34% of voters saying that they were more likely to vote against Carnahan in his U.S. Senate bid. 

On November 4, 1998, Carnahan announced his plan to run again incumbent Senator John Ashcroft for his senate seat in 2000. It had been said that neither man liked each other. The campaign became heated and intense, becoming one of the most focused election races in the nation. Carnahan was attacked for his actions as governor, and for other incidents, such as photos of him performing in blackface in 1960. In October, Carnahan was losing to Ashcroft in the polls. He would go on to win the election after his death.

Death
Carnahan was killed in a plane crash near Hillsboro, Missouri on October 16, 2000, aged 66. The 2000 presidential debate, held the next day in St. Louis, opened with a moment of silence and both candidates talked about Carnahan's death.

Aftermath
Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson became governor to serve the rest of Carnahan's term the day after his death. Because Missouri election law would not allow Carnahan's name to be removed from the November 7, 2000, ballot, Governor Wilson promised to pick Carnahan's widow Jean to the seat if Carnahan won the election. Carnahan's campaign continued, using the slogan "I'm Still with Mel." Carnahan became the first person in U.S. history to a win a U.S. Senate election posthumously, winning 50.5% of the vote against Ashcroft's 48.4%.

References

Other websites
 National Governors Association



Category:1934 births
Category:2000 deaths
Category:Aviation deaths in the United States
Category:Lawyers from Missouri
Category:Governors of Missouri
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:20th-century American politicians
Category:American Baptists
Category:Lieutenant Governors of Missouri
Category:Politicians elected posthumously