Kirk Fordice

Kirk Fordice
61st Governor of Mississippi
In office January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000
Lieutenant	Eddie Briggs Ronnie Musgrove
Preceded by	Ray Mabus
Succeeded by	Ronnie Musgrove
Personal details
Born	Daniel Kirkwood Fordice Jr. (1934-02-10)February 10, 1934 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	September 7, 2004(2004-09-07) (aged 70) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Resting place	Parkway Memorial Cemetery, Ridgeland, Mississippi
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Patricia Owens ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1999)​ Ann G. Creson ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2003)​
Children	4
Profession	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Army Reserve
Years of service	1957–1959; 1959–1977
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War 1st Infantry Division

Daniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice Jr. (/fɔːrdaɪs/; February 10, 1934 – September 7, 2004) was an American politician and businessman who served as the 61st governor of Mississippi from 1992 to 2000. He was the first Republican governor of the state since Reconstruction, and the state's first governor elected to two consecutive four-year terms (following a 1987 amendment to the state constitution).^[1]

Fordice was a staunch conservative, running on a pro-business, anti-crime, low-tax, "family values" platform.^[2] He first ran for governor in 1991, championing various conservative causes, and received 51 percent of the vote, defeating Democratic incumbent Ray Mabus. He was reelected in 1995, and served until his term expired in 2000.