Mel Carnahan

Mel Carnahan
Carnahan's official portrait c.1997
United States Senator-elect from Missouri
In office Elected posthumously
Preceded by	John Ashcroft (as senator)
Succeeded by	Jean Carnahan (as senator)
51st Governor of Missouri
In office January 11, 1993 – October 16, 2000
Lieutenant	Roger B. Wilson
Preceded by	John Ashcroft
Succeeded by	Roger B. Wilson
43rd Lieutenant Governor of Missouri
In office January 9, 1989 – January 11, 1993
Governor	John Ashcroft
Preceded by	Harriett Woods
Succeeded by	Roger B. Wilson
40th Treasurer of Missouri
In office January 12, 1981 – January 14, 1985
Governor	Kit Bond
Preceded by	Jim Spainhower
Succeeded by	Wendell Bailey
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from Phelps County
In office January 2, 1963 – January 4, 1967
Preceded by	Gene Sally
Succeeded by	District abolished
Personal details
Born	Melvin Eugene Carnahan (1934-02-11)February 11, 1934 Birch Tree, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 16, 2000(2000-10-16) (aged 66) near Hillsboro, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jean Carpenter ​ (m. 1954)​
Children	4, including Russ and Robin
Parent	A. S. J. Carnahan (father)
Relatives	See Carnahan family
Education	George Washington University (BA) University of Missouri (JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Melvin Eugene Carnahan (February 11, 1934 – October 16, 2000) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 51st governor of Missouri from 1993 until his death in 2000. Carnahan was a Democrat and held various positions in government. Born in rural Missouri, Carnahan was the son of Congressman A. S. J. Carnahan and attended campaign events with his father. He moved to Washington, D.C., with his father and attended high school and college there. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Carnahan returned to Missouri, graduating from the University of Missouri in 1959. Shortly after, he moved to Rolla with an eye on entering politics.

First elected as a municipal judge in 1960, Carnahan was elected as a state representative for Phelps County in 1962, where he became majority leader during his second term. After being defeated in a race for state senate in 1966, Carnahan practiced law in Rolla. He returned to politics in 1980, being elected as state treasurer. He served in the post for four years and was defeated in the Democratic primary for governor in 1984. In 1988, he made a second political comeback, winning an election for lieutenant governor, the sole Democratic win statewide.

In 1992, Carnahan made a second bid for governor and defeated St. Louis Mayor Vincent Schoemehl in the Democratic primary. In the general election, he defeated state Attorney General William Webster, becoming the first Democrat elected governor since 1976. During his first term, he signed legislation concerning education and taxes into law. He also dealt with crises such as the Great Flood of 1993. Carnahan was re-elected in 1996, defeating State Auditor Margaret Kelly. During his second term, he faced adversity on issues such as abortion, where his veto of a bill restricting abortion was overridden by the state legislature, and faced controversy surrounding his pardon of a death row inmate at the behest of Pope John Paul II.

In 2000, he ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent John Ashcroft in a hotly contested election. During the final weeks of the campaign, Carnahan was killed in a plane crash while on his way to a campaign event. He was posthumously elected to the U.S. Senate, and his widow, Jean Carnahan, was appointed to serve in the Senate until a special election was held in 2002.