For Immediate Release April 29, 2009

Contact:  NLGA Director Julia Hurst

T:  (859) 283-1400 or jhurst@csg.org

IMPACT OF THE OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

ON THE GOVERNORSHIP IS INCREASING

Yesterday’s Kansas gubernatorial succession is the 18^th this decade

Majority of nation’s largest states are led by former lieutenant governors

One in four of the nation’s governors this decade first served in the position of lieutenant governor.  From 2000 through today, more than 28% of the nation’s governors were previously lieutenant governor or first in line of gubernatorial succession.  “The percentage of governors who were first lieutenant governor increased this decade compared to past years,” said National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Associate Director Morgan Mundell of a new analysis on this decade’s rates.  “And, the percentage may further increase before the decade ends.”   

Kansas Lt. Governor Mark Parkinson is the eighteenth lieutenant governor to succeed to governor since 2000 and the third to succeed in 2009 alone.  Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer both became Governor in their respective states in January of this year.  New York Lt. Governor David Paterson succeeded in March of 2008.  All four were members of the NLGA Executive Committee. 

In 2006, NLGA conducted a 50-state research project analyzing the vitae of every governor who served in any state between January of 1980 and June of 2006.  “The data showed 25% of the governors had also served as lieutenant governor or first in line of succession,” said Mundell.  “The 1996 publication “Lieutenant Governors:  The Office and its Powers” found a “significant 23% of governors between the years 1900 – 1980 served at one point as lieutenant governor.”

“For more than a century, an average of one in four governors first served as lieutenant governor,” said NLGA Director Julia Hurst.  “This week’s succession and new research shows that trend appears to be increasing.”  

Ten current governors first served as lieutenant governor or first in line of succession.  These include the governors of Nebraska, Arizona, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Virginia and Kansas.  Texas, New York, and Illinois are three of largest states by population in the nation.  Six sitting governors served on the NLGA Executive Committee and/or as a NLGA meeting host.

“The office of lieutenant governor is a vital office with an occupant who plays a critical daily and long-range role in state government,” said Hurst.  “Likewise, the impact of the office of lieutenant governor on the governorship is increasing.”  For more information on gubernatorial successions and the office of lieutenant governor, please visit www.nlga.us.