Jim Nance McCord

Jim Nance McCord ( born March 17, 1879 in Unionville, Bedford County, Tennessee, † September 2, 1968 in Nashville, Tennessee ) was an American politician (Democratic Party) and the 44th Governor of the State of Tennessee.

Early years and political rise

After school McCord 1894 first clerk in a hardware store. Later, he sold books for a while, before he was a traveling salesman from 1900 to 1910 on the go. In 1910 he became co-owner of " Marshall Gazette", a local newspaper, which he later purchased and issued. He also was an auctioneer for livestock and real estate. Between 1915 and 1942 he was a member of the District Court in Marshall County and from 1917 to 1942 he was continuously Mayor of Lewisburg. In 1932 he was one of the electors of Franklin D. Roosevelt; In 1940 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. In 1942 he was elected for a two year term as representative of the fifth electoral district of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Governor of Tennessee

For the 1944 gubernatorial incumbent Prentice Cooper was not allowed to run because he had reached the constitutional limit of three consecutive terms of office. With the help of the influential Edward Crump McCord was chosen as the candidate of the Democrats. After his easy victory against Republican John W. Kilgo and re-election he remained two terms until 1949 in office. Next to him was given the task to lead after the end of the Second World War, the conversion of the state in time of peace in the way. This included the conversion of industrial production to civilian goods. As governor he increased the budget for education. The funds were deposited by the introduction of a two-percent tax. With a new labor law itself McCord made ​​unpopular with his constituents. The VAT and the Labour Code were the reasons for his defeat in the primaries within the party of the year instead of his ex- Governor Gordon Browning was nominated and elected in 1948..

Further CV

After the end of his term in 1953 he was a delegate to the Convention on the Future of the Constitution of Tennessee. The old constitution had remained unchanged since 1870 and now had to the terms of the 20th century to be adjusted. A major reform issue was the extension of the term of office of the governor of two to four years. McCord was 1953-1958 Environmental Officer under Governor Frank G. Clement and 1958 unsuccessful candidate of an independent list for the post of governor. In 1956 he was again a delegate to the Federal Convention of the Democratic Party.