Robert W. Scott

Robert Walter Scott ( born June 13, 1929 in Haw River, Alamance County, North Carolina; † January 23, 2009 ) was an American politician and the 67th Governor of the state of North Carolina.

Early years

Robert Scott was the son of W. Kerr Scott, who served as Governor of North Carolina 1949-1953. He attended until 1952, the University of North Carolina and served from 1953 to 1955 in the U.S. Army. Scott was a farmer who had specialized in milk production. As a result, he developed a special interest in agriculture.

Political Rise and Governor of North Carolina

Scott was a member of the Democratic Party and was elected in 1964 to the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. This office he held from 1965 to 1969 under Governor Dan K. Moore. For the upcoming 1968 gubernatorial Moore was not allowed to run because of the restrictions imposed by the Constitution limitation to a single contiguous tenure. Therefore, Scott was determined by the party as a candidate.

After he had prevailed with 52.7 percent of the vote against Republican James Carson Gardner, he joined on 1 January 1969 from his new office. His four-year term ended on January 1, 1973. During this period he increased the education budget of his state. Schools and kindergartens were promoted during his tenure. He also increased the mineral oil and enhanced with these revenues, the motorway network and campaigned for the disabled, he provided for by these groups for a free transportation system. Even Scott could not be standing for re-election because of the aforementioned constitutional provision.

More career

In 1980, Scott applied again to the office of governor, but failed in the primaries to Jim Hunt. He was also in the presidium of the regional Appalachian Commission. Between 1983 and 1995 he was president of the North Carolina Community College System. In 2003 he was involved in a scandal involving his daughter Meg Scott Phipps. This was Minister of Agriculture in North Carolina and was sentenced to 18 months in prison for bribery in connection with an election campaign.