John Engler

John Engler
46th Governor of Michigan
In office January 1, 1991 – January 1, 2003
Lieutenant	Connie Binsfeld (1991-1999) Dick Posthumous (1999-2003)
Preceded by	James Blanchard
Succeeded by	Jennifer Granholm
Personal details
Born	John Mathias Engler October 12, 1948 (1948-10-12) Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Colleen Engler (divorced) Michelle Engler
Alma mater	Michigan State University Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic

John Mathias Engler (born October 12, 1948) is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003.

Engler has spent most of his adult life in government. He was serving in the Michigan Senate when he enrolled at Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from Cooley, having served as a Michigan State Senator since 1979. He was elected Senate Majority Leader in 1984 and served there until elected governor in 1990.

Engler serves on the Board of Advisors of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, an educational organization that continues the intellectual legacy of noted conservative icon and Michigan native Russell Kirk. Engler also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Marguerite Eyer Wilbur Foundation, which funds many Kirk Center programs.

Personal life

Engler, a Roman Catholic, was born in Mount Pleasant and grew up on a cattle farm in Beal City. He attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in agricultural economics in 1971, and Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, in 1981. He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives as a State Representative in 1970 at the age of 22. His campaign manager was new MSU College Republican chair Dick Posthumus, who later went on to become Engler's Lieutenant Governor.

Engler married Colleen House in 1975. Colleen Engler, by then a state representative herself, ran unsuccessfully in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 1986. John Engler had initially declared his support for another candidate (eventual Republican nominee William Lucas), but backed Colleen Engler once she became a candidate. The couple divorced in the 1980s.

Engler married his second wife, Michelle, a lawyer, in 1990. She was named to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) board in 2001 by President George W. Bush and re-appointed in 2002. The couple have triplet daughters born November 13, 1994. The girls are named Margaret Rose, Hannah Michelle and Madeleine Jenny.

Governorship

His administration was characterized by privatization of state services, tax reduction, educational reform, welfare reform and major reorganization of executive branch departments. In 1996 he was elected Chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

1996 Presidential Election

During the 1996 presidential campaign, Engler was considered by many political commentators and experts to be a serious potential vice presidential running mate for Republican nominee Bob Dole. Eventually, however, Dole instead selected Jack Kemp, a former congressman and HUD Secretary.

2000 Presidential Election

Engler endorsed Texas Governor George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican primary.

After Bush secured the GOP nomination, Engler's name began to surface as a possible running mate for Bush [1]. In his book Decision Points, Bush says that Engler was someone he was "close" with and could "work well with." Ultimately, Engler was passed-over for the running mate position in favor of Dick Cheney. Some pundits speculated that as Engler was unsuccessful in delivering Michigan for the GOP ticket he was eliminated from contention for a coveted Cabinet position after Bush was elected. Engler's close political ally, Spencer Abraham, who lost his re-election bid for the Senate to Debbie Stabenow, was chosen as Bush's Secretary of Energy, however.

2002 Elections and Post-Gubernatorial work

Engler's lieutenant governor, Dick Posthumus, sought to succeed Engler in the 2002 gubernatorial race. Despite Republican successes across the country and in Michigan, Posthumus lost a close race to the state's Attorney General, Democrat Jennifer Granholm.

After leaving the governor's mansion in January 2003, Engler served as President of the state and local government sector of Electronic Data Systems. He left that post in August 2004.

In September 2004, Engler was named the President & CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. Engler's six year tenure at the NAM ended in January 2010.

In January 2010, Engler was named the President of the Business Roundtable.

Election results

In 1990, State Senate Majority Leader John Engler challenged Governor James Blanchard in his bid for a third term. Political observers viewed Engler's bid as a long shot, and he trailed Blanchard by double digits in the polls the weekend before the election. However, on election day Engler pulled off the upset, defeating Blanchard by approximately 17,000 votes – less than one percentage point.

In 1994 Engler ran for his second term. The Democrats nominated former Representative Howard Wolpe, who had close ties to labor movement – a potent force in Democratic politics in Michigan. Engler bested Wolpe 61% – 39%, and the state Republican party made significant gains. Spencer Abraham picked up the Senate seat of retiring Democrat Donald W. Riegle, Jr.. Republicans gained a seat to break a tie in the state House of Representatives and take a 56–54 majority, while also picking up a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Candice Miller won an upset victory to win the post of Secretary of State.

Michigan voters re-elected Engler to his third and final term in 1998. He won a landslide victory over lawyer Geoffrey Fieger. Engler took 1,883,005 votes – 62 percent of the total – to Fieger's 38 percent and 1,143,574 votes. Engler's landslide helped the state Republican party to gain six seats in the state House of Representatives, taking control of the chamber they had lost two years previously with a 58–52 margin, as well as picking up an additional seat in the State Senate, for a 23–15 majority. Republicans also gained a seat on the technically non-partisan state Supreme Court, holding a 4–3 majority over the Democrats.

Electoral history

• 1998 Race for Governor
  • John Engler (R) (inc.), 62%
  • Geoffrey Fieger (D), 38%

• 1994 Race for Governor
  • John Engler (R) (inc.), 61%
  • Howard Wolpe (D), 38%

• 1990 Race for Governor
  • John Engler (R), 50%
  • James Blanchard (D) (inc.), 49%

References

• Gleaves Whitney, John Engler: The Man, The Leader, The Legacy. ISBN 1-58536-127-5
• John J. Miller, "Citizen Engler." National Review Online, January 2, 2003
• Business Roundtable BRT,"John Engler President of Business Roundtable"

Political offices
Preceded by James Blanchard	Governor of Michigan 1991 – 2003	Succeeded by Jennifer Granholm
Preceded by Parris Glendening Maryland	Chairman of the National Governors Association 2001–2002	Succeeded by Paul E. Patton Kentucky