Bob Holden
Bob Holden (born August 24,
1949, in
Kansas City, Missouri), is an
American politician of the
Democratic Party who is best known as a former
Governor of Missouri.
Holden was raised on a farm in the
Ozarks near
Birch Tree. He attended a one-room school and earned his bachelor's degree in political science at
Southwest Missouri State University, where he was a member of the
Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. He also attended the
John F. Kennedy School of Government at
Harvard University where he took courses specifically tailored for government executives. Holden met his wife Lori Hauser Holden during his first campaign for the Missouri General Assembly and together they have two boys, Robert and John D.
[Holden's biography at the Webster University Public Policy Forum website]From
1983 to
1989, Holden was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives. Holden served as State Treasurer from
1993 to
2001 and as governor from 2001 to 2005.
Governor of Missouri
In the 2000 gubernatorial election, Holden narrowly defeated
Republican Jim Talent. Holden was inaugurated as Governor in January
2001. Bob Holden's inauguration was the most elaborate and expensive in state history. The inauguration ceremony cost $1 million, of which $125,000 was paid from state government funds.
[St. Louis Business Jorunal Mentions Inaugural Costs]Holden was a member of the
National Governors Association and was elected chair of the Midwestern Governors' Conference which led the Midwestern states' efforts to stimulate the economy by focusing on education and research. He also chaired the Governor's Ethanol Coalition and represented fellow Governors on the National Medicaid Reform Task Force. Holden was pro-gun control and vetoed a concealed-carry bill passed by the
Missouri General Assembly. Holden favored greater spending on state higher education. At one point in his term, he called the state legislature back into session after they had recessed for the year to ask for more state funding for higher education, but they refused additional monies.
Holden's term as Governor ended on
January 10,
2005.
2004 election
In 2004, Holden was challenged by Democratic State Auditor,
Claire McCaskill, for the office of Governor. McCaskill successfully tapped into broad-based disgruntlement with Holden that prompted even some Democrats to call him by the unflattering moniker "OTB" (One Term Bob).
[The Associated Press State & Local Wire; July 18, 2003; BC cycle; Missouri's Democratic governor facing opposition in own party David A. Lieb, Associated Press Writer.] Citing Holden's ineffectiveness as Governor as well as Republican tactics to perpetuate their candidate, McCaskill defeated Holden in the Democratic primary. This made Holden the first one-term Governor (when challenged within the party) in nearly two decades. Despite McCaskill's victory, however, she was criticized by some Democrats for accepting campaign contributions from
Anheuser-Busch, who had pulled their support for Holden after he vetoed a concealed weapons bill passed by the state legislature.
McCaskill was beaten in the November 2 general election by Republican Secretary of State
Matt Blunt.
Holden now teaches management classes at
Webster University. On May 10, 2006, Holden was present for the event kicking off the Holden Public Policy Forum at Webster University. The Forum describes itself as "a bi-partisan speakers series that will bring Governors, Senators, presidential candidates and private sector public policy leaders to St. Louis and the Webster University Old Post Office campus."
[About the Holden Public Policy Forum at Webster University]*
2004 Race for Governor - Democratic Primary**
Claire McCaskill (D), 52%
**Bob Holden (D) (inc.), 45%
*
2000 Race for Governor**Bob Holden (D), 49%
**
Jim Talent (R), 48%
