Kirk Fordice

Kirk Fordice
61st Governor of Mississippi
In office January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000
Lieutenant	Eddie Briggs Ronnie Musgrove
Preceded by	Ray Mabus
Succeeded by	Ronnie Musgrove
Personal details
Born	Daniel Kirkwood Fordice Jr. (1934-02-10)February 10, 1934 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	September 7, 2004(2004-09-07) (aged 70) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Resting place	Parkway Memorial Cemetery, Ridgeland, Mississippi
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Patricia Owens ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1999)​ Ann G. Creson ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2003)​
Children	4
Profession	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Army Reserve
Years of service	1957–1959; 1959–1977
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War 1st Infantry Division

Daniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice Jr. (/fɔːrdaɪs/; February 10, 1934 – September 7, 2004) was an American politician and businessman who served as the 61st governor of Mississippi from 1992 to 2000. A member of the Republican Party, he was the state's first governor elected to two consecutive four-year terms (following a 1987 amendment to the state constitution).^[1]

A staunch conservative, Fordice ran on a pro-business, anti-crime, low-tax, "family values" platform.^[2] Fordice's tenure was marked by an extramarital affair, which led to his divorce from his wife of forty-four years, Pat Fordice.

Fordice first ran for governor in 1991, defeating Democratic incumbent Ray Mabus with nearly 51% of the vote, and was decisively reelected in 1995. He was term limited in 1999, and was succeeded by Ronnie Musgrove.