Bev Perdue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bev Perdue
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| 73rd Governor of North Carolina | |
| In office January 10, 2009 – January 5, 2013 |
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| Lieutenant | Walter Dalton |
| Preceded by | Mike Easley |
| Succeeded by | Pat McCrory |
| 32nd Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina | |
| In office January 6, 2001 – January 10, 2009 |
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| Governor | Mike Easley |
| Preceded by | Dennis Wicker |
| Succeeded by | Walter Dalton |
| Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Barker |
| Succeeded by | Scott Thomas |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 3rd district |
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| In office 1987–1991 |
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| Preceded by | Chris S. Barker, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | William L. Wainwright |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Beverly Marlene Moore
January 14, 1947 Grundy, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Gary Perdue
(m. 1970; div. 1994)Bob Eaves
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Kentucky (BA) University of Florida (MEd, PhD) |
Beverly "Bev" Marlene Eaves Perdue (born January 14, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Bev Perdue served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. She made history as the first woman to be governor of North Carolina.
Perdue began her political journey in the 1980s. She served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and then for many years in the North Carolina Senate. After that, she was elected as the 32nd Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. In 2008, Perdue was elected governor, winning against Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.
In 2012, Governor Perdue announced that she would not run for re-election. She was the first Democratic governor in North Carolina since Robert W. Scott to serve only one term.
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Early Life and Education
Bev Perdue was born Beverly Marlene Moore in 1947 in Grundy, Virginia. Her parents were Alfred P. and Irene Morefield Moore. Her father was a coal miner who later became a leader of a large power company.
She went to the University of Kentucky and earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1969. Later, she studied at the University of Florida. There, she earned a master's degree in 1974 and a Ph.D. (a very high-level degree) in Education Administration in 1976.
Serving in the North Carolina Legislature
Bev Perdue, a member of the Democratic Party, served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1987 to 1991. After that, she served in the North Carolina Senate from 1991 to 2001. She represented different counties in eastern North Carolina during her time in the legislature.
Working for the State
During her last six years in the Senate, she helped lead the committee that decided how the state's money was spent. While she was in office, the state government worked to improve schools and teacher pay. She also helped create a special fund to protect clean water in North Carolina. She also worked to get more support and benefits for older people.
She served on the House Judiciary Committee, which deals with laws and justice. She was also the Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, focusing on school-related issues.
Lieutenant Governor
In 2000, Bev Perdue won the election for lieutenant governor, becoming the first woman to hold that position in North Carolina. She was re-elected in 2004. As lieutenant governor, one of her most important actions was casting the deciding vote that helped create the North Carolina Education Lottery. This lottery helps raise money for education in the state.
Running for Governor in 2008
Bev Perdue announced she would run for governor on October 1, 2007, in her hometown of New Bern, North Carolina.
On May 6, 2008, she won the Democratic nomination, meaning she would be the main Democratic candidate for governor. She raised a lot of money for her campaign.
The election was very close. Many people thought it would be a tie between Perdue and her Republican opponent, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. Even though many major newspapers supported her opponent, Bev Perdue received support from famous actor and director Andy Griffith.
On November 4, 2008, Bev Perdue won the election and became the governor of North Carolina.
Campaign Reporting Fine
In 2010, Bev Perdue's 2008 campaign was fined $30,000. This was because they reported information about 41 private flights later than they should have. The State Board of Elections decided that the campaign did not mean to break the law.
Governor of North Carolina
Bev Perdue became the 73rd Governor of North Carolina on January 10, 2009.
What She Believed In
As governor, Perdue made decisions that matched the Democratic Party's views. She voted against allowing undocumented immigrants to attend community colleges in North Carolina, even if they had graduated from a North Carolina high school.
She used her power to reject bills passed by the legislature. For example, she stopped a bill that would have kept some government documents secret. She also vetoed a bill that would have required voters to show a photo ID to vote. Another bill she stopped would have allowed a drilling method called fracking in North Carolina. However, the legislature later voted to override her veto on the fracking bill in July 2012.
In 2010, Governor Perdue signed a law called Susie's Law. This law makes punishments tougher for people who are cruel to animals.
Personal Life
Bev Perdue is a member of the Episcopal Church. Before she became a politician, she worked as a public school teacher. She also directed services for older people at a hospital in her hometown of New Bern.
She lives in New Bern. She has been married to Robert Wendell Eaves, Jr. since 1997. She has two adult sons, Garrett (born 1976) and Emmett (born 1979), from her first marriage to Gary Perdue. She still uses "Perdue" as her last name.
After Being Governor
After her time as governor, Bev Perdue continued to work in education and public policy. In 2013, she was a special guest at the Harvard Institute of Politics. She then started a business that advises on education.
In August 2013, she became a special visiting expert at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy. There, she worked with students and teachers and advised a center that focuses on children and families.
In 2017, Perdue was chosen to be on the Governing Board of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. She became the first woman to lead this board in 2018 and was chosen to lead it again in 2021.
Images for kids
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Bev Perdue's official photo as Governor of North Carolina.
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Bev Perdue being sworn in as Lieutenant Governor in 2005.
