James J. Blanchard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James J. Blanchard
United States Ambassador to Canada
In office August 19, 1993 – March 29, 1996
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Peter Teeley
Succeeded by	Gordon Giffin
45th Governor of Michigan
In office January 1, 1983 – January 1, 1991
Lieutenant	Martha Griffiths
Preceded by	William Milliken
Succeeded by	John Engler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 18th district
In office January 3, 1975 – January 1, 1983
Preceded by	Robert J. Huber
Succeeded by	William Broomfield
Personal details
Born	James Johnston Blanchard (1942-08-08) August 8, 1942 (age 82) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Paula Blanchard (Divorced 1987) Janet Blanchard
Education	Michigan State University (BA, MBA) University of Minnesota (JD)

James Johnston Blanchard (born August 8, 1942) is an American lawyer, diplomat, and politician. He served as the 45th governor of Michigan from 1983 to 1991. Blanchard is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983. Later, he served as the United States Ambassador to Canada from 1993 to 1996.

Early Life and Education

James Blanchard was born in Detroit, Michigan, on August 8, 1942. He grew up in Ferndale, Michigan, and went to Lincoln High School.

He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964. He also received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the same university in 1965. In 1968, Blanchard earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Minnesota Law School. Soon after, he became a licensed lawyer in Michigan. He lives in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan.

Political Career

Blanchard started his career as a lawyer in Lansing. He worked as a legal advisor for the Michigan Secretary of State in 1968 and 1969. From 1969 to 1974, he was an Assistant Attorney General for Michigan. He also held roles as an administrative assistant and assistant deputy attorney general.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

In 1974, Blanchard was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Michigan's 18th District as a Democrat. He served in Congress from January 3, 1975, until January 1, 1983.

During his time in Congress, he helped create a law that provided federal loan guarantees for the Chrysler Corporation. This action was very important because it helped save the company from going out of business.

Governor of Michigan

Blanchard as governor.

In 1982, Blanchard decided not to run for re-election to the U.S. House. Instead, he ran for Governor of Michigan and won. He defeated Richard Headlee, a Republican. Blanchard served two terms as governor, from 1983 to 1991. He was the first Democratic governor in Michigan in 20 years.

When Blanchard became governor on January 1, 1983, Michigan was facing big problems. The state had a $1.7 billion budget deficit, which meant it was spending much more money than it was taking in. Unemployment was very high, over 17 percent, and Michigan had the worst credit rating in the country. This made it hard for the state to borrow money.

Governor Blanchard worked with business leaders, labor groups, and educators to create a plan for Michigan's future. He raised income taxes and fees to help the state's finances. By the end of his time as governor, he had balanced eight state budgets in a row. He also improved Michigan's credit rating and created a $422 million "rainy-day fund." This fund helped the state save money and avoid high borrowing costs.

Newsweek magazine praised Governor Blanchard for leading "one of the most dramatic economic turnarounds" in state government. Other national publications also recognized him as one of the best governors in America. However, in 1990, Blanchard lost his campaign for a third term to John Engler, a Republican state senator.

Later Career and Public Service

After leaving the governor's office in 1991, Blanchard became a partner at a law firm in Washington, D.C. He also led Bill Clinton's successful presidential campaign in Michigan in 1992.

President Clinton later appointed Blanchard as the United States Ambassador to Canada. He held this important diplomatic role from 1993 to 1996. In 2002, Blanchard ran for governor again but did not win the primary election.

As of 2004, he was a partner at the law firm DLA Piper U.S. He lived in Beverly Hills, Michigan. Blanchard served as Chairman of the Meridian International Center. He was also on the advisory board for the Institute for Law and Politics at the University of Minnesota Law School. He was President of the Foundation for the National Archives. Blanchard also helped lead the Canada-United States Law Institute.

Blanchard served on the board of Enbridge, a Canadian pipeline company, for over 10 years. He advised them after an oil spill in the Kalamazoo River in 2010. He was also a member of the "Debt Reduction Task Force" at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Additionally, he served on the boards of Nortel and Chrysler Group LLC.

Blanchard is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One, a group that works on political reform.