Mike Beebe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Beebe
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Beebe in 2009
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| 45th Governor of Arkansas | |
| In office January 9, 2007 – January 13, 2015 |
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| Lieutenant | Bill Halter (2007–2011) Mark Darr (2011–2014) Vacant (2014–2015) |
| Preceded by | Mike Huckabee |
| Succeeded by | Asa Hutchinson |
| 54th Attorney General of Arkansas | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 9, 2007 |
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| Governor | Mike Huckabee |
| Preceded by | Mark Pryor |
| Succeeded by | Dustin McDaniel |
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from the 21st district |
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| In office 1983–2003 |
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| Succeeded by | Barbara Horn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mickey Dale Beebe
December 28, 1946 Amagon, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Ginger Croom
(m. 1979) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Arkansas State University, Jonesboro (BA) University of Arkansas (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1968–1974 |
| Unit |  United States Army Reserve |
Mickey Dale Beebe (born December 28, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 45th Governor of Arkansas from 2007 to 2015. He was the last Democrat to hold that office.
Mike Beebe was born in Amagon, Arkansas. He graduated from Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas. After becoming a lawyer, Beebe was elected to the Arkansas Senate in 1982. He served five terms there, from 1983 to 2003. During his last term, he was the President of the Senate. In 2002, Beebe was elected Arkansas Attorney General, serving from 2003 to 2007.
As a member of the Democratic Party, Beebe ran for governor in 2006. He won the election against Asa Hutchinson with 56% of the votes. Beebe was re-elected for a second term in 2010. He won against Jim Keet with 64% of the votes. Due to term limits, Beebe could not run for governor again in 2014. He left office on January 13, 2015.
After leaving office, Beebe joined the Roberts Law Firm PA in Little Rock. He also became a board member for Tyson Foods.
Contents
Early Life & Education
Mike Beebe was born in Amagon, a small town in Jackson County, Arkansas. His mother, a waitress, raised him. He never met his father. As a child, his family moved often. They lived in cities like Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, and Houston. They also lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The family later returned to Newport, Arkansas. Beebe graduated from high school there in 1964, when he was seventeen.
Beebe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Arkansas State University in 1968. He was part of the Sigma Pi fraternity. He then earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from the University of Arkansas in 1972. Beebe also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1968 to 1974.
Start of Political Career
In 1982, Mike Beebe was elected to the Arkansas State Senate. The person who held the seat before him unexpectedly left the race. This meant Beebe had no opponents in the primary or general election. He served in the State Senate for 20 years. During this time, he was known for being good at making deals. He never faced an opponent in his twenty years in the Senate. In his last session, Beebe was chosen as the president pro tempore of the Senate. This means he was the leader of the Senate.
In 2002, he was elected Arkansas Attorney General. This job involves being the chief legal officer for the state. He held this position for four years before becoming governor.
Governor of Arkansas (2007–2015)
Mike Beebe served as the Governor of Arkansas for two terms.
First Term as Governor
On June 14, 2005, Beebe announced he would run for Governor of Arkansas. He won the election on November 7, 2006. He defeated Republican candidate Asa Hutchinson and others. Beebe received 55 percent of the votes.
Beebe became governor on January 9, 2007. During his first term, he focused on several key areas. He worked to create a balanced state budget. He also tried to lower taxes for the middle class. This included cutting the state's grocery tax and increasing a property tax credit.
Education was another important focus for Beebe. He wanted to spend more money on students with special needs. He also created a program to improve the quality of teachers in Arkansas. This program offered better pay and mentoring. It aimed to encourage bright students to become teachers, especially in rural schools. Beebe also planned to remove the tax on utilities for manufacturers.
He also had a plan to make health care more affordable and easier to get. His ideas included using federal tax credits to make private insurance cheaper. He also wanted to expand Medicaid and use more preventive care.
Second Term as Governor
In January 2011, Governor Beebe said he supported a tax increase to fund highways. He believed it was needed for the state's roads.
In January 2012, he suggested increasing the state budget by $163 million. He proposed more funding for the Human Services Department and public schools. He also asked for an audit of the state's Forestry Commission. This was after a $4 million budget shortfall.
In the 2012 elections, Republicans gained control of both parts of the state legislature. This was the first time since 1874. This meant Beebe was the first Democratic Governor of Arkansas to work with a Republican-controlled legislature.
In April 2013, Beebe signed a law called Arkansas's "private option." This allowed the state to use federal Medicaid money. It helped thousands of low-income residents get private health insurance. The state's legislature, with a Republican majority, approved this plan.
Beebe remained very popular during his time as governor. His approval rating never dropped below 70 percent. He was term-limited and could not run for re-election in 2014.
Post-Governorship
After leaving office in 2015, Mike Beebe continued to be active. In March 2015, he joined the Roberts Law Firm PA in Little Rock. In December 2015, he was named to the board of directors for Tyson Foods. This is a large food company.
Images for kids
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Beebe in 2009
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Seal of the United States Army Reserve
See also
