Pat McCrory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pat McCrory
McCrory in 2015
74th Governor of North Carolina
In office January 5, 2013 – January 1, 2017
Lieutenant	Dan Forest
Preceded by	Bev Perdue
Succeeded by	Roy Cooper
53rd Mayor of Charlotte
In office December 7, 1995 – December 7, 2009
Preceded by	Richard Vinroot
Succeeded by	Anthony Foxx
Personal details
Born	Patrick Lloyd McCrory (1956-10-17) October 17, 1956 (age 68) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ann Sturgis ​ (m. 1988)​
Education	Catawba College (BA)

Patrick Lloyd McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American politician and businessman. He also hosts a radio show. McCrory served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. He is the only Republican to be elected governor of North Carolina in the 2000s.

Before becoming governor, he was the 53rd mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009. While mayor, he was part of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006. This council advises the President on keeping the country safe.

McCrory ran for governor in 2008 but lost to Bev Perdue. He ran again in 2012 and won with 55 percent of the votes. He was the first mayor of Charlotte to become governor. He was also the first Republican to win the governorship of North Carolina since 1988.

In 2016, McCrory signed a law called the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act (HB2). This law caused a lot of discussion across the country. It stopped local governments from making their own rules against unfair treatment. It also said that in government buildings, people must use restrooms that match the sex on their birth certificates. Many businesses and groups disagreed with this law. Experts said HB2 negatively affected North Carolina's economy by a lot of money. The law was partly changed in March 2017, after McCrory lost his re-election bid.

McCrory lost his chance for a second term as governor in 2016 to Roy Cooper. He accepted his loss a month after the election. In 2022, McCrory ran for the U.S. Senate but lost in the Republican primary election.

Early Life and Education

Pat McCrory was born in Columbus, Ohio. His family moved to North Carolina when he was a child. He grew up in the Presbyterian faith. In 1974, he graduated from Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, North Carolina.

He then went to Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. In 1978, he earned degrees in political science and education. McCrory was very involved in the Student Government Association.

In 2001, Catawba College gave him an honorary degree. He has also served on the college's Board of Trustees.

Business Career

McCrory worked for Duke Energy for 28 years. In 2008, he retired from the company to focus on his campaign for governor.

After his time as mayor, he became a partner at McCrory & Company, a sales consulting firm. He also joined the law firm Moore & Van Allen PLLC. Since 2017, he has hosted a radio show called "The Pat McCrory Show with Bo Thompson."

Charlotte City Council (1989–1995)

McCrory started his political career in Charlotte in 1989. He was elected as an At-Large City Councilman. He was re-elected in 1991 and 1993. From 1993 to 1995, McCrory served as Mayor Pro Tem. This means he filled in for the mayor when needed.

Mayor of Charlotte (1995–2009)

In 1995, Pat McCrory was elected mayor of Charlotte. He took over from Richard Vinroot. At 39 years old, McCrory was the city's youngest mayor. He became known as a very popular and friendly mayor. In the 2007 mayoral election, he won with 61 percent of the votes.

In late 2008, McCrory announced he would not run for an eighth term. He is the longest-serving mayor in Charlotte's history.

City Transportation Improvements

McCrory helped create Charlotte's 25-year plan for transportation and land use. He worked with U.S. Senator Jesse Helms to get $200 million in federal money. This money helped build the city's new Lynx Light Rail system. The plan also expanded bus service and brought light rail to the city. The light-rail line is seen as one of his biggest achievements as mayor.

Economic Growth in Charlotte

During McCrory's time as mayor, Charlotte's population grew by 20%. The population of Uptown Charlotte also increased a lot. He worked to bring companies like TIAA-CREF and General Dynamics to the city. The Charlotte Arena and the U.S. Whitewater Center also opened during his term. In 2005, Money magazine called Charlotte one of the Top 3 Best Places to Live.

National Roles and Homeland Security

McCrory was involved in many national groups. He was president of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials (RMLO) organization. He also chaired the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Committee for Housing and Community Development.

In 2002, President George W. Bush chose McCrory to be on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. This council helps keep the country safe.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

As mayor, McCrory led the effort to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to Charlotte. He worked with local business leaders and NASCAR teams. On March 6, 2006, Charlotte was chosen over other cities to be the home of the Hall of Fame.

Awards and Community Work

In 2004, McCrory created a rule to save trees in new residential areas. He also started a Sidewalk Policy. This policy required sidewalks in new neighborhoods and funded them in older ones. He also helped add 42 miles of bike lanes throughout the city.

In 2003, he received the Homeownership Hero Award. This award recognized his work in helping Charlotte have a high rate of homeownership.

McCrory founded the Mayor's Mentoring Alliance in 1995. This group helps connect young people with mentors. In 2005, Charlotte was named one of the '100 Best Communities for Youth.' He also supported a program called "Gang of One." This program helps prevent children from joining gangs.

2008 Gubernatorial Campaign

McCrory campaigning in 2008

McCrory decided to run for governor in November 2007. He officially announced his campaign on January 15, 2008.

In the primary election on May 6, 2008, McCrory won the Republican nomination. He defeated four other candidates. In the general election, he faced Democratic lieutenant governor Bev Perdue. Perdue raised more money and ran ads against McCrory.

Many major newspapers in the state supported McCrory. These included the Raleigh News and Observer and the Charlotte Observer. However, Perdue won the election. She received 50.27% of the votes, while McCrory received 46.88%. This was the closest governor's race in the U.S. in 2008.

Time Between Campaigns (2009–2012)

After losing the 2008 election, McCrory decided not to run for mayor again in 2009. He returned to working in the private sector. He worked for his brother's consulting firm and a law firm.

McCrory stayed active in the North Carolina Republican Party. He spoke at many party events. He also worked closely with Republican leaders in the state legislature.

2012 Gubernatorial Campaign

Gov. McCrory speaks at the Cary Innovation Center in 2012

Governor Bev Perdue decided not to run for re-election in 2012. McCrory announced his candidacy for governor on January 31, 2012. On May 8, 2012, he won the Republican primary with a large majority of the votes.

McCrory then defeated Democratic Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton in the general election. He won with 55% of the votes, compared to Dalton's 43%. This was the biggest win for a Republican in an open governor's race since the Reconstruction period.

McCrory shared his plans for the economy and education. He wanted to lower the unemployment rate and change North Carolina's tax laws. For education, he suggested more classroom technology and expanding charter schools. He also wanted to change how schools are graded.

Governor of North Carolina (2013–2017)

McCrory became governor on January 5, 2013. He was the first Republican governor of North Carolina since 1993. With his election, Republicans gained full control of the state government for the first time since 1870.

New Laws and Policies

As governor, McCrory signed many new laws. One law cut unemployment benefits in North Carolina. It reduced the maximum number of weeks people could receive help. This helped the state's unemployment fund recover faster.

In March 2013, McCrory signed a bill that opted the state out of the expanded Medicaid program. This program was part of the Affordable Care Act. He also signed a law that repealed the state's Racial Justice Act. This act had allowed inmates facing the death penalty to challenge their sentences based on racial discrimination.

He signed a law requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote. It also reduced the number of days for early voting. In July 2016, a court panel blocked the photo ID rules. The court said these rules unfairly targeted African Americans.

In July 2013, McCrory signed tax reform legislation. This created a simpler flat-tax system for the state. It also removed North Carolina's estate tax.

In June 2014, McCrory signed the Energy Modernization Act. This law allowed "fracking" (a way to get natural gas) in the state. He said this would create jobs and help the economy.

After losing the 2016 election, McCrory signed laws that would reduce the power of the North Carolina governorship. However, a judge temporarily blocked these laws from taking effect.

Governor's Vetoes

McCrory used his veto power several times. In August 2013, he vetoed a bill that would have required drug tests for welfare benefits. He also vetoed a bill about background checks for employees. However, the General Assembly (state legislature) voted to override both of his vetoes. This meant the bills still became law.

In May 2015, McCrory vetoed a bill that would have allowed officials to refuse to perform same-sex marriages due to religious reasons. He also vetoed a bill related to "ag-gag" laws (which make it harder to report animal abuse). Both of these vetoes were also overridden by the legislature.

Education Changes

McCrory signed the largest education budgets in North Carolina's history in 2013 and 2015. He supported paying teachers based on their performance. When he took office, North Carolina's teacher pay was ranked 47th in the nation. By 2016, it moved up to 41st. In 2016, he signed the largest teacher pay raise in the country. This led to average teacher pay rising to $50,000 per year.

Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act (HB2)

On March 23, 2016, McCrory signed the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, known as HB2. This law removed rules that protected people from unfair treatment, including for gay and transgender individuals. It also stopped cities from creating their own minimum wage or benefit rules.

The law said that in government buildings, people could only use restrooms that matched the sex on their birth certificates. This meant transgender people who had not changed their birth certificates could not use the restroom that matched their gender identity. McCrory said the law was passed because the Charlotte City Council had passed a rule against discrimination.

HB2 caused many public protests. Some famous entertainers canceled shows in North Carolina. Companies also pulled jobs and investments out of the state. For example, PayPal stopped a planned expansion that would have created 400 jobs. The National Basketball Association (NBA) moved the 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte. The NCAA also moved championship games from the state.

McCrory tried to find a way to repeal HB2 if Charlotte would repeal its own rule. However, a full agreement was not reached. The United States Department of Justice and others filed lawsuits against McCrory and the state over HB2.

After McCrory lost his re-election, the legislature repealed HB2 on March 30, 2017. They passed a new law instead. Governor Roy Cooper signed the new law, but he said it was "not a perfect deal."

Approval Ratings

During his time as governor, McCrory's approval ratings changed. In July 2013, his approval rating was around 40%. By April 2015, it was 36%. However, towards the end of his term in September 2016, his approval rating went up to 49%.

2016 Gubernatorial Campaign

McCrory ran against Roy Cooper in the 2016 election. On election night, the race was very close. McCrory was slightly behind Cooper.

McCrory's campaign raised concerns about possible voting problems. They filed protests in many counties. However, McCrory officially accepted his loss to Cooper on December 5. He was the first sitting Governor of North Carolina to lose a re-election bid since 1850.

2022 U.S. Senate Election

In 2022, McCrory ran for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. He wanted to replace the retiring Senator Richard Burr. During his campaign, McCrory said he supported the policies of former President Trump. However, he also said he believed Joe Biden had won the 2020 election. Trump supported another candidate, Ted Budd, in the primary. McCrory lost the primary election to Ted Budd.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Pat McCrory para niños