Robert Ford (politician) facts for kids

Robert Ford (born December 26, 1948) is an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic party. He served in the South Carolina Senate from 1993 to 2013. He represented District 42, which is in Charleston. Before that, from 1974 to 1992, he was a member of the Charleston City Council.

Robert Ford was involved in the civil rights movement when he was younger. As a senator, some of his public statements and ideas got a lot of attention. He ran for Governor of South Carolina in 2010 and finished third in the primary election. He left his position as senator on May 31, 2013.

About Robert Ford's Life

Robert Ford was born on December 26, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents were important leaders in the African American community. He went to Wayne State University and Grambling State University. He was asked to leave Grambling State in 1969 because he led civil rights protests. Even though it was a historically black university, it got money from the state government, which was against ending segregation.

From 1966 to 1972, Ford worked for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He worked with Martin Luther King Jr. as part of a team for the 1968 Poor People's Campaign. He was arrested 73 times for taking part in protests during the civil rights movement. In 1973, he was allowed to avoid military service because of his strong beliefs against war. Before becoming a full-time politician, Ford worked as a car salesman.

Robert Ford's Time in Politics

Robert Ford was first elected to the Charleston City Council in 1974 and served there until 1992. During this time, he faced some legal questions about a petition, but he was not found guilty.

He then ran for the State Senate and was elected on November 3, 1992. He started his term in 1993. He was reelected several times: in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. In the Senate, he worked on many different committees, including Banking and Insurance, and Judiciary. He was also a leading Democrat on some committees. Ford was a member of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. He left his position on May 31, 2013.

People often described Ford as entertaining and someone who spoke his mind freely. In the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, he supported Hillary Clinton. He later apologized for some comments he made about Barack Obama's appeal to voters. He said that any Democrat could win and that he had supported other African American candidates before. His comments led to a challenge in the 2008 primary election from a lawyer named Dwayne Green. Even though Green raised more money at first, Ford won the primary election by a large amount. After Obama won the election in November 2008, Ford praised his victory.

What Robert Ford Believed In

South Carolina State House

As a senator, Robert Ford introduced many bills, but only a few became law on their own. However, he was very good at helping to create compromise bills that combined ideas from different sides.

One of his big goals was to have the Confederate flag removed from the South Carolina State House. This was the last state capitol to display a Confederate battle flag. Ford had protested against it in the 1960s because it was a symbol of unfairness. After many years of discussion, the flag was moved to a nearby monument. This happened because of a compromise bill that Ford helped write. He also helped pass a bill in 1998 that made Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Confederate Memorial Day paid holidays. Ford hoped this would help improve how different groups of people got along in South Carolina.

Ford believed that judges should be chosen by popular vote, meaning people would vote for them. He also wanted more judges. He supported giving more power to law enforcement to help keep communities safe, such as increasing penalties for having illegal guns. Ford also wanted stronger rules for financial businesses to make sure they were fair. He worked on a bill in 2006 to limit certain types of loans, and he continued to push for changes in this area in later years.

He supported offshore drilling, which is drilling for oil or gas in the ocean. He said that protecting the environment was not the top concern for most people in the state. Geologists, however, think there isn't much oil off the coast of South Carolina. Ford also wanted to stop the widening of Interstate 26 through Charleston. Instead, he wanted a study to figure out the best way to meet transportation needs. He also stressed the importance of more money for school programs. He believed this was needed because not enough students were going to college, and he wanted to bring back subjects like geography and civics in schools.

Ford helped bring attention to concerns about the South Carolina Highway Patrol. After he spoke out with Glenn McConnell, the director and deputy director of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety left their jobs.

Ford also supported laws that would protect people from harm or threats based on their race, religion, gender, age, or other personal traits. He introduced several bills about gay rights, such as allowing hospital visitation rights for partners. He argued that even if these ideas didn't pass, they would start important discussions. He specifically wanted to talk about how young African American men dress and rap music. He said, "You don't have to copy prisoners anymore. You can copy someone like Barack Obama."

Ford often disagreed with Governor Mark Sanford's plans. He felt that the public didn't want the governor's proposed changes. He often voted against Sanford's money plans and worked to overturn the governor's decisions about the budget. However, he did agree with Sanford that security for the State House was too expensive. He also opposed a bill that would have given Sanford more power over the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Running for Governor in 2010

Robert Ford ran to become the next Governor of South Carolina in the 2010 election. One of his ideas was to bring back video poker to the state. He thought that taxing this gaming industry could help balance the state's budget. He had suggested this idea since the late 1990s.

In the primary election, Ford ran against state senator Vincent A. Sheheen and State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex. On June 8, 2010, Ford finished in third place in the primary election. He received 18 percent of the votes.

Images for kids

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  South Carolina State House