Ronnie Musgrove - Political Career

Political Career

Before being elected governor, Musgrove was a two-term state senator and lieutenant governor under Kirk Fordice.

Shortly after being elected lieutenant governor, Musgrove was seriously injured in a car accident while traveling on official state business. He gained national attention a few months later when he was pressed into service as acting governor after then-Gov. Fordice (a Republican and fierce political opponent) nearly died in his own car accident. While serving as acting governor in Fordice's absence, Musgrove was a model of political restraint, limiting his activities to signing proclamations, processing extraditions, declaring weather-related emergencies and making appointments recommended by Fordice's staff. At the time, Musgrove was quoted as saying, "When we're confronted by these types of matters, politics has to be put on the back burner and we have to do the right thing."

In 1998 Musgrove chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors. A Harvard study listed then Lt. Governor Musgrove as one of the top three most powerful lieutenant governors in the United States.

The 1999 gubernatorial election between Musgrove and Republican Congressman Mike Parker was the closest in Mississippi history. Out of almost three-quarters of a million votes cast, Musgrove had won 8,300 more votes than Parker in a four-way election, but fell a fraction of a percentage point short of receiving a majority (as required by the state’s 1890 Constitution). Since neither candidate received a majority of the popular vote, the Mississippi House of Representatives had to select the winner. They chose Musgrove. It was the first time the election of a Mississippi governor was decided by the Mississippi House.

As Governor, Musgrove served as chair or vice chair of a number of boards and associations, including the National Governor's Association (vice chair), the Southern Regional Education Board (chair), the Southern States Energy Board (chair elect), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (chair elect) and the Executive Committee for the Democratic Governors Association (vice chair of policy).

As governor, Musgrove presided over what is still considered the largest economic development project in Mississippi history. In August 2000, he launched the Advantage Mississippi Initiative (AMI) to create new jobs for the state, which brought in a new Nissan Motor Company production plant. The $1.4 billion Nissan Motor Company production plant created 5,300 direct jobs and over 25,000 indirect jobs. Nissan's arrival gave legitimacy to the notion that the Southeastern United States could become an automotive manufacturing leader. Musgrove's AMI economic development package also helped set in motion the mechanics needed to recruit Toyota to Blue Springs.

After losing his bid for re-election in 2003 to Republican challenger Haley Barbour, Musgrove returned to private practice with the law firm of Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, P.A. in Ridgeland, Mississippi. On January 4, 2008, Musgrove confirmed that he would be a candidate in the United States Senate special election in Mississippi in 2008 against Republican candidate Roger Wicker, who was appointed to the position by Governor Haley Barbour when Trent Lott resigned. Musgrove lost to Wicker.

Musgrove has remained active in public service since leaving office, continuing to serve on a number of boards and commissions that advocate for quality education and better access to health care for rural and low income families.