Jim Hodges

Hodges entered the 1998 gubernatorial election in South Carolina an underdog but took advantage of controversy and missteps by incumbent Republican governor David Beasley, namely Beasley's indecisiveness on allowing a Confederate flag to fly at the state capitol and call to eliminate video poker.[7] Donations from video gambling interests helped Hodges narrow a near million-dollar fundraising gap with Beasley.[8]

In what was reported as an upset victory,[9] Hodges won the gubernatorial race with a 53 to 45 percent margin and won 35 of 46 counties.[10] Hodges became the first challenger to defeat a sitting governor since the South Carolina constitution first allowed consecutive terms in 1980.[11][12]

As South Carolina's 114th governor, Hodges signed a law that made Martin Luther King, Jr. Day an official state holiday; South Carolina was the last state in the U.S. to do so. That law also added a Confederate Memorial Day, a move that drew opposition from the NAACP.[13] Several hours later, Hodges signed the South Carolina Heritage Act which the General Assembly had passed as a compromise so that the Confederate flag could be moved from the state capitol's dome to its grounds.[14]

Public education was a major focus in the Hodges administration, as Hodges oversaw the founding of the South Carolina Education Lottery and the First Steps preschool initiative. The governor also helped pass a $1.1 billion school construction initiative, and the lottery funded millions in college scholarships to South Carolina students.[10][12]

Hodges made efforts to reform land use policy in South Carolina. He signed several executive orders which created task forces and interagency councils. Besides the Historic Preservation Task Force created by Hodges, Governor Mark Sanford did not continue Hodges policies.[15] Hodges also instituted the construction of the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, which is North America's longest cabled spanned bridge.

Nikki Haley gives Jim Hodges pen after bill signing to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina State House.

Hodges received criticism in his first year in office for his management of the Hurricane Floyd evacuation, particularly his decision not to make Interstate 26 one-way westbound.[16][17] Hodges also received blame for financial problems with the state Department of Commerce and long lines at Division of Motor Vehicles offices.[12]

In 2003, the University of South Carolina self-reported to the NCAA several secondary recruiting violations on Hodges' part. Hodges had met with recruits, something he was prohibited from doing as an ex-oficio trustee of the university.[18]

Like Hodges' 1998 bid, the race concentrated on issues such as education and the state budget. On November 5, 2002, former U.S. Representative Mark Sanford defeated Hodges in the general election for governor, 53 to 47 percent.[19]

During the campaign, Sanford "likened Hodges to a weasel and to former President Bill Clinton and Al Gore," reported The State in October 2002.[20] To date, Hodges remains the last Democrat to have served as governor of South Carolina.