“In other news Wyoming’s RINO Governor Matt Mead wins reelection over 2 challengers with a paltry 55% to 32% for Dr. Taylor Haynes (who was seeking to become the first Black Republican Governor) and 13% for very unpopular former Schools Chief Cindy Hill. It’s very likely a single strong conservative candidate would have upended Mead, who won a wide open primary 4 years ago with a very meager plurality. There’s a race we could have used a runoff in.”
First of all—and before DJ beats me to the punch—Dr. Haynes would not have become the first black Republican governor. The first black Republican governor was P.B.S. Pinchback, who served as governor of Louisiana from December 29, 1872 until January 13, 1873. And the second black Republican governor was Melvin Evans of the U.S. Virgin Islands, who served from 1969 to 1975, the final four years of which were as the territory’s first elected governor (and who later served a single term in Congress as the USVI’s delegate).
As for how a single strong conservative challenger might have defeated Mead, maybe. But I wouldn’t say that “[there’s a race we could have used a runoff in,” given that Mead got 55%, so he wouldn’t have faced a run-off.
I meant we could have used a runoff in the *2010* primary which Mead won with under 29% and only a few hundred votes ahead of Rita Meyer. 29%, jeez.
“P.B.S. Pinchback, Melvin Evans “
Right right. I should have said elected Governor, of a State. Perhaps if that fellow in Wisconsin can beat old man LaFollette, he might be a future Governor. A shame about Jennifer Carroll in Florida.
Technically, Pinchback was not elected Governor. He succeeded to the post as Lieutenant Governor when incumbent Henry Warmoth was impeached. Pinchback didn’t run for the next term as he was expected to assume the Senate seat to which he was duly elected, but refused his seat on a challenge, and the seat remained vacant for a few years until the Democrats were able to fill it.
Also, Melvin Evans was not the second Black GOP Governor, either. He was the 1st (and only) elected Black Governor to date. However, he was the fourth Black GOP Governor. Following Pinchback, President Eisenhower appointed two Black GOP Governors in the Virgin Islands: Archie A. Alexander assumed the office in 1954 but resigned the following year after a scandal involving road-building contracts; Dr. Walter A. Gordon formally succeeded Alexander the same year and served until 1958 when he was promoted to Federal Judge.
Mel Evans was technically appointed by Nixon in 1969, but won the first territorial election called in 1970.