This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Grimes2 (talk | contribs) at 23:48, 12 December 2024. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 23:48, 12 December 2024 by Grimes2 (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) American businessman and politician (1928–2024)
| Clarke Reed | |
|---|---|
 Reed in 2010 | |
| State Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party | |
| In office 1966–1976 | |
| Preceded by | Wirt Yerger |
| Succeeded by | Charles W. Pickering |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clarke Thomas Reed Sr. (1928-08-04)August 4, 1928 Alliance, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 2024(2024-12-08) (aged 96) Greenville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Julia Brooks (m. 1957) |
| Children | 3; including Julia Evans |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Clarke Thomas Reed Sr. (August 4, 1928 – December 8, 2024) was an American businessman and politician. He served as State Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party from 1966 to 1976. He was widely credited for strengthening the Republican Party's influence and eventual dominance the Southern United States. Prior to his political career, Reed was an agricultural businessman and a graduate in economics.
Early life
Reed was born in Alliance, Ohio, on August 4, 1928. He was raised in Caruthersville, Missouri. He graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Missouri in 1950, and then spent two years in the United States Air Force. His study of economics were primarily influenced by Conservative thinkers such as Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, William F. Buckley Jr. and Milton Friedman.
After college, Reed founded an agricultural equipment company that provided to local farmers. He would eventually specialized in devices that deterred birds from farms and airfields.
Reed was raised in a Democratic household, however he cast his first presidential vote, in 1952, for Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Chair of the Mississippi Republican Party
Reed became the state party chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party in 1966. He later became the head of the Southern Republican Chairmen’s Association, making him a vocal figure in the party’s progress across the region. He was credited for unifying the Southern United States to vote for Richard Nixon in 1968. In doing so, when regarding matters to the South, Nixon would consult with Reed.
As state chairman, he focused on local elections. In 1969, Mississippi Republicans won nine mayoral races. In 1972, two of the party’s congressional candidates, the future senators Thad Cochran and Trent Lott became the first Mississippi Republicans elected to Congress.
In an interview with The New York Times in 1976, Reed said that he wanted the national Republican Party to be fiscally and socially conservative and not racist as he felt it would be "dangerous" if the party were split among races.
1976 Republican National Convention
Reed was instrumental in the nomination of U.S. President Gerald Ford, at the 1976 Republican National Convention held in Kansas City, Missouri.
The-Chief of Staff Dick Cheney said that Reed was dissatisfied with then-former Governor Ronald Reagan and his running mate pick, U.S. Senator Richard Schweiker. Schweiker was a liberal Republican from a state whose delegation could be crucial at the convention. In doing so, Reed threw his support behind Ford and in doing so, stopped Reagan's momentum at the convention, permitting Ford to win the nomination.
His decision to endorse Ford over Reagan, drew criticism from hardliners within his party. Afterwards, Reed and Reagan made amends, with Reed regretting going against Reagan. Following the convention, he stepped down as party chair.
Later career
In his later years, Reed caucused for several Republican politicians. He was noted for hosting political events and fundraisers for local and state politicians at the Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi.
Reed was critical of the Republican Party during the 2016 presidential election and of eventual President Donald Trump. In 2015, he endorsed his first Democratic political candidate, Tom Blanton, for Public Service Commission.
Former advisor to President George W. Bush, Karl Rove noted that "President, senators, congressmen, and governors depended on for counsel and leadership" while also calling him a "political pioneer". He was often called a "patriarch" of the Republican Party.
Personal life
In 1957, Reed married Julia Brooks. They had three children: Clarke Jr., Reynolds and writer Julia Evans Reed. Two of his children predeceased him: Reynolds in 2019 and Julia Evans in 2020.
In June 2010, Reed was involved in a vehicular accident, which resulted in the death of another man in Greenville. Reed himself was injured and hospitalized in Jackson, Mississippi under stable condition.
Reed died at his home in Greenville on December 8, 2024 from complications of pneumonia, at the age of 96.
References
- Reed, Roy (July 30, 1976). "Mississippi Republican Leader". The New York Times.
- ^ "Clarke Reed, Who Helped the G.O.P. Conquer the South, Dies at 96". The New York Times. December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ Meacham, Jon (December 9, 2024). "Clarke Reed, longtime chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, dies at 96". Mississippi Today. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- Smith, Richard Norton (2023). An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford. New York: Harper. pp. 628–629. ISBN 978-0-06-268416-5.
- ^ "Republican patriarch Reed endorses Democrat for PSC". Clarion Ledger. October 27, 2015. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- "Obituary for Julia Reed". DDTOnline. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ "Ex-GOP official hurt, one dead in Greenville crash n GREENVILLE - Former Mississippi Republican Party chairman Clarke Reed has been injured and another man has been killed in a two-vehicle accident in Greenville". DJournal. June 23, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
External Links
- Clarke Reed at IMDb
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byWirt Yerger | State Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party 1966–1976 |
Succeeded byCharles W. Pickering |