Jay Nixon (D)

Overview

At a Glance

• Maintained Missouri's AAA credit rating, saving taxpayers millions
• Cut taxes for small business and eliminated the corporate franchise tax for more than 16,000 businesses
• Downsized state government by cutting spending by $1.8 billion and reducing the state payroll by 4,100 positions
• Called special session to pass Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act, legislation that led auto manufacturers to invest millions of dollars and offer thousands of new jobs
• Signed a comprehensive jobs bill that expanded the state's most successful economic incentive programs, such as the Missouri Quality Jobs Program
• Implemented a loan program for small businesses
• Increased funding for job training by 52 percent
• Launched Caring for Missourians, a grant program to train more health care professionals at Missouri's public colleges and universities
• Launched Training for Tomorrow, an initiative to train more Missourians to work in high-tech fields
• Created State Parks Youth Corps
• Created Show-Me Heroes to promote hiring of veterans
• Promoted and signed a state law requiring insurance companies to cover treatment for autism spectrum disorders
• Created Partnership for Hope, providing community services to thousands of Missourians with developmental disabilities
• Vetoed legislation (Senate Bill 188) that would have undermined civil rights and worker protections
• Froze tuition for two consecutive years at all state colleges and universities
• Expanded the A+ Scholarship Program, increasing college access for Missourians

Personal History

Jay Nixon was born on Feb. 13, 1956, in De Soto, Mo. to Jerry and Betty Nixon. His mother, Betty, was a special education teacher who served as president of the local school board. His father, Jerry, was the mayor of De Soto and a judge for the community. Gov. Nixon also has two sisters.

Nixon grew up hiking Missouri's rolling hills and fishing its clear streams, experiences that instilled a lifelong conservation ethic. His competitive drive also showed itself early: he received the distinguished Eagle Scout Award at the age of 13. Nixon earned his undergraduate degree in 1978 and his law degree in 1981, both from the University of Missouri - Columbia. After earning his law degree, Nixon briefly practiced law in De Soto. Nixon and his wife, Georganne Wheeler Nixon, have two sons, Jeremiah and Willson. They belong to the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson City.

Political History

Nixon's political career began in 1986, when Jefferson County elected him to the Missouri Senate. Two years later, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. John C. Danforth. In 1992, Nixon was elected attorney general; he ended up serving four terms for a total of 16 years.

During Nixon’s tenure, record settlements with hospitals and health insurance companies led to formation of two of the largest health care foundations in state history. One of Nixon's most successful consumer programs—Missouri's No-Call List—became a model for states across the nation to stop telemarketing calls.

As attorney general, Nixon was involved in controversial decisions regarding school desegregation, capital punishment, and abortion. For instance, he oversaw the state's involvement in court settlements that ended mandatory busing in the school districts of St. Louis and Kansas City. Nixon’s role in the desegregation cases caused friction with some Black leaders.

Nixon also faced criticism from Republicans because of campaign contributions from utility companies, in particular, contributions from Ameren during an ongoing criminal investigation of the company. When the matter drew attention, the funds were returned.

Nixon ran for U.S. Senate again in 1998, but he was defeated by Republican incumbent Christopher S. "Kit" Bond. Ten years after this defeat, in 2008, Nixon was elected Missouri's 55th governor with a 19% margin of victory, the highest for a non-incumbent in 44 years. He served two terms as governor, leaving office in 2017.

Gov. Nixon successfully implemented his pledge to reduce the size of government, create jobs, and hold the line on taxes. He cut state spending by more than $1.8 billion and reduced the size of state government by more than 4,100 positions. Early in 2009, Gov. Nixon formed an Automotive Jobs Task Force to identify ways state government could help Missouri's struggling automotive industry and the industries dependent on it, a move that would later pay big dividends.

In 2010, Gov. Nixon launched the Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth, calling on the state's academic, business, labor, and economic development leaders to create a five-year plan to make Missouri more competitive in the 21st-century. The panel’s recommendations included attracting next-generation automotive suppliers; expanding exports; training workers for high-tech careers; hiring more military veterans; and jump-starting the creation of jobs in science and technology.

Also in 2010, Gov. Nixon called a special session of the legislature to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act, which provided tax incentives to manufacturers and industrial suppliers who met strict criteria for investment and job creation. As a result, Ford and General Motors invested a combined total of about $1.48 billion in manufacturing facilities in the state, adding 3,200 new jobs to the workforce and preserving thousands more at auto suppliers statewide.

During Nixon’s administration, exports from the state reached all-time highs, topping $14 billion in 2011. Gov. Nixon led trade missions to China and Brazil, and he signed an unprecedented trade agreement with China to sell $4.6 billion worth of products grown and made in Missouri.

Gov. Nixon supported education at many levels. Throughout his first term, Missouri's public K-12 classrooms received record funding. He reached historic agreements with all of Missouri's public colleges and universities to freeze tuition rates for two consecutive years, dramatically boosting enrollment. The General Assembly approved Gov. Nixon's Caring for Missourians and Training for Tomorrow initiatives, providing grants to Missouri colleges to educate thousands more people each year in high-demand fields such as advanced manufacturing and health care.

A strong supporter of the Missouri National Guard and of Missourians serving in the military, Gov. Nixon created the Show-Me Heroes program to promote hiring of veterans and supported tax cuts for retired military. He made multiple trips to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit troops and receive briefings on military operations.

Gov. Nixon's call to reform Missouri's drunk-driving laws resulted in the appointment of a 25-member expert panel to study the issue and landmark legislation to keep repeat offenders off the road.

He successfully advocated for a state law requiring insurance companies to cover proven treatments for autism spectrum disorders affecting nearly one in 100 children in the state. He created the Partnership for Hope, providing community-based services to thousands of Missourians with developmental disabilities, many of whom had been on waiting lists for services for years.

At a time when many recession-wracked states were shutting down state parks, Gov. Nixon visited all 85 Missouri state parks and historic sites, promoting them as free recreational destinations and helping reverse a downward trend in attendance. He created the State Parks Youth Corps, modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s, to maintain and beautify state parks and historic sites while putting hundreds of young people to work. Gov. Nixon and First Lady Georganne Nixon also led the Children in Nature campaign, encouraging young Missourians and their families to spend more time outdoors.

Gov. Nixon garnered widespread praise for swift action and decisive leadership when Missouri was hit by natural disasters—from ice storms and blizzards to tornadoes and drought. In 2011, Missourians faced one danger after another. A record blizzard shut down Interstate 70; record flooding occurred along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers; and an EF-5 tornado killed more than 150 people and devastated much of Joplin and the surrounding area. In 2012, the state suffered severe drought. In every instance, the Governor moved quickly and effectively to protect lives and property and to expedite resources to help Missourians recover and rebuild.

The governor also championed passage of the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA), which established an investment fund for life sciences research and high-tech startups. However, the bill contained a contingency clause tying its passage to that of a tax-credit reform bill that did not pass. MOSIRA opponents challenged the law in court; such opponents included anti-abortion groups who feared the act would open the door to human cloning. In December 2013, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down MOSIRA.

Historical Significance

In the wake of the 2008 stock market crash and the worst national recession in a generation, Missouri faced formidable challenges, including unemployment at a 25-year high. With a state legislature dominated by conservative Republicans, the Democratic governor successfully positioned himself as a moderate, promoting bipartisanship and problem-solving over party ideology.

The financial crises spotlighted fiscal discipline. Under Gov. Nixon's leadership, Missouri maintained its Triple-A credit rating while continuing to invest in critical priorities like job training and education. For instance, Nixon reached agreements with the state’s public colleges to keep tuition flat for two years running and expanded the A+ Scholarship Program. During Gov. Nixon's first term, enrollment surged at two-year and four-year institutions across the state.

In 2010, Nixon convened a special session to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act. Gov. Nixon received credit not only for helping preserve the automobile industry in Missouri—and the tens of thousands of jobs dependent upon it—but also to expand the industry.

In addition to managing the economic crises facing the state and keeping the state on firm financial footing, Gov. Nixon distinguished himself during state emergencies. Most notably was Gov. Nixon’s role in the recovery and rebuilding of Joplin after an EF-5 tornado on May 22, 2011. He also received widespread praise for expediting disaster assistance—including the Missouri National Guard—to help farm families and communities most impacted by flooding and drought in 2011, and severe drought in 2012.