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North Carolina's Governors
In 1919, Hoey defeated Republican John Motley Morehead in a race for the U.S. House but declined to seek reelection. Until his bid for governor in 1936 Hoey concentrated on his law practice. In the hotly contested race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1936, Hoey defeated Ralph McDonald, A. H. Graham, and John McRae. The chief issue in the runoff was the sales tax, which McDonald denounced and Hoey was forced to defend. A leader of the "drys," Hoey campaigned for letting the people vote on the liquor issue. Hoey won over Republican candidate Gilliam Grissom in the fall. During Hoey's administration as governor, the state provided free textbooks for the elementary schools, increased teacher salaries, expanded the highway system, reformed child labor laws, instituted parole reforms, and initiated the first advertising programs to attract tourists. The State Bureau of Investigation was created during his term. In 1937 the state implemented provisions of the Social Security Act but Hoey lent his support to few of the New Deal initiatives. In 1944 Hoey defeated former Governor Cameron Morrison in a race for the U.S. Senate. He was only the second North Carolinian (after Jesse Franklin) to serve as governor and in both houses of the legislature and both houses of Congress. In May 1954, the political veteran died in Washington; he is buried in Sunset Cemetery in Shelby.
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Clyde R. Hoey (1877-1954) is remembered for his oratory, courtly manner, long white hair, and style of dress, replete with swallow-tail coat, striped pants, wing collar, high-topped shoes, and boutonniere. The brother-in-law of O. Max Gardner and part of the "Shelby Dynasty," Hoey was born in Cleveland County and worked as a "printer's devil" as a boy. In 1899 he studied law for one summer at the University of North Carolina.
