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North Carolina's Governors
In 1960 Martin joined the faculty at Davidson and taught chemistry until 1972. From 1966 to 1972 he served on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. In 1972 voters elected Martin to the U.S. House. In six terms Martin, recognized for his expertise on food additives and toxic waste, chaired the House Republican Research Committee and the Republican Task Force on Health and Environment. In the Republican primary for governor in 1984, Martin defeated Ruby Hooper and in the fall defeated the Democratic nominee, Attorney General Rufus L. Edmisten. In 1988 he defeated his Democratic opponent, Lieutenant Governor Robert B. Jordan III. In his first inaugural address Martin spoke of "One United State" and improvements to the quality of life. He campaigned on a pro-business platform and, as governor, benefiting from the prosperity of the mid-1980s, boosted industrial development by reducing business taxes and recruiting out-of-state companies. He held to his promise to see I-40 completed from Raleigh to Wilmington. He sought to strike a balance between development and environmental protection. A goal, unrealized during his term, was the gubernatorial veto. But Martin laid the groundwork for the measure, approved in 1996, to correct what he viewed as an imbalance between branches of government. While Martin differed with the legislative leadership on a host of issues, he worked with lawmakers to adopt the Basic Education Program and increase teacher salaries. After his retirement from office, Martin became vice-president for research for Carolina HealthCare System in Charlotte.
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The election of Republican James G. Martin (1935- ) to two consecutive four-year terms as governor reflected the fact that North Carolina was no longer a one-party state. The first Ph.D. to hold the office, Martin pursued initiatives with respect to economic development, education, transportation, and the environment but met resistance to his programs in the General Assembly. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Winnsboro, South Carolina, Martin attended Davidson College and Princeton University.
