Arch A. Moore, Jr.
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Arch Alfred Moore, Jr. (born April 16, 1923) was the Governor of West Virginia from 1969 until 1977 and from 1985 until 1989. He was a Congressman from 1957 until entering the governor's office. He is a member of the United States Republican Party. He ran for reelection in 1988 but was defeated by Gaston Caperton. Allegations of corruptions were a major reason for his defeat. He was eventually prosecuted for corruption and sentenced to five years in prison in 1990.
Moore was born in Moundsville, West Virginia in the state's industrial northern panhandle. He briefly attended Easton College in Easton, Pennsylvania before joining the United States Army during World War II. He received a disfiguring wound in the jaw during fighting in central Italy.
He then entered the West Virginia University graduating in 1948 and then from its law school in 1951. While at WVU he was student body President and founded "Mountaineer Week" a celebration of West Virgina culture in response to his perception that the growing number of out-of-state students at the school were changing its character. The event has become a permanent part of the school's calendar.
He then was elected to the state House of Delegates in 1952 and was re-elected in 1954. He then entered Congress following the 1956 election and was re-elected through the 1966 election, before seeking the governor's office in 1968. His terms in the House were marked by strong support for public works projects and for civil rights.
The state's Constitution, which had formerly had a one-term term limit and provided for a weak governor system, was amended in 1970 to provide for a two-term limit and greatly expand the powers of the office. Moore became the first person re-elected governor in 1972, defeating Jay Rockefeller. Moore's first two terms as governor are best remembered for improvements in the state's highway system.
In 1976 Moore was term limited from seaking a third term and declined to challenge Robert C. Byrd for a seat in the United States Senate. He rather began a two-year campaign for the state's other Senate seat, which was expected to be vacated by the aging Jennings Randolph in 1978. To the surprise of most all observers, the obviously declining Randolph stood for re-election. His campaign was entirely financed by then-governor Rockefeller, as Randolph's six-year term as Senator and a theoretical second Rockefeller term as governor would both expire in 1984, permitting Rockefeller to run for an open seat. Moore was outspent by 5 to 1 in this election, and lost by a very narrow margin.
In 1980 Moore sought his third term as governor. Rockefeller outspent him by a figure of 20 to 1, and Moore again lost a close race.
In 1984 Moore again ran for governor and was returned by a very large margin. He again turned his attention to highways, and saw the completion of last major section of interstate highway in the country, which had been left unbuilt during the Rockefeller terms, in 1988. He was defeated for re-election in 1988 and subsuquently pled guilty to receiving a bribe relative to a refund of a workers compensation tax from a coal executive and served a short time in prison. Moore has always maintained that his plea was a part of a legal strategy and his attempts to withdraw it and stand trial on the matter were denied. As of 2005 he continues to maintain his innocence.
He now lives quietly in Moundsville.
His daughter Shelley Moore Capito is currently a member of the United States House of Representatives from West Virginia.
| Preceded by: Hulett C. Smith | Governor of West Virginia 1969–1977 | Succeeded by: Jay Rockefeller |
| Preceded by: Jay Rockefeller | Governor of West Virginia 1985–1989 | Succeeded by: Gaston Caperton |