Bob Taft
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Robert Alphonso Taft II (born January 8, 1942) has been the Republican governor of the U.S. state of Ohio since 1999. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
He attended Yale University, graduating in 1963, just a year ahead of Sen. Joseph Lieberman; after Yale he received an M.A. from Princeton University in 1967 and then a law degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1976.
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Political career
He was elected governor in 1998, defeating Democrat Lee Fisher 50%-45% and reelected in 2002, defeating Democrat Tim Hagan 58%-38%. He has been Governor since January 1999.
Prior to his election as Governor, Taft served as Ohio's Secretary of State (1991–1998), Hamilton County Commissioner (1981–1990), and in the State House of Representatives (1976–1981). In 1990, Taft was elected secretary of state, defeating incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. In the 1994 election for Ohio secretary of state, Taft won re-election, defeating Democrat Dan Brady.
As of May 10, 2005, according to a poll (http://www.surveyusa.com/50governorsrated051005.htm), Taft has the lowest approval rating out of the 50 governors. His approval rating is only 19%, while his disapproval rating is 74%.
Family
Taft's family has been involved in United States Republican politics for over a century. His great-great-grandfather Alphonso Taft was Secretary of War, Attorney General, and an ambassador; his great-grandfather William Howard Taft was President of the United States and Chief Justice of the United States; and his grandfather (Robert Alphonso Taft I) and his father (Robert Taft Jr.) were both U.S. Senators. His first cousin, William Howard Taft IV was a high official in the U.S. government. His uncle, William Howard Taft III was an ambassador. His great-grand-uncle Charles Phelps Taft was a U.S. representative from Ohio and for a time, an owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. His great-great-great-grandfather, Peter Rawson Taft, was a member of the Vermont legislature. Other prominent relatives include Seth Chase Taft, Charles Phelps Taft II, Peter Rawson Taft II, Henry Waters Taft, Walbridge S. Taft, and Horace Dutton Taft. Kingsley A. Taft was a U.S. Senator from Ohio and Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court.
Bob Taft is also related to current president George W. Bush through at least three different marriages, ranging from 8th-cousin-once-removed to 11th-cousin-once-removed, as well as being a 9th cousin of Vice President Dick Cheney.
See also
External links
- Peace Corps biography of Bob Taft (http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2022173.html)
| Preceded by: Sherrod Brown | Ohio Secretary of State 1991—1999 | Succeeded by: Ken Blackwell |
| Preceded by: Nancy P. Hollister | Governor of Ohio 1999—present | Succeeded by: Incumbent |