James Johnston Blanchard (born August 8, 1942) is an American retired attorney, diplomat, and politician who served as the
45th governor of Michigan
The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the stat ...
from 1983 to 1991. A member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
, Blanchard previously served in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from 1975 to 1983, and later as the as
from 1993 to 1996.
Early life and education
Blanchard was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
on August 8, 1942. He grew up and attended the public schools in
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,190.
Ferndale is well known in the Detroit area for its LGBT population and progr ...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts from
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
in 1964 and an
MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
in 1965. Blanchard received a
Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from the
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School is the law school of the University of Minnesota, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school confers four law degrees: a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a Master of Laws (LL.M.), a Master of Science in Patent Law ...
in 1968 and was admitted to the
State Bar of Michigan
The State Bar of Michigan is the governing body for lawyers in the State of Michigan. Membership is mandatory for attorneys who practice law in Michigan. The organization's mission is to aid in promoting improvements in the administration of jus ...
soon after.
Career
Blanchard commenced practice as an attorney in
Lansing
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
and served as legal advisor to the
Michigan Secretary of State
The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections.
The Secretary of State is the third-highest official in the State of Michigan. A ...
in 1968 and 1969. He was Assistant
Attorney General of Michigan
The Attorney General of the State of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, me ...
, from 1969 to 1974, administrative assistant to the attorney general from 1970 to 1971, and assistant deputy attorney general from 1971 to 1972. In 1974 he joined the law firm of Beer and Boltz, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
U.S. Representative
Blanchard was elected as a Democrat to the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
from Michigan's 18th District for the
94th United States Congress
The 94th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1975, ...
and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 1, 1983. During that time, he was responsible for legislation providing federal loan guarantees for Chrysler Corporation that saved the company from a likely bankruptcy.
Governor of Michigan
Blanchard opted not to run for re-election to the U.S. House in 1982 and was elected Governor of Michigan, defeating
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Richard Headlee
Richard Harold Headlee (May 16, 1930 – November 9, 2004) was an American businessman and politician from Michigan. He was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for Governor of Michigan in the 1982 election. He was also known as the author of the ...
, a Farmington Hills insurance company executive. Blanchard served two terms as governor (1983–1991) until his defeat by Republican state senator
John Engler
John Mathias Engler (born October 12, 1948) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he later worked for Business Roundtable, where '' The Hill'' ...
in 1990. Blanchard was the first Democratic governor to serve in 20 years since
John Swainson
John Burley Swainson (July 31, 1925 – May 13, 1994) was a Canadian-American politician and jurist who served as the 42nd governor of Michigan from 1961 to 1963.
Early life and education
Swainson was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He mo ...
, who left office in 1963.
On January 1, 1983, he took over what was described as "the toughest governor's job in America." His state faced a $1.7 billion deficit, the threat of bankruptcy, record high unemployment of more than 17 percent and the worst credit rating in America. Working with leaders of business, labor, education and local government, the governor put together a strategy for Michigan's future and raised income taxes and fees necessary to keep it on track. Blanchard completed his work as Michigan's 45th governor having balanced eight consecutive state budgets, improving the state's credit rating, established a $422 million "rainy-day fund," and producing a solvency dividend of more than $1 billion in savings from reduced borrowing costs.
''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' credited Governor Blanchard with leading "one of the most dramatic economic turnabouts in the recent history of state government," and national publications such as ''
U.S. News & World Report'' listed him among the best governors in America, one of the innovators and energizers who made things work in an era of declining federal aid. However, in 1990 Blanchard lost his campaign for a third term to State Senator
John Engler
John Mathias Engler (born October 12, 1948) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 46th Governor of Michigan from 1991 to 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he later worked for Business Roundtable, where '' The Hill'' ...
.
Later career
After losing the gubernatorial election to John Engler in 1990, Blanchard became a partner in the Washington law firm of
Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. He also chaired
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
's successful campaign for president in Michigan in 1992.
President Clinton appointed Blanchard
, a position he held from 1993 to 1996. In 2002, Blanchard again ran for governor but lost his primary bid to
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is a Canadian-American lawyer, educator, author, political commentator, and politician serving as the 16th United States secretary of energy since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she pre ...
. , he was a partner in the Washington D.C. law firm of DLA Piper U.S. and resides in Beverly Hills, Michigan. He serves as Chairman of Meridian International Center and on the Advisory Board of the
Institute for Law and Politics
The Institute for Law and Politics is an interdisciplinary research institute based at the University of Minnesota Law School. The Institute for Law and Politics brings together faculty from the Law School and the University of Minnesota Political ...
at the
University of Minnesota Law School
The University of Minnesota Law School is the law school of the University of Minnesota, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school confers four law degrees: a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a Master of Laws (LL.M.), a Master of Science in Patent Law ...
and was President of the
Foundation for the National Archives The National Archives Foundation is an independent non-profit organization that works to increase public awareness of and showcase the United States National Archives and Records Administration.
Board of Directors
• Chair: Governor James J. Bla ...
. Blanchard also co-chaired of the Canada-United States Law Institute.
Blanchard served on the board of Canadian pipeline corporation
Enbridge
Enbridge Inc. is a multinational pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Enbridge owns and operates pipelines throughout Canada and the United States, transporting crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. ...
for over 10 years and advised them following the 2010
Kalamazoo River oil spill
The Kalamazoo River oil spill occurred in July 2010 when a pipeline operated by Enbridge (Line 6B) burst and flowed into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River. A break in the pipeline resulted in one of the largest inland oil spills ...
. He also served as a member of the "Debt Reduction Task Force" at the
Bipartisan Policy Center
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that promotes bipartisanship. The organization aims to combine ideas from both the Republican and Democratic parties to address challenges in the U.S. BPC focuses on iss ...
. and was a board member of
Nortel
Nortel Networks Corporation (Nortel), formerly Northern Telecom Limited, was a Canadian multinational telecommunications and data networking equipment manufacturer headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in Montreal, Quebec, ...
and
Chrysler Group LLC
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
(2009–2012).
Blanchard is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of
Issue One
Issue One is an American nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the role of money in politics. It aims to increase public awareness of what it views as problems within the present campaign finance system, and to reduce the influ ...
.
References
Further reading
External links
The Governor James J. Blanchard Living Library Of Michigan Political History*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanchard, James
1942 births
Ambassadors of the United States to Canada
American Unitarians
American telecommunications industry businesspeople
Canadian corporate directors
Clinton administration personnel
Democratic Party governors of Michigan
Directors of Nortel
Enbridge people
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
Living people
Michigan lawyers
Michigan State University alumni
People from Ferndale, Michigan
University of Minnesota Law School alumni
20th-century American politicians