Carl Sanders

Infobox Governor
name= Carl Edward Sanders, Sr.


order=74th
office= Governor of Georgia
term_start= January 15, 1963
term_end= January 11, 1967
lieutenant= Peter Zack Geer
predecessor= Ernest Vandiver
successor= Lester Maddox
birth_date= birth date|1925|05|15
birth_place= Augusta, Georgia
death_date=
death_place=
spouse= Betty Bird Foy
profession=Lawyer
party= Democrat
religion=

Carl Edward Sanders, Sr. (born May 15, 1925) is an American politician who served as the governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1963 to 1967.

Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship. Sanders, a backup, left-handed quarterback, received little playing time, causing coach Wally Butts to recount years later, "Carl, if I had known you were going to be governor, I'd have played you more." He was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity, as well as the Phi Kappa Literary Society. He left to fight in World War II, enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1943 and became a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilot. After the war, he returned to complete his bachelor's and law degrees.

In 1954, Sanders won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. He won a seat in the Georgia Senate in 1956. He served two years as president pro tempore of the Senate.

Sanders defeated former governor Marvin Griffin in the 1962 primary. Sanders was the first Georgia governor from an urban area since the 1920s and he was the first modern Georgia governor nominated in the Democratic Party primary by the popular vote, following the end of the County Unit System.

As Governor, Sanders worked to improve education and the environment. Sanders also led the transition toward racial desegregation, cooperating with John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson on complying with civil rights laws.

Under the term limit law then in effect, Sanders was ineligible to run for re-election. He left office at the peak of his popularity, and turned down several jobs from President Johnson. He returned to run an unsuccessful campaign for Governor in 1970 against future President Jimmy Carter in the Democratic primary. After that loss, he left electoral politics to concentrate on the practice of law. As of 2007, he is Chairman Emeritus at the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP.

External links

* [http://www.governorcarlsanders.com/ Governor Sanders' official website]
* [http://www.troutmansanders.com/carl_sanders/ Profile on Troutman Sanders]