Official Biography

On January 11, 1995, David Muldrow Beasley became the 113th person to take the oath of Office of the Governor of South Carolina.

Educated in South Carolina public schools, he graduated from Lamar High School and was a student-athlete at Clemson University , majoring in microbiology. At the age of 20 and during his junior year at Clemson, Mr. Beasley ran for the South Carolina House of Representatives. Upon his election to the House, he transferred to the University of South Carolina, where he received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

As a member of the South Carolina House from 1979 through 1992, Mr. Beasley rose quickly through the House leadership, serving as Majority Whip and later as Speaker pro tempore of the House, as well as Majority Leader, the youngest Speaker pro tempore and Majority Leader in the United States. As Chairman of the Education and Public Works Committee and Chairman of the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Education. He also served as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Children.

As Chairman of the Education Committee, David Beasley served as an ex-officio member of the Boards of Trustees at the University of South Carolina, College of Charleston, Francis Marion College, Lander College, Winthrop College, South Carolina State College and the Educational Television Network of South Carolina. He also served as ex-officio member of the Highway Commission and the Aeronautics Commission. He served on the South Carolina Mining Council and on the South Carolina Board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as many other community, civic and statewide committees.

Mr. Beasley is married to the former Mary Wood Payne of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and they have two daughters, Mary Hunter and Sarah Catherine, and one son, David, Jr. He is a businessman and private practice attorney in Darlington County. His hobbies include wood-working, canoeing and horseback riding. The Beasleys are members of the Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia.