James Rhodes

The Life and Career of an Ohio Politician

More of this Feature • Part 2: Rhodes, Kent State, and More

State Representative Robert Netzley is quoted by the Cincinnati Enquirer as saying "There's very little in this state [Governor Rhodes] didn't have an impact on...Wherever you look in Ohio, there's James Rhodes." (Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, September 12, 1999, Local section page 1)

A look at this timeline shows how James Rhodes made his career in Ohio politics:

• Born September 13, 1909 in Jackson County, Ohio
  
• Attended Ohio State University but did not graduate
  
• Elected to Columbus school board, 1937
  
• Elected Columbus city auditor, 1939
  
• Columbus Mayor, 1943-1951
  
• Elected state auditor, 1952-1962
  
• Lost race for governor, 1954
  
• Elected to first term as governor in 1962; known for laying off state workers and starting a massive project constructing roads, parks, colleges, and airports
  
• Re-elected to second term, 1966
  
• Ordered National Guard to Kent State University in 1970, where guardsmen killed four students
  
• Elected governor again in 1974, after four-year absence due to term limit
  
• Re-elected in 1978
  
• Ran for governor in 1986, after another four-year absence due to term limit. Soundly defeated by incumbent Richard Celeste.
  
• Died March 4, 2001 at age 91.

"Jobs and Progress" was James "Dusty" Rhodes' mantra throughout both his administrations. And Ohio did progress physically while Rhodes was in office--from Rhodes Hall at the University of Cincinnati to the Rhodes Tower in Columbus to the James A. Rhodes Appalachian Highway in southern Ohio (Ohio 32 near Jackson), signs of "Jobs and Progress" in just about any city of size in Ohio.

Case Western Reserve University's Alexander Lamis, a political science professor, said "[Rhodes] was the most amazing political figure of the last half-century in this state...he was the consummate politician." (Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday, September 12, 1999, Local section page 2) Most observers of Ohio government give Rhodes great marks for his 1963 to 1971 run in office, and mediocre marks for his comeback years, 1975 to 1983.

Next page > Rhodes, Kent State, and More

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