Scott Matheson | |
|---|---|
.JPEG) | |
| 12thGovernor of Utah | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 7, 1985 | |
| Lieutenant | David S. Monson |
| Preceded by | Cal Rampton |
| Succeeded by | Norm Bangerter |
| Chair of theNational Governors Association | |
| In office August 10, 1982 – August 2, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Snelling |
| Succeeded by | Jim Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Scott Milne Matheson, Jr. (1929-01-08)January 8, 1929 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | October 7, 1990(1990-10-07) (aged 61) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, includingScott andJim |
| Parent |
|
| Education | University of Utah (BA) Stanford University (LLB) |
Scott Milne Matheson Jr. (January 8, 1929 – October 7, 1990) was an American politician who served as the12th governor of Utah from 1977 to 1985. He is the most recentDemocrat to serve in that position.
Matheson was born on January 8, 1929, inChicago to parents belonging tothe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Scott Milne and Adele Adams Matheson.[1] Soon after his birth, the family moved toUtah, settling first inParowan before moving toSalt Lake City when his father became United States Attorney for the District of Utah.
Matheson graduated from Salt Lake City'sEast High School in 1946, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from theUniversity of Utah in 1950, and a law degree fromStanford University Law School in 1952. He operated a private law practice inIron County, Utah, for five years before taking a position withUnion Pacific Railroad in 1958. During his service with the railroad, he rose to the position ofgeneral counsel before making his1976 run for governor.
Matheson defeated Republican nomineeVernon B. Romney by a 52%–46% margin, with two minor candidates combining for the remaining two percent of the vote.
Matheson would be re-elected in1980 over RepublicanBob Wright by a strong 55%–44% margin, even as Republican Presidential candidateRonald Reagan and Republican U.S. SenatorJake Garn easily carried Utah intheir elections held thesame day.
During his term as governor, Matheson was named the defendant in theU.S. Supreme Court case ofH. L. v. Matheson, which upheld a state law requiring parental consent for a teenage girl to obtain an abortion. He was also chair of theNational Governors Association during the 1982–1983 term.
In 1986, Matheson considered a bid for theU.S. Senate to challenge incumbentOrrin Hatch in1988.[2] Despite leading in hypothetical polling, Matheson announced on May 29, 1987, that he would not run for the seat.[3] Hatch would ultimately be re-elected in a landslide over Democrat Brian H. Moss, who had never held political office.
On August 25, 1951, he marriedNorma Louise Warenski, and the couple had four children.[1] One of his sons is former U.S. CongressmanJim Matheson. Another son,Scott Matheson Jr., was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Utah in the2004 election and was appointed as a federal judge in 2010.
In 1989, Matheson was diagnosed withmultiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer believed to have been caused byradioactive fallout fromnuclear testing inNevada.[4] Scott Matheson died from the disease on October 7, 1990, at the age of 61. Matheson's death occurred during thegeneral conference of the LDS Church and was honored by then-apostleGordon B. Hinckley at the beginning of the Sunday morning session.[5] He was buried in Parowan City Cemetery inParowan, Utah.
Media related toScott M. Matheson at Wikimedia Commons
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of Utah 1976,1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theDemocratic Governors Association 1983 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Utah 1977–1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theNational Governors Association 1982–1983 | Succeeded by |
