James Edgar (born January 22, 1946, Vinita, Oklahoma) is an American politician who was the Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999. January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Vinita is a city in south-central Craig County, Oklahoma, United States. ... This is a list of Governors of Illinois. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ...

Edgar was born in Vinita, Oklahoma and was raised in Charleston, Illinois. He graduated from Charleston High School and Eastern Illinois University, also in Charleston. A Republican, he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives between 1977 and 1979. Five months after Edgar's 1978 reelection to the Illinois House (April 1979), Governor Jim Thompson named him his legislative liaison. Two years later, when then-Secretary of State Alan Dixon moved to the U.S. Senate, Thompson named Edgar to fill the vacancy in early 1981. In 1982 and 1986, Edgar won the office on his own and was the secretary of state until 1991. Vinita is a city in south-central Craig County, Oklahoma, United States. ... Charleston is the county seat of Coles County, IllinoisGR6. ... Eastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The Illinois House of Representatives convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1990, Edgar won the first of his two terms as governor, winning the Republican primary against Steve Baer, and then elected in a close race against his Democratic opponent, Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan. In 1994, he defeated Conservative challenger Jack Roeser in the Republican primary, and was reelected by a wide margin in the General election against Democratic opponent, state comptroller and former state senator Dawn Clark Netsch. The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... Neil F. Hartigan is an Illinois Democrat who has served as Illinois Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, and Justice of the Appellate Court. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Jack Roeser is the Founder and President of the Family Taxpayers Network a social and economic conservative Illinois political action organization founded in 1989, and is the Chairman and founder of Otto Engineering Inc. ... Dawn Clark Netsch was the 1994 Democtratic nominee for Illinois governor. ...

In the elections of 1992 and 1994, the Republicans succeeded in capturing both houses of the state legislature and all statewide offices, putting Edgar in a very strong political position. He advocated increases in funding for education along with cuts in government employment, spending and welfare programs. Due to his moderate views that appealed to Republicans and Democrats alike, he has been considered one of the most respected and popular governors in Illinois history, having been reelected by a large margin and leaving office with approval ratings well over 60%. Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ...

By the time he left office in January 1999, Governor Edgar had eliminated the backlog in payments of the state's bills, given the state a surplus and reduced the size of state government. He had also fought for and won passage of historic legislation on the way Illinois schools are funded and had overhauled the state's child welfare system.

Despite his overwhelming popularity, two incidents during his second term served to taint Edgar's tenure in office. During his second term, the relationship between his re-election campaign and Management Systems of Illinois (MSI) came under federal scrutiny. Apparently, MSI, who had served as Edgar largest campaign contributor, was granted a "sweetheart contract" that cost the people of Illinois an estimated $20 million in fraudulent overcharges. Eventually, a number of both private citizens and state employees were convicted in federal court and sent to prison for their involvement in what had come to be known as the "MSI Scandal". Edgar was not charged for any crimes, but the incident tainted his administration. New York Times, 7/30/1997, 8/17/1997

The second incident also occurred during his second term. While the country, as a whole, was learning to treat returning veterans better than they had been treated during and following the unpopular Vietnam War, Edgar led efforts to deny veterans special consideration for state employment. On veterans issues, Edgar proved to be out of touch with both the state and national mood toward veterans following the conclusion of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Ultimately, the issue was resolved by the Supreme Court of Illinois, who, in Denton v Civil Service Commission (1996), ruled in favor of the veterans. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush, Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan Al-Majid, Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 ~545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also Persian... Supreme Court of Illinois is the apex court of judicature of the state of Illinois, United States of America. ...

When U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald announced in spring 2003 that he would not run for re-election in 2004, the Bush administration approached Edgar about running for the seat. Due to his overwhelming popularity that still exists today, Edgar was seen as a very formidable Senate candidate. Peter Fitzgerald Peter G. Fitzgerald (born October 20, 1960) was the junior United States Senator from Illinois from 1999 until 2005. ...

Edgar seemed likely to enter the race, but he suddenly announced he would not seek the seat, saying instead that he was giving his wife an early Mother's Day gift. His medical problems (he had recently undergone heart surgery) were also cited. The Senate seat eventually went to Democrat Barack Obama. A celebratory Mothers Day cookie cake. ... “Obama” redirects here. ...

After months of speculation that he was once again considering getting back into politics, Jim Edgar announced on September 30, 2005 at a press conference that he would not challenge Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2006. Tearfully, Edgar said that he has reached the end of his political career. September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Milorad Blagojevich, commonly known as Rod R. Blagojevich (pronounced IPA:  , born December 10, 1956) is an American politician from the state of Illinois. ...

The Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area, near Virginia, Illinois, is named in Edgar's honor. The Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (JEPC) is a conservation area located within Cass County in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Virginia is a city located in Cass County, Illinois. ...

Edgar currently serves as a distinguished fellow of the Institute of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), is the largest campus in the University of Illinois system. ... Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. ...