Former NC Governor, Jim Hunt, dies at 88

Former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, the longest-serving governor in state history and a nationally recognized champion of education, died Thursday, according to his family. He was 88.

“It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of my beloved daddy and hero, former Gov. Jim Hunt,” Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt said in a statement. “He devoted his life to serving the people of North Carolina, guided by a belief that public service should expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and always put people first.”

Hunt served four terms as governor, from 1977 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2001, steering the state through periods of rapid growth and laying foundations that continue to shape public policy. Widely known as North Carolina’s “education governor,” he pushed early childhood learning, founded the state’s Smart Start initiative in the 1990s, raised teacher pay and helped establish the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

His economic development strategy emphasized technology and research, including support for the N.C. Biotechnology Center and recruitment of major employers to Research Triangle Park. In 1996, Hunt persuaded voters to amend the state constitution to grant the governor veto power, an overhaul approved by a three-to-one margin.

In 1984, Hunt mounted a high-profile U.S. Senate challenge against incumbent Republican Jesse Helms, a bruising race that at the time became the most expensive Senate contest in U.S. history.

Born in Greensboro, Hunt earned degrees from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina School of Law. He worked in Nepal and on Democratic campaigns before winning the election as lieutenant governor in 1972. During that term, he helped lead efforts to make kindergarten mandatory and increase teacher pay, setting the stage for his first gubernatorial victory.

After leaving elected office, Hunt remained an influential voice in Democratic politics and public policy. He founded the Hunt Institute at Duke University, focused on education policy, and the Institute for Emerging Issues at N.C. State University, examining a broad range of challenges facing the state.

Gov. Josh Stein said Thursday that he “can think of no one who shaped North Carolina’s recent successes as much as Gov. Jim Hunt,” calling him a visionary leader and mentor whose work strengthened schools, protected the environment, and expanded economic opportunity.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.