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Former SC Gov. David Beasley seeks to bring civility back into politics

Former South Carolina Governor David Beasley has had a storied political career on both local and international stages.

Elected at just 21 years old as a Democrat to the South Carolina House in 1979, Beasley rose through the ranks to become the youngest speaker pro tempore and majority leader in the nation.

He would years later switch parties to Republican in 1991 and eventually win the gubernatorial election as a Republican for S.C. in 1994. He lost his reelection in 1998 to Democratic challenger Jim Hodges.

Twenty years later, Beasley is a humanitarian, having led the United Nations' World Food Programme for six years from 2017 to 2023 and accepting a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its work.

In August, he launched Breaking Bread Together, a national movement designed to bridge cultural, religious, and political divides in America.

On this episode of Charlotte Talks, David Beasley joins us to share his lessons on civility and what can bring Americans together. We’ll also discuss his thoughts on where the parties are today, the “blue tsunami” that swept his home state of South Carolina and more.

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David Beasley, former Governor of South Carolina

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Chris is a producer on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. Prior to that, you may have heard him as the voice of Weekend Edition on WFAE. Chris has a love for all things public radio and has been with WFAE since 2021. Have an idea for the show? Email him at <a href="mailto:cjones@wfae.org">cjones@wfae.org</a>.