Jim Hunt, Architect of North Carolina’s Modern Economy, Dies at 88

2025-12-19 politics

Raleigh, Friday, 19 December 2025.
North Carolina’s longest-serving governor died Thursday, leaving a legacy defined by transforming the state’s agrarian roots into a global biotechnology powerhouse through four historic terms.

A Titan of North Carolina Politics

James Baxter Hunt Jr., the Democrat who served as North Carolina’s 69th and 71st governor, passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Wilson, North Carolina, at the age of 88 [2][3]. His passing was confirmed by his daughter, current Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt, marking the end of an era for the state’s longest-serving chief executive [1][4]. Hunt held the governorship for a historic 16 years, serving his first two terms from 1977 to 1985 and returning for two additional terms from 1993 to 2001 [1]. His tenure is statistically significant; he served a total of 5,838 days, tying for the sixth-longest gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history [3]. Hunt’s career bridged distinct eras of the South’s political history, evolving from a focus on agrarian interests to a modern industrial strategy.

Engineering an Economic Pivot

Hunt is widely credited with orchestrating North Carolina’s transition from a traditional economy reliant on tobacco and low-wage manufacturing to a global leader in technology and life sciences [2]. Recognizing the need for high-tech industry tenants in the Research Triangle Park (RTP), Hunt’s administration facilitated the creation of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC) [2]. This strategic shift involved direct recruitment efforts, including persuading Glaxo plc to establish a U.S. base in the RTP, a move that anchored the region’s status as a pharmaceutical hub [2]. His approach linked public investment directly to economic outcomes, creating a blueprint for state-level development that prioritized high-skilled labor over low-cost production.

The Education Governor

Central to Hunt’s economic philosophy was the belief that workforce quality drives investment, earning him the moniker of the “education governor” [1]. During his third term in the 1990s, he launched “Smart Start,” a pioneering pre-kindergarten program designed to improve early childhood development and school readiness [1][2]. To further align education with the state’s emerging tech sector, Hunt founded the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, the nation’s first public residential high school for STEM education [1][2]. His administration also implemented the Excellent Schools Act, which increased teacher pay and established stricter accountability standards [2]. In his own analysis of these policies, Hunt noted that student proficiency scores rose from 56% in 1994 to 70% by the year 2000 [3].

Redefining Executive Power

Beyond economic policy, Hunt fundamentally altered the structural power of the North Carolina governorship. In 1996, he successfully campaigned for a constitutional amendment granting the governor veto power, a tool the state’s executives had previously lacked [1]. The measure was approved by voters by a three-to-one margin, ending North Carolina’s status as the only state without gubernatorial veto authority [1][2]. His political career also included a high-stakes bid for the U.S. Senate in 1984 against incumbent Republican Jesse Helms [1]. The campaign, which Hunt lost, was noted for its intensity and cost, totaling approximately $30 million, and is remembered as one of the most expensive and contentious Senate races of the 20th century [2].

Bipartisan Tributes and Legacy

Reactions to Hunt’s death on Thursday reflected his influence across party lines. Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, described Hunt as a “visionary” and stated he could think of no one who had shaped the state’s recent successes more profoundy [1][4]. Former Governor Roy Cooper described him as the “greatest Governor in North Carolina history,” emphasizing his impact on children and schools [2]. Republican Senator Thom Tillis also acknowledged Hunt’s legacy, noting that his commitment to economic development made a “profound impact” that continues to benefit the state [2]. Hunt is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and their four children, including Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt, who was elected to her current office in 2024 [3][7].

Sources

North Carolina Leadership