Jim Hunt, North Carolina's longest-serving governor, passed away on Thursday at the age of 88. A Democrat, Hunt served a total of 16 years across four terms, from 1977 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2001. He was the only governor in the state's history to be elected to four terms, a feat made possible by a constitutional change allowing consecutive service.
Hunt was widely recognized for his dedication to education, making schools and early childhood learning central to his administration. He launched "Smart Start" in 1993, an initiative providing health and education services to children under five to prepare them for school. Additionally, he successfully advocated for raising North Carolina teacher salaries above the national median, expanded full-day kindergarten statewide, and established the nation's first public residential high school for science and math.
His daughter, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, announced his death, stating that 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." Current and former state leaders, including Gov. Josh Stein, former Gov. Roy Cooper, and former Gov. Pat McCrory, expressed their condolences, remembering Hunt as a visionary, a mentor, and a dedicated public servant who profoundly shaped North Carolina's successes.