Bob Holden

Robert Lee Holden Jr. (born August 24, 1949) is an American politician who served as the 53rd governor of Missouri from 2001 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Missouri state treasurer from 1993 to 2001 and represented the 136th district in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1983 to 1989. Since leaving public office, Holden has worked at Webster University, where he founded the Holden Public Policy Forum, and serves as the president and chairman of the United States Heartland China Association.

Even though he was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 24, 1949, Holden was raised on a farm near Birch Tree. He attended a one-room school and earned his bachelor's degree in political science at Missouri State University (then known as Southwest Missouri State), where he was a member of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. He also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he took courses specifically tailored for government executives. Holden met his wife Lori Hauser during his first campaign for the Missouri General Assembly and together, they have two boys, Robert and John D.

His brother, Calvin Ray Holden, is a Greene County Circuit Court judge.

From 1975 to 1981, Holden worked in the office of State Treasurer James Spainhower, and worked on Spainhower's 1980 campaign for governor. From 1983 to 1989, Holden was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives. During his tenure, he became chair of the appropriations committee.

In January of 1988, he announced his campaign for State Treasurer of Missouri against incumbent Republican Wendell Bailey. Holden's race was considered to be one of the few potentially competitive races for Democrats that year, and Bailey was seen as the most vulnerable Republican up that year. Holden lost by over 40,000 votes in a close contest. After this loss, Holden worked as the chief of staff to U.S. Congressman Dick Gephardt.

In 1992, Holden made another bid, and this time was successful. Holden served in the position from 1993 to 2001.

In the 2000 election, Holden was expected to face a tough primary against Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson. But in March of 1998, Wilson declined a bid, mostly to spend more time with family, but also due to fundraising troubles against Holden. Holden won the Democratic nomination and faced Republican Congressman Jim Talent in the general election. During the campaign, Talent attacked Holden as an establishment candidate, while Holden compared Talent to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich when commenting on Talent's proposals, saying "this isn't Washington".

Holden suffered from low name recognition early in the race, but by late October had begun leading Talent by several points in the polls. When voting began on November 7, Talent had an early lead. However, when votes from St. Louis came in around midnight, Holden took over the lead. At 2:35 a.m. on November 8, the Associated Press called the race for Holden, and Talent conceded shortly after. Holden's victory over Talent marked the closest election for Missouri governor since 1976 and the first election since 1924 in which neither candidate received a majority of the vote.