Jim Edgar set his cap for a career in state government, to him a high calling, in the 1960s when he was student body president at Eastern Illinois University in his hometown of Charleston. His greatest legacy is a continuing program he created to imbue smart, upwardly mobile young people from across Illinois with his devotion to doing good for his state.

Jim took a rather typical path to the governorship : a legislative staff internship, election to the Illinois House, appointment by Gov. Jim Thompson to be his legislative affairs director and then appointment to fill a vacancy as secretary of state, followed by the governorship for two terms (1991 to 1999). He retired from office while still very popular.

A teetotaler, Jim pushed successfully as secretary of state for drunken driving

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