Lieutenant Vacant Political party Democratic Party Party Iowa Democratic Party Preceded by Harold Hughes Name Robert Fulton Succeeded by Robert D. Ray | Governor Harold Hughes Role American Politician Resigned 1969 Preceded by W. L. Mooty Education University of Iowa | |
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Born May 13, 1929 (age 94)
Waterloo, Iowa ( 1929-05-13 ) | ||
Robert David Fulton (born May 13, 1929) is an American politician who briefly served as the 37th Governor of Iowa during the first 16 days of 1969. He also served as the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 1965 to 1969.
Biography
Fulton was born in Waterloo, Iowa. A Democrat, he served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1958 to 1960, followed by a term as a member of the Iowa Senate from 1962 to 1964. He then became the running mate of Iowa governor Harold Hughes, and with Hughes 1964 re-election, became the state's 38th Lieutenant Governor. He served as lieutenant governor from January 17, 1965 to January 1, 1969. He then served briefly as governor from January 1 to January 16, 1969, following Governor Hughes' election to the United States Senate and subsequent resignation. Fulton was the last Democrat to serve as Governor of Iowa until the 1999 inauguration of Tom Vilsack.
The office of Iowa governor was taken over by Robert D. Ray on January 16, 1969. Ray had won the gubernatorial election in November 1968, but, as per the state constitution, was not eligible to assume the role of governor until that day. Fulton later ran for a full term as governor in 1970, but was defeated by Ray. After leaving the governor's office, Fulton served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, and was a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.