By Eniola Amadu
Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, a two-term Republican known for steering the state towards greater financial stability in the 1990s, has died aged 79.
His family announced on Sunday that he died from complications linked to treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Edgar had revealed his diagnosis earlier this year.
A statement from his relatives expressed gratitude for the support received in recent months.
“We are deeply grateful for the love, support and kindness so many have shown to Jim and our family over these last several months,” they said.
Edgar, who began his career as a state legislator, went on to serve as Illinois secretary of state for ten years before being elected governor in 1990.
A moderate Republican, he won re-election with ease, including securing victory in Cook County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Chicago.
During his two terms, Edgar focused on stabilising state finances at a time when Illinois was facing significant debt and delays in paying its bills.
Amid a national recession, he pushed through spending cuts and layoffs, while also making a temporary income tax surcharge permanent, providing a steady source of funding for public schools.
Reflecting on his tenure in 1998, Edgar said, “It wasn’t always pretty how it was done, but we got a lot done. We went after some pretty tough issues. We didn’t get them all, but we got most of them.”
Despite his popularity, Edgar announced in 1997 that he would not seek a third term. He was later urged by party members to return to politics, with suggestions to run for the US Senate and for governor again, but he declined.
After leaving office, he taught and continued public service, including as president emeritus of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.
Throughout his later years, Edgar remained an influential Republican voice, often critical of the party’s shift to the right.
He notably refused to back Donald Trump and instead supported the “Republicans for Harris” campaign during the last presidential election.
Illinois governor JB Pritzker announced that flags in the state would fly at half-mast in Edgar’s honour, describing him as a leader who served with honesty and integrity.
Edgar is survived by his wife and two children. Funeral arrangements will be announced by his family in the coming days.
