Gene McNary
4th Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission
In office
January, 2006 – July 1, 2010
Preceded bySteve Johnson (Acting)
Succeeded byRoger Stottlemyre
13th Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
In office
October 26, 1989 – January 20, 1993
Preceded byAlan C. Nelson
Succeeded byDoris Meissner
4th County Executive of St. Louis County
In office
1975 – October 25, 1989
Preceded byLawrence K. Roos
Succeeded byH. C. Milford
Prosecuting Attorney of St. Louis County
In office
1967–1974
Personal details
BornSeptember 14, 1935 (1935-09-14) (age 88)
Muncie, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSusan McNary
ChildrenCole McNary
ResidenceLadue, Missouri
Alma materIndiana University
OccupationPolitician
Attorney

Gene McNary (born September 14, 1935) is an American politician.[1] He has served as the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission, and County Executive of St. Louis County.[1] He has also been a Republican candidate for Governor and Senator in Missouri.[1]

Early life, education, and career

Gene McNary was born September 14, 1935, in Muncie, Indiana.[2] His father was and oil jobber and his mother worked with him.[3] McNary earned both his bachelor's and law degrees from Indiana University.[4] After law school McNary decided to move to St. Louis, where he joined the Lashly, Lashly & Miller law firm.[3]

Early political career

In 1963, McNary began his career as a public servant by becoming assistant public defender.[3] In 1966, he decided to run for Prosecuting Attorney of St. Louis County.[3] He won the election and then went on to win reelection.[1] He then ran for County Executive of St. Louis County and won four terms in that position.[1] As county executive, he helped create a regional arts commission, merge the county and city hospitals into one regional facility, and create a regional convention and visitors bureau.[3] At the time he also served as the chairman of the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council.[3]

In 1980 he was the Republican nominee for Senator.[5] He narrowly lost to incumbent Senator Thomas Eagleton with a 52.0% to a 47.2% margin.[5] In 1984, McNary lost the Republican primary for Governor to Attorney General John Ashcroft.[6] In 1989, McNary was appointed Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service by President George H. W. Bush.[3] He stayed in that position for over 3 years.[3]

Private practice and later political career

In 1994, McNary went back to St. Louis and joined the Danna law firm.[7] In 1998, he formed a law firm, McNary, Morris & Smalley, that specialized in immigration.[7] While in private practice, he decided to run to represent Missouri's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[6] The seat was open because the incumbent, Jim Talent, decided to run for governor. He narrowly lost the Republican primary to Todd Akin by about 50 votes.[6] In 2004, McNary ran to become St. Louis County Executive, a position vacated by Buzz Westfall's death.[8] He lost to Charlie Dooley with a margin of 45.8% to 52.9%.[8]

In 2006, Governor Matt Blunt appointed McNary the Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission.[6] McNary was in that position while St. Louis got two new casinos and while the $500 loss limit was ended.[9] McNary left his job at the Missouri Gaming Commission when two new Democratic appointees made it possible for him to be removed from his post.[9] He then ran for assessor of St. Louis County in 2012.[4] The Republican Central Committee of St. Louis County chose L.K. "Chip" Wood as the Republican nominee for the position, in a 23–21 vote.[10] McNary has five children and nine grandchildren.[4] One of his children is former Missouri State Rep. Cole McNary.[11]

Electoral history

2004 Special Election for County Executive of St. Louis County
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Gene McNary 242,903 45.8
Democratic Charlie Dooley 280,520 52.9
Libertarian Theo. "Ted" Brown Sr. 6,879 1.3
United States Senate election in Missouri, 1980
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Gene McNary 47.7
Democratic Thomas Eagleton 52.0
Socialist Workers Martha Pettit 0.3

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography of Gene McNary : Business". Stltoday.com. 2010-04-23. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  2. ↑ "USCIS - Gene McNary". Uscis.gov. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Blacktie | Have you met Gene McNary?". Blacktie-missouri.com. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  4. 1 2 3 PHIL SUTIN > psutin@post-dispatch.com > 314-863-2812 (2010-12-27). "St. Louis County elected assessor hopefuls view position : News". Stltoday.com. Retrieved 2013-02-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 "ř United States Senate elections, 1980 Specs ř". Aadet.com. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Stein, Lana (2012-03-29). "St. Louis Beacon". Stlbeacon.org. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  7. 1 2 "Gene McNary forming law firm, will focus on immigration issues - St. Louis Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. 1998-08-30. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  8. 1 2 Archived January 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. 1 2 Logan, Tim (2010-04-23). "McNary leaves gambling post : Business". Stltoday.com. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  10. ↑ Stein, Lana (2012-03-29). "St. Louis Beacon". Stlbeacon.org. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  11. ↑ "Missouri House of Representatives". House.mo.gov. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
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