Joseph P. Teasdale

Joseph Patrick Teasdale (March 29, 1936 – May 8, 2014) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as the 48th Governor of Missouri from 1977 to 1981. Teasdale was formerly a prosecutor for Jackson County, Missouri. In 1972, he made his first bid for governor, placing third in the Democratic primary, but attaining name recognition and the nickname "Walking Joe". In 1976, after initially running for U.S. Senate, Teasdale switched races and made a second bid for the Governor's office. He won the nomination and defeated incumbent Kit Bond in an upset. In 1980, Teasdale beat back a primary challenge from State Treasurer Jim Spainhower, but was defeated by Bond in a rematch. After leaving office, Teasdale returned to practicing law until his death.

Early life and education
Teasdale was born in Kansas City, Missouri to William and Adah Downey Teasdale. Teasdale's father was a prominent Kansas City attorney, Joseph Teasdale and his three sisters were raised as devout Catholics. Teasdale was a multi-sport athlete while attending Rockhurst High School and would later be inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. Following graduation from high school, he attended St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College) in Atchison, Kansas where he was a member of the school's 1954 NAIA National Champion basketball team. Teasdale later earned an undergraduate degree from Rockhurst University, and a law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Career
From 1962 to 1966, Teasdale served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, where among his duties included leading the organized crime division. In the early-1960s, he enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve, with his primary duty being at Whiteman Air Force Base where he served as an Airman Third class performing legal staff duties for the 442nd Military Airlift Wing. Teasdale was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Jackson County, Missouri in 1966, becoming the youngest person to ever hold that office. He was supported in this election by the Committee for County Progress, a group that supported challengers to older, entrenched incumbents. In 1970, he ran for a county judgeship, but was defeated narrowly in the Democratic primary by Harry Wiggins.

1972 campaign
In 1971, Teasdale signaled his intent to run for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Missouri in the 1972 election. Part of Teasdale's candidacy was rooted in his youth, and depicting himself as a new face of the party, and echoing an appeal similar to John F. Kennedy. In the summer of 1971, Teasdale announced his intent to walk across the state to garner support for the campaign. He placed third in the primary, trailing nominee Edward L. Dowd and Lieutenant Governor William Morris. However, his campaign style earned him the nickname, "Walking Joe." Teasdale appropriated the tactic from Florida politician "Walkin' Lawton Chiles. Teasdale campaign officials estimated that he had walked over 1,000 miles in the months leading up to the primary. Even though he lost the primary, Teasdale had gained name recognition and press coverage for his campaign. After the campaign was over, Teasdale hinted at a future bid for office.

1976 campaign
In 1974, Teasdale launched a bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by Stuart Symington. During this campaign, he was critical of the policies of Henry Kissinger towards the Middle East. However, while campaigning, Teasdale found a groundswell of support for a second gubernatorial bid. Finding little support in his Senate bid, he would soon drop out, and switched to the Governor's race. In the primary, Teasdale faced a challenge against Senate President Pro Tempore William Cason. Cason was the favorite amongst most Democratic groups. In spite of this, Teasdale defeated Cason in the August 3rd primary. In the November election, Teasdale faced incumbent Governor Kit Bond. Bond appeared the heavy favorite, and one poll showed Bond ahead of Teasdale 51 percent to 36 percent. Running on a platform of working for common Missourians and vowing to fight big utility company rate hikes, Teasdale painted Bond as being too friendly to big business interests. In the closing weeks, Teasdale ran a last minute campaign of ads, outspending Bond during the period. On election night, NBC called the race for Bond minutes after polls closed. in the end, Teasdale was elected governor by 13,000 votes. Teasdale's win in the 1976 Missouri gubernatorial election was considered an upset. The victory prompted CBS News anchorman Dan Rather to quip on the air "..the story in the Midwest is not Jimmy Carter, it's Walkin' Joe Teasdale!"

Governor
Teasdale's upset caught many off-guard, including Teasdale himself, who had not assembled a transition team. The ensuing transition was marred by a lack of preparation from Teasdale, a lack of cooperation from Bond, and no official laws in place to aid the process. During this time, Teasdale avoided interactions with the press, and focused on getting a better understanding of the job.

Teasdale had been the first Missouri Governor to hail from Kansas City in over 80 years. During his tenure, Teasdale fought against utility companies by appointing new members to the Missouri Public Service Commission, the state agency tasked with approving or denying rates. Teasdale also established the state's first Division of Aging, boosting funding for the Department of Mental Health, and overseeing the rewriting of numerous health laws. Teasdale also advocated strongly for the Nursing Home Reform Act and removal of sales tax on prescription drugs. He proved willing to reach across party lines as well, supporting Republican Mel Hancock's amendment to limit state taxes. Teasdale also came out strongly against the Meramec Dam project which would have greatly affected rivers in areas southwest of St. Louis. He signed legislation reinstating the death penalty in Missouri in 1977, but later regretted the decision. In 1980 Teasdale made state history by becoming the first Missouri governor in 140 years to have a veto overridden by the state legislature. He angered many in his own party by opposing the cost of constructing the Harry S. Truman state office building in Jefferson City.

1980 re-election campaign
In 1980 Teasdale faced a Democratic primary challenge from then-State Treasurer Jim Spainhower. Spainhower had been considered a potential challenger since 1977, owing to the fact he had been term limited as state treasurer. In 1978, Teasdale met with Spainhower to discuss his plans in 1980, and came to the conclusion that Spainhower would challenge him. Spainhower made his plans official on August 15, 1979, attacking Teasdale for his failures to lead, and for cronyism. Moreover, Spainhower received support from prominent Democrats such as Senator Thomas Eagleton and St. Louis Mayor Jim Conway. Teasdale was successful in defeating Spainhower, and would face Kit Bond in a rematch of the 1976 contest. Teasdale attacked Bond as having governed for the wealthy, and Bond attacked Teasdale for not reducing utility rates. In the November election, Bond defeated Teasdale 53% to 47%.

Later career
After leaving the governorship in January, 1981, Teasdale returned to the Kansas City area and established a law practice. One of his most notable cases was representing victims and surviving family of the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse. An avid outdoorsman all his life, he often spent time on hunting and fishing trips.

Teasdale largely avoided state politics after his defeat, telling one newspaper reporter in 1993 "I wanted to become a normal person again, and I really wasn't normal before. For 20 years I was completely consumed by politics." In 1981, he declined a bid for the open 5th congressional district vacated by Richard Bolling, due to wanting to devote time to his family and law practice, but also not wanting to incur more debts, still paying off his 1980 debts. In 1982, he endorsed Harriet Woods in her bid to defeat John Danforth for U.S. Senate. In 1983, he endorsed Charles Curry for president, as part of a campaign to help a favorite son candidate give Missouri influence in the nomination process. In 1992, he managed the campaign of Judith Moriarty to be Secretary of State of Missouri. Moriarty won, but was later impeached and removed from office. In the late 1990s, his position on capital punishment having changed, he worked to achieve clemency for David Leisure, a man convicted of murder for a 1980 car bombing in St. Louis.

Personal life
In 1973, Teasdale was married to the former Theresa Ferkenhoff. The couple had three sons, Bill, John, and Kevin. His middle son, John, was a multisport standout at Rockhurst High School like his father before him, and later played offensive tackle at the University of Notre Dame.

Teasdale died on May 8, 2014, in Kansas City, Missouri, of complications from pneumonia.