Sonny Perdue Biography Quotes 15 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education

George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III was born on December 20, 1946, in Perry, Georgia, and grew up in a rural community near Bonaire. He was raised in a family closely tied to both farming and public education, a background that shaped his lifelong interest in agriculture and public service. Perdue attended the University of Georgia, where he completed pre-veterinary studies and went on to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree in 1971 from the College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating, he served in the United States Air Force and then returned to Georgia, where he worked in and around agribusiness and logistics. His formative years in Middle Georgia rooted him in the concerns of small towns and farm communities, themes that would later define his political identity and policy priorities.

Early Career and State Politics

Perdue entered elective office in 1990, winning a seat in the Georgia State Senate and taking office in 1991. He built a reputation as a pragmatic lawmaker with an emphasis on transportation, budgeting, and rural economic development. Originally a Democrat, he switched to the Republican Party in 1998 amid a period of political realignment in Georgia and the broader South. His party switch underscored his alignment with conservative positions on regulation, taxation, and state governance, and it positioned him as a leading figure in a rising Republican movement at the state level. During more than a decade in the Senate, he cultivated relationships with legislators across the aisle and gained experience that would prove critical in a statewide campaign.

Governor of Georgia

In 2002, Perdue ran for governor and defeated incumbent Roy Barnes, becoming Georgia's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He took office in January 2003 and served two terms through January 2011, winning reelection in 2006 against Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. Perdue's tenure coincided with rapid population growth, infrastructure demands, and intense regional debates over water resources, especially the "tri-state water wars" with Alabama and Florida. He sought to balance economic development with conservation, and during a severe drought in 2007 drew national attention for a public prayer event for rain at the State Capitol, reflecting his open expression of faith in public life.

Perdue's administration focused on fiscal stewardship, economic competitiveness, and education reforms aimed at accountability and school choice. He championed initiatives to attract investment and expand logistics capacity, including support for Georgia's ports and freight corridors. In 2008, he signed legislation establishing robust incentives for the film and television industry, an action that grew into a major sector of the state's economy. He also followed through on a campaign promise to let voters weigh in on the state flag, a deeply symbolic issue in Georgia politics, and oversaw a referendum that replaced earlier designs.

As governor, Perdue worked with an evolving cast of state leaders. In his first term he governed alongside Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor; in his second, alongside Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle. He dealt with Republican House Speaker Glenn Richardson and later Speaker David Ralston as the party's legislative dominance solidified. In 2010 he appointed Brian Kemp to serve as Georgia's Secretary of State, a move that shaped Georgia's political landscape in subsequent years. When Perdue left office, he was succeeded by fellow Republican Nathan Deal, reflecting the durable partisan realignment he helped cement.

Business Ventures and Public Profile

Before and after his governorship, Perdue engaged in private-sector ventures connected to agriculture, trade, and logistics. These pursuits drew on his background in veterinary medicine and his practical experience with supply chains and export markets. Although he shares a last name with the Perdue family associated with the poultry brand, Sonny Perdue is not related to the owners of Perdue Farms. A prominent figure in Georgia's Republican politics, he is also a cousin of David Perdue, who later served in the U.S. Senate from Georgia. The family connection placed him near the center of state and national political networks that bridged business, policy, and campaign operations.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Perdue to be the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture. He was confirmed by the Senate and served through January 20, 2021. At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he emphasized trade expansion, deregulation, and responsiveness to farmers. He implemented the creation of a top trade role within USDA, elevating agricultural export priorities, and reorganized certain offices to streamline operations. A signature and controversial move of his tenure was the relocation of the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture from Washington, D.C., to the Kansas City region, a decision intended to reduce costs and place research functions closer to agricultural communities, but one that prompted significant staff turnover and debate in Congress.

Perdue steered USDA through the turbulence of international trade disputes, especially with China, working with the White House and Congress to deploy relief programs for farmers affected by retaliatory tariffs. He also oversaw implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill and pursued changes to nutrition programs, including proposals that tightened work requirements for certain SNAP recipients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he directed emergency efforts such as the Farmers to Families Food Box program to address supply-chain disruptions and food insecurity. When his term ended, Tom Vilsack, who had served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Barack Obama, returned to the post under President Joe Biden, succeeding Perdue and underscoring the continuity and change characteristic of American agricultural policy across administrations.

Chancellor of the University System of Georgia

In 2022, the Board of Regents appointed Perdue as Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, placing him in charge of the state's network of public colleges and universities, including the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State University. In this role, he has focused on affordability, workforce alignment, and institutional performance metrics, while navigating the complex governance issues that arise in a large higher-education system. His selection was welcomed by some who pointed to his executive experience and longstanding ties to the state, and criticized by others who raised concerns about political influence in academic leadership. Perdue has worked closely with campus presidents and the Board of Regents to guide the system through enrollment shifts and post-pandemic recovery.

Personal Life and Legacy

Perdue is married to Mary Ruff Perdue, his partner throughout decades of public and private endeavors. Known for his open expressions of faith and his connection to small-town Georgia, he has consistently framed policy through the lens of the state's farmers, entrepreneurs, and families. His career links veterinary training, business, state governance, and federal administration, giving him an unusually broad perspective on how policy decisions flow from a state capital to Washington and back into rural communities. The political figures around him, from Roy Barnes and Nathan Deal in the Governor's Office, to Mark Taylor and Casey Cagle in the lieutenant governor's chair, to President Donald Trump and Secretary Tom Vilsack in federal service, and to Brian Kemp in state executive roles, illustrate the network of relationships that shaped his influence.

Across these chapters, Perdue left a distinct imprint on Georgia's political realignment, the state's economic development strategy, and national agricultural policy. Whether building ties with farmers during trade disputes, steering a state through drought and growth, or balancing affordability and excellence in higher education, he occupied roles that demanded coalition-building and long-term planning. His story reflects the rise of Republican leadership in Georgia and the enduring significance of agriculture, education, and infrastructure in the American South.