Gary Herbert

Gary Richard Herbert (born May 7, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 17th governor of Utah from 2009 to 2021.

Herbert won a seat on the Utah County Commission in 1990, where he served 14 years.

Between 1990 and 2004, Herbert served as a commissioner on the Utah County Commission.

He replaced Brent Morris in 1990.

During his time as a commissioner, Herbert also served as presidents of the Utah Association of Counties and the Utah Association of Realtors.

Larry Ellertson succeeded Herbert as County Commissioner.

In November 2003, Herbert began campaigning for the Republican nomination for Governor of Utah.

He ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2004, ultimately becoming fellow Republican candidate Jon Huntsman's running mate in the general election.

In April 2004, a month before the state convention at which the gubernatorial nominee would be selected, Herbert joined forces with then-rival Jon Huntsman, Jr., becoming the latter's running mate.

The Huntsman-Herbert ticket defeated incumbent governor Olene S. Walker at the convention, before going on to win in the November election.

Herbert subsequently became lieutenant governor.

Herbert's central role as lieutenant governor was running the state electoral office and managing the campaign disclosure system.

His record on those responsibilities was somewhat mixed, improving standards marginally but seeing the state slip overall on nationwide rankings published by the Campaign Disclosure Project.

Moreover, Herbert's office was criticized for failing to enforce campaign disclosure laws more vigorously.

In 2007, Herbert oversaw the first statewide voter referendum to take place since the creation of the Lieutenant Governor's post.

During his time as lieutenant governor, Herbert also served as the chairman of numerous statewide commissions, including the Commission on Volunteers and the Commission on Civic and Character Education and the Emergency Management Administrative Council.

Huntsman and Herbert faced little opposition during their 2008 campaign for re-election, avoiding a primary election after achieving a plurality of votes at the state Republican Party convention.

The Republican ticket was re-elected to office with a record 77 percent of the vote.

Herbert served as the sixth lieutenant governor of Utah from 2005 until August 11, 2009, when he assumed the governorship following the resignation of Huntsman, who was appointed to serve as the United States Ambassador to China by President Barack Obama.

Herbert became Governor of Utah on August 11, 2009, after Governor Jon Huntsman stepped down to become Ambassador to China.

Herbert was elected to serve out the remainder of the term in a special gubernatorial election in 2010, defeating Democratic nominee Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon with 64% of the vote.

As the Republican gubernatorial nominee in the 2010 special election, Herbert defeated his Democratic opponent, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, 64% to 32%.

He won election to a full four-year term in 2012, defeating Democratic Businessman Peter Cooke with 68% of the vote and was re-elected to a second full four-year term in 2016.

In 2012, Herbert won election to a full four-year term.

He defeated his Democratic opponent, retired Major General Peter Cooke, by a margin of 69% to 28%.

A member of the Republican Party, he chaired the National Governors Association during the 2015–2016 cycle.

Herbert announced in 2019 that he would not seek re-election to a third full term in 2020; he endorsed the gubernatorial candidacy of his Lieutenant Governor, Spencer Cox.

Herbert was born in American Fork, the son of Carol (Boley) and Paul Richard Peters.

His parents divorced when he was a toddler; his mother soon remarried to Duane Barlow Herbert, who legally adopted him.

His biological father also remarried, but Herbert and his paternal half-siblings were raised in different households and had minimal contact with each other.

Herbert grew up in Orem, Utah.

He graduated from Orem High School, served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States Mission and later attended Brigham Young University, but did not graduate.

He is married to Jeanette Snelson Herbert; they have six children and sixteen grandchildren.

Mrs. Herbert was born in Preston, Idaho.

She moved with her family as a young child to Springville, Utah.

She is Honorary Chair of the Governor's Commission on Literacy.

Herbert served for six years as a member of the Utah Army National Guard, becoming a staff sergeant.

Following his time in the National Guard, he set up a real estate firm, Herbert and Associates Realtors.

Herbert was president of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Association of Realtors.

Mrs. Herbert ran a child care service, The Kids Connection.