Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III (born December 20, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 31st United States secretary of agriculture from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and as a member of the Georgia State Senate from 1991 to 2002.
Sonny Perdue | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2017 | |
| 14th Chancellor of the University System of Georgia | |
| Assumed office April 1, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Wrigley Teresa MacCartney (acting) |
| 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
| In office April 25, 2017 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Mike Young (acting) Stephen Censky |
| Preceded by | Tom Vilsack |
| Succeeded by | Tom Vilsack |
| 81st Governor of Georgia | |
| In office January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011 | |
| Lieutenant | Mark Taylor Casey Cagle |
| Preceded by | Roy Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Deal |
| Member of the Georgia State Senate from the 18th district | |
| In office January 9, 1991 – January 9, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Ed Barker |
| Succeeded by | Michael J. Moore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Ervin Perdue III December 20, 1946 Perry, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1998–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 1998) |
| Spouse |
Mary Ruff (m. 1972) |
| Children |
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| Parents |
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| Relatives | David Perdue (cousin) |
| Education | University of Georgia (BS, DVM) |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1971–1974 |
| Rank | Captain |
Founder and partner in an agricultural trading company, Perdue was elected governor of Georgia in 2002, defeating incumbent Roy Barnes and becoming the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era. He was reelected in 2006 with nearly 60% of the vote. He later served from 2012 to 2017 on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C.
On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19–1 voice vote on March 30. His appointment was approved by an 87–11 vote by the Senate on April 24. He became the second secretary of agriculture from the Deep South, after Mike Espy of Mississippi. Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term.
On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia appointed Perdue as the system's 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022.