SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife First Lady Rosalynn Carter celebrate their 77th wedding anniversary Friday.
This anniversary just extends their record as the longest married couple ever.
The 39th president is 98 and has been in home hospice care since February. The former first lady is 95 and has dementia. The Carter family has not offered details of either Jimmy or Rosalynn Carter’s condition, but has said they both have enjoyed time with each other and a stream of family members, along with occasional visits from close friends in recent months.
While the two are celebrating their marriage, why don’t we take a look at Jimmy Carter’s history with California?
Joel Blank is a Political Science professor at San Joaquin Delta College and says Carter’s political career had some twists and turns thanks to California — especially after then California Gov. Jerry Brown lost to Carter in 1976’s Democratic Party nomination.
"California has always been a mover and shaker,” said Blank. “So from then on, the relationship between Jimmy Carter, and Jerry Brown was not, let's say, user friendly."
Then, in his reelection campaign in 1980, California came for Carter again. Brown entered the race for a second time, he and Carter losing to Ronald Reagan.
"California is not just a state, but a state of mind. So he made this speech in 1977, to reflect the spirit of innovation in California progressivism in California, that California is a cultural and economic leader,” said Blank.
Carter's relationship with the state was mixed — recognizing the state as innovative, but also threatening traditions.
“He gave this in 1979, in San Francisco. And I quote, ‘whatever starts in California, unfortunately, has an inclination to spread,’" said Blank.
One of the issues Carter and California could share was about the environment. He was also one of the first presidents to call attention to mental health issues, a passion he shared with his wife.
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