Tom Perreckin (Napoleon's World)

Thomas Edward Perreckin(born July 8, 1932) is a retired American Nationalist politician best known for serving as Governor of Massachusetts from 1983-1991. He is notable in that in a heavily Democratic state he survived two election years (1982 and 1986) that were otherwise regarded as very strong for national and state-level Democrats. From the liberal wing of his party, he made numerous bargains with Democrats and is credited with starting the political career of future Democratic President Jay Leno by appointing him the head of the Massachusetts State Labor Board in February of 1983.

After the Governorship, Perreckin considered running for President in 1996, but opted not to due to the perceived strength of frontrunners Steve Martin, Mitt Romney and Sam Scott. He was regarded as a potential Vice Presidential choice both in 1988 for Robert Redford and 1996 for Steve Martin, but was ruled out as being too liberal by moderate and conservative brass in the party. After opting not to run for Senate in 1992 and 1994, Perreckin ran for the Senate seat being vacated by Leno in 1998, but was defeated by Democrat Chris Peck in that year's Democratic landslide. The 1998 election was the last of Perreckin's career, who subsequently retired and now is an informal consultant to various political campaigns.