See the former jobs of the governor of North Carolina

In 2018, 36 out of the nation's 50 states held elections for governor. A record-shattering 16 women were major party nominees the position, nine of whom were successful, making the current number of female governors tied with the all-time high number set in 2004. The LGBTQ+ community also made historic strides, as Colorado's Jared Polis became the first openly gay man to be elected governor in the United States, and Oregon's Kate Brown, who is bisexual, was reelected in her state.

Fast forward to the 2022 elections, and 36 states will once again elect—or reelect— their governors. But who are these powerful politicians, and what were they doing before they took their states' reigns?

Stacker analyzed the former roles every current governor had before taking office and found varying resumes, from positions as cabinet secretaries to the CEO of an ice cream company. Read on to find out where your state's governor developed and honed the leadership skills that propelled them to public office or check out the national story here.

Roy Cooper (D-North Carolina)

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper practiced law in Nash County after passing the bar while teaching Sunday school and tutoring students. In 2000, he was elected as attorney general of North Carolina, focusing particularly on consumer protection and cracking down on predatory lenders. He also served in the North Carolina House and Senate.

While all 50 governors bring with them experiences from different walks of life, some share several commonalities. A total of four current governors have served in the military, and 15 were at one point the lieutenant governor of their states. Eleven governors previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, while just one was a former U.S. senator.

Keep reading below to see the former jobs of governors of other states in your region.

Georgia

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp owns a small real estate investment and property management business called Kemp Properties, and he was previously the president of the Athens Area Home Builders Association. From 2003 to 2007, he served as a state senator and ran to be state agriculture commissioner in 2006 but lost the primary election. He served as the secretary of state of Georgia from 2010 to 2018, when he won the gubernatorial election.

South Carolina

After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster served in the U.S. Army Reserves until 1975, after which he began his career in law. McMaster was the first U.S. attorney appointed by President Ronald Reagan and served as chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party from 1993 to 2002. He was also elected lieutenant governor, focusing his attention on services for seniors.