CHARLESTON, S.C. — James B. Edwards, South Carolina’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction and later energy secretary for two years in the Reagan administration, died Friday. He was 87.
The oral surgeon served in the state Senate and helped build the modern Republican Party in South Carolina before becoming governor in 1974.
Dr. Edwards was limited to one term under state law at the time. After leaving the governor’s mansion, he headed to Washington as President Ronald Reagan’s energy secretary.
Dr. Edwards returned to his home state in 1982 to become president of the Medical University of South Carolina, a post he held 17 years before retiring.
‘‘Governor Edwards made an incredible mark on South Carolina history,’’ said Republican state chairman Matt Moore. ‘‘His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched as governor, dentist, and particularly as a man of faith.’’
Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican, said she is grateful for the support and encouragement Dr. Edwards gave her. ‘‘Michael and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Governor Edwards, whose love for South Carolina inspired him to serve until his last day,’’ she said, mentioning her husband..
Entering the 1974 governor’s race, Dr. Edwards was not sure of his chances facing retired General William Westmoreland, who commanded US troops in Vietnam, in the GOP primary. Dr. Edwards won the nomination but was still a Republican running in a Democratic state.
That year, however, the Democrats were divided after the state Supreme Court ruled that Democratic front-runner Charles D. ‘‘Pug’’ Ravenel did not meet the residency requirements to run for governor.
Dr. Edwards defeated US Representative Bryan Dorn — who became the Democratic nominee in a special convention — by about 17,500 votes.
In a 1999 Associated Press interview, Dr. Edwards said the job he most enjoyed was being governor, particularly working on economic development, education and energy issues at a time when people seemed to work together. During his tenure, the Education Finance Act was passed. It remains the basis for how K-12 public education is funded in South Carolina.
‘‘Anything you wanted, you could ask anyone in the state to help you,’’ he recalled. ‘‘I put away partisan politics when I got to Columbia. We had the whole Senate and the House, the vast majority working with us.’’
As Department of Energy secretary, Dr. Edwards served two years working on Reagan’s plan to close down the agency — an idea that never made it through Congress.
In 1982, Dr. Edwards was recruited to take the MUSC job. He planned to stay only a year or so but he ended up staying 17 years during a time when the university’s budget grew from $200 million to $840 million. During his tenure, more than 10,000 health professionals graduated from the university.
‘‘God has blessed me with the ability to pick good people,’’ he said. ‘‘I choose good people and then I’m smart enough to stay out of the way and let them do their jobs well.’’