Robert Julian Bentley

Robert Julian Bentley

American politician and doctor of medicine, 53rd Governor of Alabama
Date of Birth: 03.02.1943
Country: USA

American political figure and medical doctor

Robert Julian Bentley is an American political figure and medical doctor who served as the 53rd Governor of Alabama. He assumed office on January 17, 2011, after defeating Ron Sparks in the elections. Bentley was born in Columbiana, Alabama, to David Harford Bentley and Mattie Boyd Vick Bentley. His parents did not have a formal education, but Bentley excelled academically. He was a member of the school debate team and served as the president of the student community. After graduating as the top student in his class, Bentley attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he studied chemistry and biology. From an early age, Bentley knew he wanted to become a doctor. After completing his bachelor's degree, he pursued medicine and met his future wife, Martha Diana Jones, at the University of Alabama's medical school. They got married on July 24, 1965. In 1968, Bentley completed his training and interned at the Carraway Methodist Hospital in Birmingham. In 1969, he joined the United States Air Force and worked at the Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina. After his military service, Bentley opened his own dermatology practice in Tuscaloosa. However, it became clear that medicine was not his only calling, as he also excelled in business and politics. In 2002, Bentley was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the Tuscaloosa district. He won the elections with 65% of the votes. Four years later, he was re-elected without facing any significant competition. During his time in the House of Representatives, Bentley focused on healthcare, particularly on training primary care doctors and increasing the number of organ donations. Thanks to his efforts, two important changes were made to the state's transplantation laws, one regarding corneal transplants and the other protecting the rights of donors. Bentley also played a crucial role in establishing the Alabama Medical Educational Consortium and worked to increase scholarships for medical students. Despite his accomplishments in healthcare, Bentley was a staunch opponent of tax increases. On June 1, 2010, Bentley unexpectedly came second in the primary gubernatorial elections. However, he went on to win the second round of elections against Bradley Byrne and became the Republican candidate. Bentley won the gubernatorial elections on January 17, 2011. During his inauguration ceremony on January 18, he gave a controversial speech that sparked a lot of controversy. Among other things, Bentley stated that those who did not believe in Jesus Christ were not his brothers and sisters. The Anti-Defamation League demanded Bentley to clarify his remarks and his stance on non-Christians. Two days later, Bentley issued a formal apology.

Robert Julian Bentley

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