#Blind August 14

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In August 2025, many of us are participating in the 30-Day Governors Coach4aday Challenge. Each day, we highlight one of the 2,300+ U.S. Governors—past or present—sharing insights into their achievements, controversies, or unique aspects of their careers. For today my choice is going to be on the only Governor who was BLIND.

My original concept for today’s post was to see if any former astronauts had ever been elected Governor. It turned out that none had. John Glenn, Harrison Schmitt, and Bill Nelson all became Senators. That brought plan B into play which was had any Governor been blind?

Found out that only one US Governor was blind and that was Robert C “Bob” Riley who served for 9 days (January 3-14, 1975) in Arkansas. He filled out the term of Dale Bumpers who was elected to the US Senate in 1974.

Governor-30 Day Challenge Guidelines

As with previous challenges, participants are encouraged to adapt the guidelines to fit their own circumstances. If you can, commit to sharing something about a Governor in August.

1. Record something about a particular US Governor. Make sure you include what US State and years that he/she served. Try to highlight an achievement, controversy, or some unique aspect of their career.
2. Share with a challenge partner if you have one.
3. Join the conversation by posting on social media with the hashtag #Coach4adayChallenge

August 14-Blind Governor-Bob Riley

Bob C. Riley, who served as Acting Governor of Arkansas for nine days in January 1975, lost his sight due to severe injuries sustained during World War II.

On July 21, 1944, while commanding a rifle squad in an assault on a Japanese machine-gun position on Guam, Riley sustained severe combat injuries. He spent over a year in the hospital recovering, during which his left eye was surgically removed, and the limited vision that remained in his right eye soon deteriorated—leaving him completely blind.

After returning from World War II completely blind, Bob C. Riley pursued higher education, earning three degrees. He began teaching political science courses at Arkansas Little Rock for 6 years (1951-57) and Ouachita Baptist (1957-1980). He entered politics as a Democrat, serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1947 to 1950. Riley went on to hold various public service roles, including assistant to the governor and director of several state programs. His political career reached its peak in January 1975, when he served as Arkansas’s acting governor for nine days following Dale Bumpers’s resignation to go to the US Senate.