In 1990, Tucker began preparation for another campaign for governor. However, when Clinton announced his run for reelection, Tucker instead chose to run for lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor race was energetic because contestants suspected Clinton might run for and be elected President—and then vacate the governor seat. Clinton and Tucker won their respective Arkansas offices.
In 1991, Clinton announced his run for president and Tucker began stepping in as acting governor. In 1992, Clinton was elected president and resigned as governor. Jim Guy Tucker was inaugurated on December 12, 1992, and in 1994 Tucker ran and won a reelection campaign against Republican Sheffield Nelson.
In May of 1996, Tucker was convicted of misapplying funds for a $150,000 bank loan. He left office to re-enter the private sector to focus on business enterprises and pursue appeal. Later that year, Tucker received a liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Tucker currently lives in Little Rock and works for Witt Global Partners as a corporate advisor for businesses in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
