==Later years==
In September 2011, Gardner endorsed the ultimately unsuccessful candidacy of Wake County Commissioner Tony Gurley for lieutenant governor.
<ref>Rob Christensen, "Gardner backs Gurley for lt. gov.," ''Charlotte News and Observer,'' September 26, 2011.<ref> In January 2013, Gardner was the master of ceremonies at the inauguration of newly elected Republican Governor [[Pat McCrory|Patrick Lloyd "Pat" McCrory]] and Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Forest]].<ref>"Jim Gardner gets another day in the sun," ''Charlotte News and Observer,'' January 6, 2013.</ref> The ceremony celebrated the return of Republicans to the governor's office for the first time since Gardner's defeat in 1992. Forest, the son of former [[[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] [[Mayor]] Sue Wilkins Myrick, also became the first Republican lieutenant governor since Gardner.
After taking office, Governor McCrory appointed the then 79-year-old Gardner as the chairman of the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.<ref>"McCrory appointed ex-Lt. Gov. Gardner to ABC chair," wral.com, February 2, 2013.</ref>