Debbie Stabenow
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Deborah Ann Stabenow (born April 29, 1950) is a Democratic United States Senator from Michigan. She defeated the Republican incumbent, Senator Spencer Abraham (whom George W. Bush later named Secretary of Energy) in 2000. She was the first woman from Michigan elected to the U.S. Senate, and along with Washington's Maria Cantwell the first woman to defeat an incumbent senator.
Early life and career
Stabenow was born in Gladwin, Michigan and grew up in Clare, Michigan. She graduated from Clare High School. She received a B.A. from Michigan State University in 1972 and an M.S.W. magna cum laude from Michigan State University in 1975. While in graduate school, Stabenow won her first election, to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, a position in which she served from 1975-1978. She has also worked as a social worker, and a leadership training consultant. She served in the Michigan State House of Representatives from 1979-1990, where she became the first woman to preside over the House. She also served in the State Senate from 1991-1994. She made an unsuccessful run for Michigan Lieutenant Governor in 1994. She was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996 from Michigan's Eighth District and served two terms. She did not seek reelection to the House of Representatives in 2000, but was elected to the U.S. Senate. Stabenow was considered the underdog for much of the Senate race, but rallied in the final weeks of the campaign to unseat Abraham by a narrow margin. Abraham's wife Jane was rumored to be a Republican candidate for Stabenow's 2006 reelection, but opted out of the race.Michigan legislature
In the House, Stabenow was a leader in the passage of the one of the first laws in the U.S. that required all Michigan children to ride in car seats until age 5. She authored a domestic violence law which increased criminal penalties for those committing domestic violence offences. She was the first woman to preside over the House.In the Senate, Stabenow was a leader in the passage of bills including Michigan's Historic property tax cuts, small business reforms, and legislation to protect families and children in the state.
United States Senate
She is currently a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Budget, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Previously, she also served on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. She introduced the Medical Equity and Drug Savings Act in the Senate.Stabenow is only the second person from Michigan to have served in both houses of the Michigan State Legislature and in both houses of the United States Congress. The first was Thomas W. Ferry. Stabenow is also the first person to have served as a Michigan state legislator to be popularly elected to the U.S. Senate (until enactment of the Seventeenth amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913, U.S. Senators were selected by the state legislature). No former Michigan state legislator had served in the U.S. Senate since 1894, when Francis B. Stockbridge died.
In the Senate, Stabenow helped pass a law intended to reduce the dumping of Canadian trash into Michigan, by requiring machines to search trash being dumped across the border. She authored a law that was the first to ban drilling in the Great Lakes.
Stabenow became the third-ranking Democrat in the U.S. Senate on November 16, 2004, when she was elected by her colleagues to be secretary of the Democratic caucus. As caucus secretary, she assists Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to set the Democrats' agenda and priorities. Reid was elected to replace Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who lost a re-election bid in South Dakota. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., was elected Minority Whip, the Democrats' second-ranking spot.
Stabenow co-sponsored the HEART Act(Heart Disease Education, Analysis and Research, and Treatment For Women), along with Senator Lisa Murkowski, that is intended to improve prevention, diagnosis, and research for heart disease and stroke among women.
2006 re-election campaign
Stabenow will face her first re-election in the 2006 election. There were three Republicans who declared their candidacy: Reverend Keith Butler, a former Detroit City Councilman; Dr. Jerry Zandstra, a former director at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty; and Michael Bouchard, the Oakland County sheriff and former state Senate majority leader. Jerry Zandstra failed to be placed on the ballot, due to insufficient certified petition signatures. The Republican candidate will be decided at the primary on August 8, 2006.
Family
Debbie Stabenow currently lives in Lansing with her husband, Tom Athans. She has two children, Michelle and Todd, And a stepdaughter named Gina. She belongs to the Grace United Methodist Church.Electoral history
- 2000 Race for U.S. Senate
- *Debbie Stabenow (D), 49%
- *Spencer Abraham (R) (inc.), 48%
- 1998 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - 8th District
- *Debbie Stabenow (D) (inc.), 58%
- *Susan Munsell (R), 39%
- 1996 Race for U.S. House of Representatives - 8th District
- *Debbie Stabenow (D), 54%
- *Dick Chrysler (R) (inc.), 44%
External links
- [U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow]
- [Senator Stabenow's Campaign Website]
- [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]
- [About.com Profile of Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan]
- [Michigan Democratic Party]
- [Michigan Liberal's Junior Senator section]
- [Critical site paid for by the Michigan Republican Party]
- [record maintained by the Washington Post]
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