Earl Ray Tomblin
This article is missing information about his political positions.(May 2020) |
Earl Ray Tomblin | |
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35th Governor of West Virginia | |
In office November 13, 2011 – January 16, 2017 Acting: November 15, 2010 – November 13, 2011 | |
Lieutenant | Jeff Kessler Bill Cole |
Preceded by | Joe Manchin |
Succeeded by | Jim Justice |
President of the West Virginia Senate Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia[a] | |
In office January 3, 1995 – November 13, 2011 | |
Governor | Gaston Caperton Cecil Underwood Bob Wise Joe Manchin Himself (acting) |
Preceded by | Keith Burdette |
Succeeded by | Jeff Kessler |
Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 7th district | |
In office December 1, 1980 – November 13, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Ned Grubb |
Succeeded by | Art Kirkendoll |
Personal details | |
Born | Logan County, West Virginia, U.S. | March 15, 1952
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Joanne Jaeger (m. 1979) |
Children | 1 |
Education | West Virginia University (BS) Marshall University (MBA) |
Signature | ![]() |
Earl Ray Tomblin (born March 15, 1952) is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of West Virginia from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the West Virginia Senate from 1980 to 2011 and as president of the West Virginia Senate from 1995 to 2011. Tomblin became acting governor in November 2010 following Joe Manchin's election to the U.S. Senate. He won a special election in October 2011 to fill the unexpired term ending on January 14, 2013, and was elected to a full term as governor in November 2012.
Early life and education
Tomblin was born in Logan County, West Virginia, and is the son of Freda M. (née Jarrell) and Earl Tomblin. His mother was 18 years old when he was born.[1] He has a Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia University where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and then went along to receive a Master of Business Administration degree from Marshall University.[2]
State Legislature and Senate President
Tomblin was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1974, and reelected in 1976 and 1978. He won election to the Senate for the 7th district in 1980 and was subsequently re-elected every four years until his election as governor.
Tomblin was elected on January 3, 1995, as the 48th President of the West Virginia Senate. Having served in the position for almost seventeen years, he is the longest serving Senate President in West Virginia's history. Tomblin became the first Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia upon creation of the honorary designation in 2000.
As a senator, he represented the 7th Senate District encompassing Boone, Lincoln, Logan, and Wayne counties.[3]
Acting governor
Tomblin became acting governor when Joe Manchin resigned after being elected to fill the United States Senate seat of the late Senator Robert Byrd. Tomblin is the first person to serve as acting governor under West Virginia's current constitution.
While acting governor, Tomblin also retained the title of Senate President, per the state constitution.[4] However, he did not participate in legislative business or preside over the Senate while acting governor.
Governor of West Virginia
Elections
2011 special
In 2011, Tomblin stated his desire to run for the governorship. Following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals on January 18, 2011, a special gubernatorial election was scheduled for October 4, 2011.[5][6] Tomblin was successful in the Democratic primary, beating a field of six contenders, while Morgantown businessman Bill Maloney emerged as the Republican nominee in the May 14 primary. Tomblin went on to win the general election against Maloney and was sworn in as governor on November 13, 2011.[7] Immediately before taking the oath as governor, Tomblin officially resigned from both the offices of Senate President and state senator.[8]
2012
Tomblin ran for election to a full term in 2012, and defeated Maloney in a rematch.
Tenure
In the 2016 presidential election, Tomblin endorsed fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton.[9]
Abortion
Tomblin is anti-abortion.[10][11] Despite this, in March 2014, Tomblin vetoed a bill that would have banned abortions in West Virginia after 20 weeks, which he said was due to constitutionality issues.[10] In March 2015, Tomblin again vetoed the bill; however, his veto was overridden by the West Virginia legislature.[11][12]
Approval ratings
A May 2013 survey by Republican strategist Mark Blankenship showed Tomblin's job approval rating to be at 69 percent, unchanged from two months earlier.[13] According to a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling in September 2013, Tomblin had an approval rating of 47 percent with 35 percent disapproving, up from 44 percent in 2011.[14]
Term limit
Tomblin was barred from running for a second full term in 2016. Under the West Virginia Constitution, a partial term counts toward the limit of two consecutive terms.
Personal life
Tomblin was married on September 8, 1979, to Joanne Jaeger, a native New Yorker and graduate of Marshall University, who served as the president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College from 1999 to 2015.[15][16] They reside in Chapmanville and have one son, Brent. Tomblin attends the First Presbyterian Church of Logan.
Electoral history
West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 Election, 1974 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Tom Mathis | 7,139 | 25.24 |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin | 7,086 | 25.06 |
Democratic | Sammy Dalton | 7,061 | 24.97 |
Democratic | Charles Gilliam | 6,993 | 24.73 |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 Democratic Primary Election, 1976 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 8,545 | 14.88 |
Democratic | Denver Mathis (inc.) | 7,641 | 13.31 |
Democratic | Sammy Dalton (inc.) | 6,745 | 11.75 |
Democratic | Charles Gilliam (inc.) | 6,523 | 11.36 |
Democratic | William Calyton | 4,331 | 7.54 |
Democratic | Mike Hill | 4,144 | 7.22 |
Democratic | Jimmy Vance | 3,274 | 5.70 |
Democratic | Cris Farley | 3,246 | 5.65 |
Democratic | John Mendez | 3,169 | 5.52 |
Democratic | Sim Howze Jr. | 2,197 | 3.83 |
Democratic | Florena Colvin | 1,618 | 2.82 |
Democratic | Dollie Mae Hill | 1,556 | 2.71 |
Democratic | Homer Vaughan | 1,535 | 2.67 |
Democratic | Charles Jesse Dillon | 1,261 | 2.20 |
Democratic | Robert Marcum Jr. | 844 | 1.47 |
Democratic | Greg Anderson Adams | 783 | 1.36 |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 Election, 1976 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Thomas Mathis (inc.) | 17,872 | 25.15 |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 17,843 | 25.11 |
Democratic | Charles Gilliam (inc.) | 17,701 | 24.91 |
Democratic | Sammy Dalton (inc.) | 17,641 | 24.83 |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 Democratic Primary Election, 1978 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 8,119 | 18.66 |
Democratic | Charles Gilliam (inc.) | 7,863 | 18.07 |
Democratic | Tomas Mathis (inc.) | 6,990 | 16.07 |
Democratic | Sammy Dalton (inc.) | 6,766 | 15.55 |
Democratic | Claude Ellis | 4,340 | 9.98 |
Democratic | Gary Hoke | 3,343 | 7.68 |
Democratic | Larry Hendricks | 3,177 | 7.30 |
Democratic | James Trent | 2,905 | 6.68 |
West Virginia House of Delegates District 16 Election, 1978 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Tom Mathis (inc.) | 11,523 | 21.10 |
Democratic | Sammy Dalton (inc.) | 11,501 | 21.06 |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 11,439 | 20.94 |
Democratic | Charles Gilliam (inc.) | 11,395 | 20.86 |
Republican | Shirley Mae Baisden | 4,721 | 8.64 |
Republican | Samuel Dingess | 4,043 | 7.40 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Democratic Primary Election, 1980 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin | 12,183 | 57.02 |
Democratic | Moss Burgess | 4,982 | 23.32 |
Democratic | Danny Dahill | 4,200 | 19.66 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 1980 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin | 28,065 | 72.04 |
Republican | Dennis Fillinger | 10,895 | 27.96 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 1984 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 28,297 | 74.99 |
Republican | Emil Baldwin Sr. | 9,436 | 25.01 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Democratic Primary Election, 1988 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 15,470 | 59.21 |
Democratic | Art Kirkendoll | 10,659 | 40.79 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 1988 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 25,840 | 100.00 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 1992 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 26,198 | 100.00 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Democratic Primary Election, 1996 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 15,580 | 60.98 |
Democratic | Larry Hendricks | 6,610 | 25.87 |
Democratic | Moss Burgess | 3,359 | 13.15 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 1996 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 25,396 | 81.45 |
Republican | Stephen Ray Smith | 5,783 | 18.55 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 2000 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 26,408 | 100.00 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Democratic Primary Election, 2004 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 17,194 | 81.30 |
Democratic | Bruce "Becky" Hobbs | 3,955 | 18.70 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 2004 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 27,147 | 74.48 |
Republican | Billy Marcum | 9,300 | 25.52 |
West Virginia State Senate District 7 Election, 2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 24,010 | 73.15 |
Republican | Billy Marcum | 8,813 | 26.85 |
West Virginia Gubernatorial Special Democratic Primary Election, 2011 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin | 51,348 | 40.40 |
Democratic | Rick Thompson | 30,631 | 24.10 |
Democratic | Natalie Tennant | 22,106 | 17.39 |
Democratic | John Perdue | 15,995 | 12.58 |
Democratic | Jeffrey Kessler | 6,550 | 5.15 |
Democratic | Arne Moltis | 481 | 0.38 |
West Virginia Gubernatorial Special Election, 2011 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin | 149,202 | 49.55 |
Republican | Bill Maloney | 141,656 | 47.05 |
Mountain | Bob Henry Baber | 6,083 | 2.02 |
Independent | Marla Dee Ingels | 2,875 | 0.95 |
American Third Position | Harry Bertram | 1,111 | 0.37 |
Write-in | Phil Hudok | 76 | 0.03 |
Write-in | Donald Lee Underwood | 54 | 0.02 |
Write-in | John "Rick" Bartlett | 27 | 0.01 |
West Virginia Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election, 2012 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 170,481 | 84.37 |
Democratic | Arne Moltis | 31,587 | 15.63 |
West Virginia Gubernatorial Election, 2012 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Earl Ray Tomblin (inc.) | 335,468 | 50.49 |
Republican | Bill Maloney | 303,291 | 45.65 |
Mountain | Jesse Johnson | 16,787 | 2.53 |
Libertarian | David Moran | 8,909 | 1.34 |
Notes
- ^ Assumed title of lieutenant governor in 2000.
References
- ^ "Freda Mae Tomblin's Obituary on Southern WV". Southern WV. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ "Earl Ray Tomblin". The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Humanities Council. November 3, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
- ^ "West Virginia Senate District Map". West Virginia Senate. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
- ^ "West Virginia Constitution". West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
- ^ "Tomblin succeeds Manchin as West Virginia governor". Washington Post. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Acting W.Va. Governor Proclaims Oct. 4 Election". Charleston Gazette. January 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
- ^ "News from The Associated Press". Hosted.ap.org. October 5, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Earl Ray Tomblin Sworn in as W.Va. Governor – WOWK 13 Charleston, Huntington WV News, Weather, Sports". Wowktv.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Governor Tomblin Endorses Hillary Clinton for President". Office of the Governor of West Virginia. April 29, 2016. Archived from the original on May 1, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Associated Press (March 29, 2014) – "WV Governor Vetoes Abortion Bill, Sparking Outrage From National Pro-Life Group". Fox News. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ a b La Ganga, Maria (March 3, 2015) – "West Virginia Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Abortion At 20 Weeks". Los-Angeles Times. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ Eyre, Eric & Nuzum, Lydia (March 6, 2015) – "20-Week Abortion Ban to Become W.Va. Law; Senate Overrides Tomblin Veto". The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ Kercheval, Hoppy (May 9, 2013) – "Poll Numbers Show Manchin, Capito, Tomblin, Tennant Strength". WV MetroNews. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ Jensen, Tom (September 25, 2013) – "West Virginia Miscellany". Public Policy Polling. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ "About the First Lady". Firstlady.wv.gov. November 15, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "President Joanne Jaeger Tomblin Announces Retirement | News from Southern". Southernwv.edu. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
External links
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