Laura Sturgeon
Laura Sturgeon | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Delaware Senate from the 4th district | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Gregory Lavelle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 15, 1965 |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Brandywine High School University of Delaware |
| Profession | Teacher |
| Website | Official website |
Laura Viviana Sturgeon (born February 15, 1965) is an American politician. She is a member of the Delaware Senate for District 4 and the first Latina to serve in the Delaware General Assembly.[1]
Early life and career
[edit]Sturgeon was born in Florida and raised in Delaware.[2][3] Her parents were immigrants from Argentina.[1] She graduated from Brandywine High School and received her bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Delaware. She taught in Delaware public schools for over 20 years and served as a leader in the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), the largest union in Delaware.[3]
Political career
[edit]Sturgeon was active in community groups and nonprofit organizations but had never held public office prior to challenging Republican incumbent Greg Lavelle, who had been in the General Assembly for 18 years, where he served as Senate Minority Whip.[2] The race between the two was considered a key race to watch in 2018.[4][2] Sturgeon was endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden.[2]
On November 6, 2018, Sturgeon defeated Lavelle by winning 11,251 votes (53%) in the general election.[5][6] Her victory was a major upset and was one of several losses for prominent Republicans in Delaware.[7][8]
On November 8, 2022, Sturgeon won reelection to serve a two-year term. She defeated Republican challenger Ted Kittila by winning 10,762 votes (56.6%).[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Barrish, Cris (October 19, 2018). "Two Latina candidates aim to make history in Delaware Legislature". WHYY.
- ^ a b c d Patterson, Mitchell (November 6, 2018). "Lavelle vs. Sturgeon: A key race you ought to watch". UD Review.
- ^ a b "About Laura". Campaign website. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Schmidt, Sophia (November 2, 2018). "Races to watch: 4th State Senate District". Delaware Public Media.
- ^ "Delaware Election Results - Election Results 2018 - The New York Times". The New York Times. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ "State of Delaware General Election Official Results". Dover, Delaware: Delaware Commissioner of Elections. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Schmidt, Sophia (November 7, 2018). "State House and Senate Minority Whips ousted by Democratic challengers". Delaware Public Media.
- ^ Goss, Scott; Parra, Esteban (November 6, 2018). "Political newcomer ousts state Senate's No. 2 Republican". The News Journal.
- ^ "Delaware Election Results".
External links
[edit]
.gif){kind=small} | This article about a Delaware politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Democratic Party Delaware state senators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Women state legislators in Delaware
- American people of Argentine descent
- Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Delaware
- 21st-century members of the Delaware General Assembly
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
- Delaware politician stubs