Dave Freudenthal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Dave Freudenthal
|
|
 |
|
|
31st Governor of Wyoming
|
|
|---|---|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Geringer |
|
|
|
| Born | October 12, 1950 Thermopolis, Wyoming |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Nancy Freudenthal |
| Children | Donald Freudenthal Hillary Freudenthal Bret Freudenthal Katie Freudenthal |
| Residence | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Alma mater | Amherst College, University of Wyoming |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
David Duane "Dave" Freudenthal (born October 12, 1950), is the current Governor of Wyoming. A Democrat, he was reelected to his second term on November 7, 2006 and remains the most popular Governor in the United States.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Education and early life
Freudenthal was born in Thermopolis, the seat of Hot Springs County in north central Wyoming, the seventh of eight children, and grew up on a farm north of town. He graduated from Amherst College in 1973 with a bachelor's degree in economics. After graduating he joined the Department of Economic Planning and Development as an economist and later became the state planning director for Governor Edgar Herschler.
Freudenthal entered the University of Wyoming College of Law, receiving his law degree in 1980, and went into private practice. In 1994, he was appointed U.S. Attorney upon the recommendation of then-Governor Mike Sullivan. Freudenthal left the post of U.S. Attorney in May 2001.
[edit] Tenure as Governor
During Freudenthal's term, Wyoming has enjoyed a prosperous economy. The petroleum, natural gas, and mineral boom in Wyoming have given the state a budget surplus, projected at $1.8 billion in 2006.[1] Freudenthal has proposed that the state save $1.2 billion over the next two years.[2] Freudenthal, who enjoys the highest approval rating of any Governor at around 68 percent, was endorsed by the National Rifle Association and reelected over the Republican Ray Hunkins in the 2006 Wyoming gubernatorial election,[3] carrying every county in the state, most by landslide margins. As Governor, he is a member of the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association. Freudenthal is also the Chairman of the Western Governors Association. He also has come up in national political limelight, due to the late U.S. Senator Craig L. Thomas's death. He was designated to appoint a new U.S. Senator and chose John Barrasso. Freudenthal was rumoured to be a possible candidate in the 2008 special election to complete Thomas's term, but he declined to run, saying that he loved being Governor.
During the course of the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, Freudenthal endorsed then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois on April 2, 2008, citing Obama's style of leadership and openness to discussion as the main reasons for his endorsement. Obama won the Wyoming Democratic Caucus over then-U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York in a landslide with 61.44 percent of the vote to Clinton's 37.83 percent.
Freudenthal is currently trying to reverse the Wyoming state law that bars Governors from serving more than two terms.
[edit] Personal Life
Freudenthal is married to Nancy D. Freudenthal, a native of Cody, who works as a private attorney in Cheyenne. They have four children: Donald, Hillary, Bret, and Katie.
[edit] Electoral history
| Wyoming Gubernatorial Election - 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Dave Freudenthal* | 135,516 | 69.89% | + 19.93 | |
| Republican | Ray Hunkins | 58,100 | 29.97% | ||
| Wyoming Gubernatorial Election - 2002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Dave Freudenthal | 92,662 | 49.96% | ||
| Republican | Eli Bebout | 88,873 | 47.92% | ||
| Libertarian | Dave Dawson | 3,924 | 2.12% | ||
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal official state site
- Dave for Governor official campaign site
- Biography at the National Governors Association
- Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Collected news and commentary at The Washington Post
- Follow the Money - Dave Freudenthal
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Geringer |
Governor of Wyoming January 6, 2003–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by John Vinich |
Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Wyoming 2002, 2006 |
Succeeded by Most recent |
| Order of precedence in the United States of America | ||
| Preceded by Joe Biden Vice President of the United States Jill Biden Second Lady of the United States (if present) |
United States order of precedence While in Wyoming |
Succeeded by Mayors of Wyoming cities if present next fixed Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the United States House of Representatives |
| Preceded by Butch Otter Governor of Idaho |
United States order of precedence While outside Wyoming |
Succeeded by Jon Huntsman, Jr. Governor of Utah |
|
||||||||||
