Earl Ray Tomblin

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Earl Ray Tomblin
Earl Ray Tomblin 2.jpg
35th Governor of West Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 15, 2010[1][2]
Preceded by Joe Manchin
President of the Senate of West Virginia
In office
January 3, 1995 – November 13, 2011
Preceded by Keith Burdette
Succeeded by Jeff Kessler
Personal details
Born (1952-03-15) March 15, 1952 (age 61)
Logan County, West Virginia, U.S.
Political party Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Joanne Jaeger
Children 1
Residence Governor's Mansion
Alma mater West Virginia University
Marshall University
Religion Presbyterian
Website governor.wv.gov

Earl Ray Tomblin (born March 15, 1952) is an American politician, the 35th and current Governor of West Virginia. Tomblin is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to becoming Governor, Tomblin served as President of the West Virginia State Senate for almost 17 years. He became Acting Governor in 2010 following Joe Manchin's election to the US Senate. On October 4, 2011, Tomblin was elected as Governor of West Virginia in a special election to fill the unexpired term ending in January 2013. On November 6, 2012 he was reelected as governor of West Virginia.

Contents

Early life and education [edit]

Tomblin is the son of Freda M. (née Jarrell) and Earl Tomblin. 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.[3]

House of Delegates and Senate President [edit]

Tomblin was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1974, and reelected in 1976 and 1978. He won election to the Senate in 1980 and was subsequently re-elected every four years until his election as governor.

Tomblin was elected on January 11, 1995, as the 48th President of the West Virginia Senate. Having served in the position for sixteen years, he was the longest serving Senate President in West Virginia's history. Tomblin became the first Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia upon creation of that designation in 2000.

As a senator, he represented the 7th Senate District encompassing Boone, Lincoln, Logan, and Wayne counties.[4]

Governor of West Virginia [edit]

Tomblin began exercising the duties of governor when Manchin resigned to become the state's United States Senator, filling the seat vacated by the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. Tomblin is the first person to act as governor under West Virginia's current constitution.

While acting as governor, Tomblin retained the title of Senate President as required by the West Virginia Constitution.[5] Tomblin did not participate in legislative business or accept his legislative salary while acting as governor.[6] Tomblin also did not preside over the Senate while acting as governor.

2011 gubernatorial campaign [edit]

Main article: West Virginia gubernatorial special election, 2011

In 2011, Tomblin stated his desire to run for the office of Governor. Following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals on January 18, 2011, the next gubernatorial election was scheduled for October 4, 2011.[7] 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. He went on to win the general election against Maloney and took the oath of office as governor on November 13, 2011.[8] Immediately before taking the oath as governor, Tomblin officially resigned from both the offices of Senate President and state senator.[9]

2012 election [edit]

Main article: West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2012

The 2012 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012. Tomblin defeated the Republican candidate Bill Maloney.

Personal life [edit]

Tomblin was married on September 8, 1979 to Joanne Jaeger, a native New Yorker who was hired to be president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. They reside in Chapmanville and have one son, Brent. Tomblin attends the First Presbyterian Church of Logan.

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ "SER W. Va. Citizen Action Group v. Earl Ray Tomblin, President of the W. Va. Senate, et al. AND SER Thornton Cooper v. Earl Ray Tomblin, et al.". West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
  2. ^ Steager, Dale (February 2011). "Acting Governor and Serving as Acting Governor: The Differences". IOGA of West Virginia Newsletter. Retrieved July 26, 2011. 
  3. ^ "Earl Ray Tomblin". The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Humanities Council. November 3, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2011. 
  4. ^ "West Virginia Senate District Map". West Virginia Senate. Retrieved November 28, 2010. 
  5. ^ "West Virginia Constitution". West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved November 15, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Interim governor Earl Ray Tomblin introduces himself". Charleston Daily Mail. November 8, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2010. 
  7. ^ "Tomblin succeeds Manchin as West Virginia governor". Washington Post. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010. "Acting W.Va. Governor Proclaims Oct. 4 Election". Charleston Gazette. January 21, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2011. 
  8. ^ http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2011/by_county/WV_Governor_1004.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS
  9. ^ http://www.wowktv.com/story/16027267/earl-ray-tomblin-to-be-inaugurated-as-west-virginias-governor

External links [edit]

Portal icon Biography portal
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Political offices
Preceded by
Keith Burdette		 President of the West Virginia Senate
1995–2011		 Succeeded by
Jeff Kessler
Preceded by
Joe Manchin		 Governor of West Virginia
2010–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Joe Manchin		 Democratic nominee for Governor of West Virginia
2011, 2012		 Most recent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Joe Biden
as Vice President		 Order of Precedence of the United States
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Succeeded by
Otherwise John Boehner
as Speaker of the
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Sam Brownback
as Governor of Kansas		 Order of Precedence of the United States
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