Joe Turnham

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Joe Turnham
Chairman, Alabama Democratic Party
Born	October 28, 1959 Lee County, Alabama
Residence	Auburn, Alabama
Political party	Democratic Party
Religion	Methodist
Website: www.aladems.org

Joe Turnham (born October 28, 1959 in Lee County, Alabama) is a United States politician who currently chairs of the Alabama Democratic Party.

Contents 1 Family and education 2 Political and community activism 3 Media and party recognition 4 References

[edit] Family and education

Turnham and his family reside in Auburn, Alabama, and he is the son of a retired educator and a former Alabama House of Representatives State Representative.

He attended Samford University in Birmingham, but transferred to and later graduated from Auburn University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation he joined "Alabama Contract Sales, Incorporated," the family business.

[edit] Political and community activism

Turnham has served on civic boards and has been active in church. While President of the Auburn Kiwanis Club he was named Kiwanian of the Year. He also served in the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Lee County Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County, and Sigma Nu Fraternity House Corporation.

He participated as a lay missioner to Venezuela and in various leadership capacities in Trinity United Methodist Church in Opelika. Joe was also the local Lee County Democratic Club President and the Lee County Democratic Party Chairman. In October 1995 Joe was elected one of the youngest ever Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party 1995 through most of 1998.

In his first bid for public office in 1998, Turnham was Democratic Nominee for the 3rd District's U.S. Congressional Seat against incumbent U.S. Congressman Bob Riley, and lost the race with 42% of all votes cast. Five newspapers endorsed him.

Turnham was the party nominee for the 3rd District's U.S. Congressional Seat in 2002 running against Alabama politician Republican Mike Rogers. Turnham won the Democratic nomination without a runoff, defeating State Representative Gerald Willis and Willie Burnett. He was defeated in the general election with the help of a visit from U.S. President George W. Bush campaigning on behalf of Rogers who won the election. ^[1] Turnham received 48% of the vote, losing by less than 4,000 votes.

Turnham is also a founding board member Land Trust of East Alabama and board member of the Chattowah Alabama Land Trust

In 2004, Turnham was named the Vice-Chair of Redeem the Vote [1] , a national organization made up of ecumenical faith and political leaders that encouraged voter registration and participation through the genre of Christian music.

Turnham was again elected Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party on August 27, 2005 filling the term of Redding Pitt who had resigned. Turnham's current term will run until January 2007, at which point he may opt to run for re-election to a full term.

In 2006, Turnham was named to the Board of Directors of Democrats for Life, a national organization for pro-life members of the Democratic Party.

[edit] Media and party recognition

For 31 months he was as a member of the Democratic National Committee in Washington. He has been featured in state and national news publications including The National Journal and a January 1998 front page spread in the Wall Street Journal. He has has also appeared on several nationally-syndicated programs including the Oliver North Show. Most recently he founded of the Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters. AlaLEAVs is a new political arm of Alabama's environmental movement.

Turnham has appeared as a pundit on FoxNews, commenting on both issues of politics and policy.

[edit] References