Jennifer Dunn

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Jennifer Dunn
Jennifer Dunn

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 8th district
In office
1993 – 2005
Preceded by Rod Chandler
Succeeded by Dave Reichert

Born July 29, 1941(1941-07-29)
Seattle, Washington
Died September 5, 2007 (aged 66)
Alexandria, Virginia
Nationality United States
Political party Republican
Alma mater University of Washington,
Stanford University

Jennifer Blackburn Dunn (July 29, 1941September 5, 2007) was a prominent Republican member of the United States House of Representatives 19932005, representing Washington's 8th congressional district.


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[edit] Early life

Born in Seattle, Washington, Dunn grew up in the nearby city of Bellevue. She attended the University of Washington, where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta,[1] and Stanford University, earning business degrees. After graduation, she worked as a systems engineer.

[edit] Political career

Dunn was chair of the Washington State Republican Party from 1981 to 1992 and twice a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (1984 and 1990). Elected to the House in 1992, she was Washington's only Republican representative until the Republican Revolution of 1994 when Republicans swept all but two of Washington's nine House seats. In 1998, she became the first woman ever to run for the position of House Majority Leader. In 2000, she served on the presidential election exploratory committee for then-Texas Governor George W. Bush. Dunn served as Vice-Chairwoman of the Select Committee on Homeland Security and served on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

Dunn announced in 2004 she would retire from Congress, choosing not to run for re-election.

Dunn co-chaired the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation with former Representative Calvin Dooley. She also served as co-chair of the campaign organization "Women for Mitt" for presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the time of her death.

[edit] Death

Dunn collapsed and died of a pulmonary embolism in 2007, in her Alexandria, Virginia apartment.[2][3][4]

[edit] Electoral history

Washington's 8th congressional district: Results 1992–2004[5]
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1992 George O. Tamblyn 87,611 34% Jennifer Dunn 155,874 60% Bob Adams Independent 14,686 6%
1994 Jim Wyrick 44,165 24% Jennifer Dunn 140,409 76%
1996 Dave Little 90,340 35% Jennifer Dunn 170,691 65%
1998 Heidi Behrens-Benedict 91,371 40% Jennifer Dunn 135,539 60%
2000 Heidi Behrens-Benedict 104,944 36% Jennifer Dunn 183,255 62% Bernard McIlroy Libertarian 6,269 2%
2002 Heidi Behrens-Benedict 75,931 37% Jennifer Dunn 121,633 60% Mark A. Taff Libertarian 5,771 3%

[edit] References

  1. ^ Prominent Gamma Phi Betas. Gamma Phi Beta. Retrieved on 2007-07-03.
  2. ^ "Former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn dies", The Olympian, September 5, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-05. 
  3. ^ "Former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn dies at 66", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 5, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-05. 
  4. ^ Jennifer Dunn, 66, Former Washington Representative, Is Dead September 6, 2006
  5. ^ Election Statistics. Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Rod Chandler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Washington's 8th congressional district

1993–2005
Succeeded by
Dave Reichert