Mary Sue Terry

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Mary Sue Terry is a Democratic politician from Virginia, born 1947-09-28 in Martinsville, Virginia.[1]

She was the Attorney General of Virginia from 1986 until 1993, when she resigned to run for Governor of Virginia against Republican George Allen. Allen won the November 1993 election despite Terry's early and significant lead, in part because of a whisper campaign about her sexual orientation[citation needed] and she ran on an unpopular gun-control platform. Following her defeat, Terry taught as a visiting professor at the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies.[2] She served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Richmond from 1983-91.

First elected as Attorney General in 1985, she was re-elected in 1989, becoming the first elected official (except federal office) in Virginia to receive more than one million votes in a single election.[3] She was the first woman to serve as Attorney General of Virginia and the second woman to serve as Attorney General of any U.S. state. In 1989, she considered running for Governor, but deferred to her fellow Democrat, then-Lieutenant Governor of Virginia L. Douglas Wilder, who became the first African-American Governor of any U.S. state. When she ran in 1993, then-Lieutenant Governor Don Beyer deferred to her. Beyer, a Democrat, would go on to run for Governor in 1997, losing to the Republican candidate, then-Attorney General James S. Gilmore III.

Prior to serving as Attorney General, Terry was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1978-1986 and before that served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney (assistant to a local prosecutor). While working as a lawyer, Terry successfully argued eight cases in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition she successfully negotiated a nationwide recall of 13,000 defective Ford ambulances and led a triumphant investigation and prosecution of individuals and corporations associated with Lyndon LaRouche. From 1990-1991 Terry functioned as President of the National Association of Attorneys General and in 1992 she received the Wyman Award, which is the Association’s highest honor.

She currently maintains a part-time law practice and consults for Microsoft, living on her family farm in Patrick County, Virginia.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Early Life

She was an active and enthusiastic Democrat as a girl.[4]

Terry was graduated from Hardin-Reynolds Memorial School in Critz, Virginia in 1965. She earned a BA in political science from the University of Richmond's Westhampton College in 1969, master's in government (1970) and law (1973) degrees from the University of Virginia and its law school.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Baker, Donald P.. "From Early Years, Powerful Lessons; Personal Experience Fostered Terry's Hard-Driving Image" (fee), Washington Post, ProQuest National Newspapers Premier database, 1993-10-17, p. A01. 7219521172195211. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 
  2. ^ Career in International Investment Dream Come True for Kenyan Native Timanto Marima, '99. @Jepson: An Electronic Newsletter for Alumni and Friends of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. University of Richmond (2006 June). Retrieved on 2008-03-19. “...former Virginia attorney general Mary Sue Terry, then a visiting professor at Jepson.”
  3. ^ Top Vote Getters In VA. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved on 2008-03-20. “Mary Sue Terry - D - 1989 - Attorney General - Yes - 1,096,095”
  4. ^ THIBODEAU, DENICE. "Former AG reflects on leadership", Danville Register & Bee, 2008-02-21. Retrieved on 2008-03-20. 
Preceded by
?		 Delegate 13th District: Counties of Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania; City of Martinsville
1978–1981		 Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
?		 Delegate 10th District: Counties of Carroll (part), Henry (part), and Patrick; City of Martinsville (part)
1982–1985		 Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
William Broaddus		 Attorney General of Virginia
1986–1993		 Succeeded by
Stephen D. Rosenthal