Ed Perlmutter

Ed Perlmutter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Preceded by Bob Beauprez
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 20th district
In office
January 1995 – January 2003
Succeeded by Maryanne Keller
Personal details
Born Edwin George Perlmutter
May 1, 1953
Denver, Colorado
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Nancy
Children Alexis, Abby, Zoe
Residence Golden, Colorado
Alma mater University of Colorado
Occupation Attorney
Religion Protestant Christian[1][2]

Edwin George "Ed" Perlmutter (born May 1, 1953) is the U.S. Representative for Colorado's 7th congressional district, serving since 2007. The district is located in the northwestern suburbs of Denver. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life, education and career

Perlmutter was born in Denver, the son of Alice Love (née Bristow) and Leonard Michael Perlmutter. His father was Jewish, the son of immigrants from Ukraine; his mother was Christian, and was of English and Irish descent.[3] Perlmutter describes himself as a Christian.[1][4][5] Perlmutter graduated from Jefferson High School in Edgewater, Colorado and went on to study political science, history and economics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating in 1975. He received his Juris Doctor from CU in 1978 where he was twice elected President of his class while working part time as a laborer on construction projects.

Perlmutter was formerly a director of the law firm of Berenbaum Weinshienk, and specialized in business reorganizations and commercial litigation.

Colorado Senate

Perlmutter was a Colorado State Senator from 1995 to 2003. He was elected to two four-year terms to represent central Jefferson County as State Senator from 1995 to 2003—the first Democrat elected in the district in 30 years.

In 2000, he helped lead a team that succeeded in a Democratic takeover of the Colorado State Senate for the first time since John F. Kennedy was president. He has assisted numerous campaigns and most recently was co-chair of the Kerry Campaign in Colorado.

In the Colorado Senate, he served on numerous Colorado State Senate committees including: Water, Finance, Judiciary, Child Welfare, Telecommunication, Transportation, Legal Services, and Oil and Gas.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Political campaigns

2006

Perlmutter won the Democratic nomination for the 7th District by defeating former State Representative Peggy Lamm and college professor Herb Rubenstein, with 53% of the vote in the primary. State education chairman Rick O'Donnell was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Dave Chandler, a Green, was also a candidate.

The seat was held by Republican Bob Beauprez, who was reelected to a second term in 2004 with 55% of the vote, after winning his first term by only 121 votes. He left the seat at the end of the 2004–2006 term, having failed in his bid to become Governor of Colorado.

In late September, O'Donnell was put on the defensive when ads appeared noting that he had previously supported abolishing Social Security. A Survey USA poll soon after that showed Perlmutter with a 54 to 37 percent lead, although GOP consultants guessed that the support was "soft".[6] An October 4 poll released by Zogby showed Perlmutter ahead of O'Donnell by 45-34 percent.[7] Cook Political Report rating: Republican Toss Up. CQPolitics rating: No Clear Favorite.

In the end, Perlmutter (54%) soundly defeated O'Donnell (42%) for the congressional seat, helping Democrats to regain the majority in the U.S. House.

2008

Perlmutter won against Republican nominee John W. Lerew.

2010

Perlmutter defeated Republican nominee Ryan Frazier and Libertarian nominee Buck Bailey on November 2, 2010. The 7th Congressional district had been cited as a GOP target in 2010.[8]

2012

Perlmutter defeated Republican nominee Joe Coors Jr. on November 6, 2012. Perlmutter's victory came despite new congressional boundaries that made his district 4 percent less Democratic. Perlmutter was ahead by 9 percentage points in Jefferson County, where 60 percent of the voters live. Perlmutter led Coors by 17 percentage points in Adams County, where 40 percent of the constituents in the newly drawn 7th District live.[9]

Personal life

Perlmutter has three children. He and his first wife, Deana, divorced in 2008. In November 2010, Perlmutter married Nancy Henderson.[10] Nancy Perlmutter teaches mathematics at Pomona High School and has three adult children.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jeralyn Merritt (April 7, 2006). "An Interview With Ed Perlmutter". 5280. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  2. ↑ "111th Congress - Meet The New Members | Legislator | US Representative Ed Perlmutter". 111th.illumen.org. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  3. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/perlmutter.htm
  4. ↑ "Ed Perlmutter". Facebook. 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  5. ↑ http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2009/05/28/1005498/in-the-senate-still-13-tribesmen
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ "Results in key House races: Reuters poll". Washington Post. Reuters. 2006-10-04.
  8. ↑ Zeleny, Roger (2010-05-09). "Democrats See Hopes for West Dim in Colorado". New York Times. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  9. ↑ Bartels, Lynn (2012-06-11). "Perlmutter wins fourth term, Coors tapped out in 7th district". Denver Post. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  10. ↑ "Perlmutters getting married on Friday". Denver Post. 2010-11-25.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bob Beauprez		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 7th congressional district
January 3, 2007 – present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Jerry McNerney
D-California 		United States Representatives by seniority
178th 		Succeeded by
Peter Roskam
R-Illinois