Jennifer Wexton

Jennifer Wexton
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 33rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 24, 2014
Preceded by Mark R. Herring
Personal details
Born Jennifer Lynn Tosini
May 27, 1968
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Andrew Wexton (2001–present)
Children 2
Residence Leesburg, Virginia
Alma mater University of Maryland, College Park
College of William & Mary School of Law
Profession Attorney and politician
Website Official website

Jennifer Lynn Tosini Wexton (born May 27, 1968) is an American attorney and politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia. She serves in the Virginia Senate representing the 33rd district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Career

Wexton is a partner in the law firm Ritenour Paice, Mougin-Boal, & Wexton. She has served as a substitute judge in Loudoun County, Virginia, and as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. Wexton ran for Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney in the 2011 elections, losing to incumbent Jim Plowman.[1][2]

After Mark Herring, who represented the 33rd district in the Virginia Senate, won the 2013 election to serve as the Attorney General of Virginia, Wexton declared her candidacy in the special election to fill the remainder of his term.[1] In the Democratic Party primary election, Wexton defeated Sheila Olem.[3] She soundly defeated Republican John Whitbeck and moderate-Republican-turned-Independent Joe T. May after May failed to win the Republican primary to Whitbeck.[4]

Controversy brewed over an campaign ad endorsed by Wexton which was said by her opponents to compare TEA Party activists to rapists, though the campaign denied making any such comparison. [5]

She was sworn in as Herring's replacement on January 24, 2014.[6]

Personal

Wexton is from Leesburg, Virginia. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. She then enrolled at the College of William & Mary School of Law, and received her Juris Doctor in 1995.[7][8] At William & Mary, she was a member of Phi Delta Phi, a legal honor society.[9] Her father worked as a senior economist in the United States Department of the Treasury, while her mother was a chief economist for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.[7]

Wexton married Andrew Wexton in 2001, at the age of 33.[7] The couple have two children.[3]

Electoral History

Date Election Candidate Party Votes %
Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney
Nov 8, 2011[10] General James E. "Jim" Plowman Republican 26,050 51.83
Jennifer T. Wexton Democratic 24,104 47.96
Write Ins 101 0.20
Republican incumbent held seat
Virginia Senate, 33rd District
Jan 21, 2014[11] General
Special		 Jennifer Wexton Democratic 11,431 52.72
John C. L. Whitbeck, Jr. Republican 8,133 37.51
Joe T. May 2,117 9.76
Write Ins 3 0.01
Mark Herring resigned; seat remained Democratic

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gibson, Caitlin (November 13, 2013). "Leesburg attorney Jennifer Wexton announces bid for Herring’s Senate seat". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  2. ↑ Gibson, Caitlin (November 9, 2011). "Incumbents fare well in many Northern Va. races, but Loudoun is an exception". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Baratko, Trevor (November 24, 2013). "Wexton wins Democratic primary to replace Herring in Virginia Senate". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  4. ↑ Baratko, Trevor (January 21, 2014). "Jennifer Wexton wins Virginia Senate special election to succeed Mark Herring". Loudoun Times-Mirror. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Va. GOP takes offense at Wexton’s state Senate campaign ad".
  6. ↑ January 25, 2014 12:00 am (May 15, 2013). "Democrat Wexton joins Senate - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Local Government & Politics". Timesdispatch.com. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "WEDDINGS; Jennifer Tosini, Andrew Wexton". The New York Times. May 27, 2001. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Report of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law 1997-1998" (PDF). William & Mary Law School. 1998. p. 72. Archived from the original on January 24, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Jennifer L. Tosini". Phi Delta Phi. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Election Results - Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney - Nov11 Gen Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  11. ↑ "Special General Election - Jan 28, 2014". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2014-01-28.

External links