Joe Markley
| Joe Markley | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Connecticut Senate from the 16th district | |
|
In office January 1985 – January 1987 | |
| Preceded by | William J. Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Donald M. Rinaldi |
|
In office January 2011 – present | |
| Preceded by | Sam Caligiuri |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 1956 (age 59) Southington, Connecticut |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Southington, Connecticut |
| Alma mater |
Amherst College (B.A.) Columbia University (M.A.) |
Joe Markley (born November 28, 1956) is a member of the Connecticut State Senator representing the 16th State Senate District. A native of Southington, Connecticut, he was first elected to the State Senate in 1984 at the age of 27, serving only one term. He returned to the State Senate in 2010 at the age of 53.[1]
Early life
Joe Markley was born in Southington, Connecticut on November 28, 1956. Through his mother, Priscilla Cowles, his family has resided continuously in the town since the 1730s. Joe attended Southington High School, graduating in 1974. He then earned his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and his master’s degree in English from Columbia University.[2]
Political Career
First State Senate Stint
On November 6, 1984, Joe, a member of the Republican Party was first elected to the Connecticut State Senate due in part to the Reagan landslide of 1984 where President Reagan carried over 60% of the vote in the state.[3] He ran for re-election in 1986, but was defeated – consistent with the national trend of the 1986 midterm elections where Democrats made gains throughout the country.[4] In Connecticut, Governor William O’Neill handily defeated his republican opponent, Julie Belaga.
Twenty-Four Year Hiatus
When Lowell Weicker proposed a state income tax for Connecticut in 1991, Joe Markley, along with Tom Scott formed the Connecticut Taxpayers Committee to spearhead the opposition. On October 5, 1991 they organized the largest rally in Connecticut history to be held on the grounds of the state capitol[5]
Joe also returned to teaching where he taught English at the high school and college levels.
Second State Senate Stint
On November 2, 2010, Joe returned to the State Senate for a second tenure. He has since been re-elected two more times, running unopposed by the Democrats in 2014[6] He has been Governor Malloy’s most outspoken critic, hinting that he may be a gubernatorial candidate in 2018.[7]
Campaign for Party Chairman
Senator Markley announced his intention to seek the Connecticut Republican Party chairmanship after incumbent party chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. announced he would not seek re-election after failing to capitalize on the nationwide republican momentum to defeat Governor Malloy or any congressional seat in the 2014 mid-term elections.[8] Senator Markley's platform for chairman was not to rebrand the party but to rejuvenate support for the party at the state level. “Many national donors who live in Connecticut have given up on the state party. They must be convinced that we are worthy of their support, both because we stand for a genuine change in direction and because we can win (the two, of course, are inseparable),”[9] On June 23, 2015, Markley faced off against two competitors in the first contested chairmanship election since the 1980s. Markley finished third in the first round of balloting to J.R. Romano and John Pavia. Romano would ultimately be selected as chairman.[10]
Electoral history
| Year | Office | District | Democratic | Republican | Working Families | Independent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Connecticut State Senate | 16th | William J. Sullivan (inc.) | 47.4% | Joe Markley | 52.6% | ||||
| 1986 | Connecticut State Senate | 16th | Donald M. Rinaldi | 53.4% | Joe Markley (inc.) | 46.6% | ||||
| 2010 | Connecticut State Senate | 16th | John N. Barry | 45.2% | Joe Markley | 52.2% | Carmine M. Capobianco | 2.6% | ||
| 2012 | Connecticut State Senate | 16th | Corky Mazurek | 47.8% | Joe Markley (inc.) | 52.2% | ||||
| 2014 | Connecticut State Senate | 16th | Joe Markley (inc.) | 79.6% | Christopher Robertson | 20.4% | ||||
References
- ↑ "Joe Markley Back in State Senate After 24-Year Hiatus". Hartford Courant. November 16, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ↑ http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/about-markley/
- ↑ "Connecticut General Election Statements of Vote, 1922 - Current" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
- ↑ "Connecticut General Election Statements of Vote, 1922 - Current" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
- ↑ "Lawmakers Tell 40,000 at Rally Connecticut Income Tax Will Die". New York Times. October 6, 1991. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Joe Markley likely running unopposed in the 16th Senate District". The Southington Observer. June 27, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ↑ "In Connecticut, the Limits of Governing by Spleen". National Review. April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Race for GOP chairman wide open". Connecticut Post. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
- ↑ "A fight for the helm of a shrinking Connecticut GOP". Connecticut Mirror. June 22, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Republicans Choose J.R. Romano As Party Chairman". CTNow. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
| Connecticut Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William J. Sullivan Sam Caligiuri |
16th District 1985–1987 2011–present |
Succeeded by Donald M. Rinaldi incumbent |