Debbie Stabenow

Deborah Ann " Debbie " Stabenow ( born April 29, 1950 in Gladwin, Gladwin County, Michigan as Deborah Ann Greer ) is an American politician of the Democratic Party and the service younger senator from Michigan. She is the first woman to serve as Senator from Michigan. You and Maria Cantwell of Washington are the first women elected officials have defeated at a regular election to the U.S. Senate ( with Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois victory over the incumbent at a code 1992 happened ).

Life

Stabenow was born in Gladwin, the daughter of Anna Merle Hallmark and Robert Lee Greer. During her school years, the family lived in Greer Clare, where her father and grandfather were the holder of a motor trade business. Following her marriage to Dennis Stabenow Greer took the name of her husband. The couple divorced in 1990. They have two children together. 2003 married Stabenow Tom Althans.

Stabenow is a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Education and Occupation before entering the U.S. Senate

Stabenow, she studied at Michigan State University, where she reached the Bachelor 1972. In 1975 she got there magna cum laude Master's degree in social work. In 2008, the Grand Valley State University awarded her an honorary doctorate. Shortly before her studies degree in social work Stabenow won their first choice and took a seat in the parliament of Ingham County, a, to which she belonged from 1975 to 1978. During this time she worked as a social worker and consultant for leadership Training (preparation for leadership roles).

In 1978, she successfully ran for the House of Representatives from Michigan and served from 1979 until 1991. She became the first woman to be acted there as Speaker of Parliament. In developing one of the first laws in the U.S., which provided for a child seat regulations for motor vehicle occupants under the age of five, she was in charge. She was also the author of a law that stricter penalties for domestic violence perpetrators. Ironically, it was around this time of Republican members of Parliament missed the nickname " D- bar ".

1991 to 1994 she served on the Senate of Michigan. There she was responsible for the enforcement of bills as a reduction of property tax reforms for small and medium-sized enterprises and protection for families and children. In 1994 she resigned her seat to run in the primaries for the Democratic nomination for governor candidate. While the nomination was won by Congressman Howard Wolpe, but he made ​​it his candidate for the position of Deputy Governor. Both, however, lost to Republican incumbent John Engler and his Deputy Governor Connie Bins field.

1996 Stabenow was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she and January 2001 represented the eighth congressional district of Michigan from January 1997. In 2000, she did not stand for re- election but ran successfully for a seat in the Senate of the United States, to which it belongs since January 2001. For most of the campaign, their chances of success were seen rather skeptical, but in the last weeks before the election, their support grew to such an extent that they could defeat the Republican incumbent Spencer Abraham scarce.

U.S. Senator

Before the 2006 election, it was rumored, Spencer Abraham's wife Jane would Stabenow challenge, but this did not occur, and Stabenow was re-elected.

Since January 2011, she performs as a successor to the ousted Blanche Lincoln chair the Agriculture Committee of the Senate. In 2012, Stabenow will take up again for re-election; her Republican opponent is expected to be Pete Hoekstra.