Kathy Jennings Explained

Kathy Jennings
Office:46th Attorney General of Delaware
Governor:John Carney
Bethany Hall-Long (designate)
Matt Meyer (elect)
Term Start:January 1, 2019
Predecessor:Matthew Denn
Birth Date:4 April 1953
Birth Place:Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Education:University of Delaware (BA)
Villanova University (JD)

Kathleen Jennings (born April 4, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Attorney General of Delaware. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

Jennings was born on April 4, 1953 in Wilmington, Delaware.[1] She was raised by a single mother and two grandparents.[2] Jennings graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1971 and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Delaware and Juris Doctor from the Villanova University School of Law.[3]

Career

She worked for the Delaware Department of Justice for twenty years as a state prosecutor and chief deputy attorney general. Among other cases, she successfully tried serial killer Steven Brian Pennell.[4] In 1995, she and Charles Oberly opened their own law firm.[5]

Jennings served as Chief Administrative Officer for New Castle County for one year. She resigned in January 2018 to run for Attorney General of Delaware.[6] [7] She won the Democratic Party nomination.[8] She defeated Republican Bernard Pepukayi in the general election,[9] and was sworn into office on January 1, 2019.[10] [11]

In the 2022 election, Jennings won a second term in a closer election, defeating Republican Julianne Murray with 53 percent of the vote.[12]

Personal life

Jennings was married to Tom Molyneaux, an English professor at the University of Delaware, until his death in 1977. She married Wilmington police detective Bill Jennings in 1983 and has a son, Billy, and a daughter.

Electoral history

Election results
YearOfficeElectionSubjectPartyVotes%OpponentPartyVotes%
2018Attorney GeneralGeneralKathy Jennings Democratic218,35161.31%Bernard PepukayiRepublican137,73038.68%
2022Attorney GeneralGeneralKathy Jennings Democratic171,83753.83%Julianne Murray Republican147,36946.17%

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The Prosecutor Never Rests . 1 December 1989 . The News Journal. 29 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240730042007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-jennings/101363483/. 30 July 2024. live . Wilmington, Delaware . D1,D12 . Newspapers.com. none.
  2. Web site: Meet Kathy . . . Meet Kathy - Kathy Jennings . . 30 July 2024 .
  3. Web site: Biden names Jennings as State Prosecutor | News . newarkpostonline.com . November 7, 2011 . October 23, 2018 . August 4, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190804170224/https://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/local/biden-names-jennings-as-state-prosecutor/article_912ea12d-1c14-55e9-8d9d-cefff4973883.html . live .
  4. Web site: Candidate Conversations: State Attorney General candidate Kathy Jennings | Delaware First Media . Delawarepublic.org . August 24, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . October 29, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181029123158/http://www.delawarepublic.org/post/candidate-conversations-state-attorney-general-candidate-kathy-jennings . live .
  5. Web site: Former state prosecutor to run for attorney general . Delaware State News . January 9, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . November 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065810/https://delawarestatenews.net/government/former-state-prosecutor-run-attorney-general/ . live .
  6. Web site: Jennings resigns county post, expected to run for Delaware attorney general . Delawareonline.com . January 8, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . November 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065548/https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2018/01/08/jennings-resigns-county-post-expected-run-attorney-general/1012498001/ . live .
  7. Web site: Kathy Jennings running for attorney general . Cape Gazette . February 14, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . November 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065403/https://www.capegazette.com/article/kathy-jennings-running-attorney-general/150994 . live .
  8. Web site: Kathy Jennings wins Democratic nod for Delaware attorney general . Delawareonline.com . September 6, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . November 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065641/https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2018/09/06/kathy-jennings-wins-democratic-nod-delaware-attorney-general/1214480002/ . live .
  9. Web site: Delaware's next attorney general: Kathy Jennings . Delawareonline.com . November 6, 2018 . February 16, 2019 . April 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190419103801/https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/delaware-attorney-general-race-democrat-opens-early-lead/1907697002/ . live .
  10. Web site: Frank . Gerace . Jennings, McGuiness, Davis sworn in to new elected positions . wdel.com . January 1, 2019 . February 16, 2019 . January 2, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190102083100/https://www.wdel.com/news/jennings-mcguiness-davis-sworn-in-to-new-elected-positions/article_dc08f9ba-0deb-11e9-bcd4-eb583f96e521.html . live .
  11. Web site: 3 new state officials sworn in on New Year's Day. January 2, 2019. Delaware State News. en-US. January 2, 2019. January 2, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190102100237/https://delawarestatenews.net/news/3-new-state-officials-sworn-in-on-new-years-day/. live.
  12. Web site: (D) Kathy Jennings wins Delaware Attorney General Race .

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