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Elaine Luria

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Elaine Luria
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byScott Taylor
Personal details
Born (1975-08-15) August 15, 1975 (age 49)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRobert Blondin
Children3
EducationUnited States Naval Academy (BS)
Old Dominion University (MS)
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1997–2017
Rank Commander

Elaine Goodman Luria (born August 15, 1975) is an American Democratic politician who is the member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd congressional district. The district includes most of the heart of Hampton Roads, including all of Virginia Beach and Williamburg and large portions of Norfolk and Hampton, as well as the Eastern Shore. Prior to being elected to Congress, Luria served as a United States Navy officer for 20 years, spending her entire career on combat ships, and reaching the rank of Commander.

Early life and education

Luria was born in Birmingham, Alabama.[1][2] Her mother Michelle’s family immigrated to Jasper, Alabama, in 1906.[3][4] The family worked selling goods to coal miners in Walker County, Alabama.[3] Her great-grandfather helped found a Reform Jewish congregation in Jasper, and the family in time joined Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, Alabama, where Luria was raised.[3] Her mother and grandmother were very active in the National Council of Jewish Women (of which her mother was President), Hadassah, the Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood, and the Birmingham Jewish Federation.[3] Luria is active in Ohef Sholom in Norfolk.[4] Both of her grandfathers served in the Navy.[4]

She graduated from Birmingham's Indian Springs School,[5][6] in 1993. Luria then graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1997, with a degree in physics and history, and a minor in French.[4] While in the U.S. Navy and stationed aboard the flagship USS Blue Ridge, Luria earned a master's degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University in 2004.[7]

Military service

Luria served as a United States Navy officer for 20 years, operating nuclear reactors as an engineer,[8] reaching the rank of Commander. She was the first female American sailor to spend her entire career on combat ships.[9]

She served first aboard the USS O’Brien, a forward deployed destroyer that was sent to the Middle East.[4] Luria was in charge of Tomahawk strike missiles, and managed a division of 15 people.[4] She then became Reactor Controls Division Officer on the USS Harry Truman, an aircraft carrier, deploying again to the Middle East.[4] Luria then as a lieutenant became Flag Aide to the commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.[4] She was then deployed on the USS Mason, a destroyer, and USS Enterprise, an aircraft carrier, and then was an executive officer of the guided missile cruiser USS Anzio.[4] She became maintenance coordinator of the United States Atlantic Fleet, overseeing the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.[4] She then commanded Assault Craft Unit TWO from 2014 until her retirement in 2017.[10]

United States House of Representatives

Elections

Main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia § District 2

In the 2018 elections, Luria ran for the United States House of Representatives in Virginia's 2nd congressional district.[11] In the June 10 Democratic primary, Luria received 62% of the vote, defeating Karen Mallard, who received 38%.[12] In the November 6, 2018, election, she defeated Republican incumbent Scott Taylor, winning 51.1% of the vote.[13] Luria carried six of the district's nine county-level jurisdictions, including all but one of the district's five independent cities. She even carried Taylor's hometown of Virginia Beach.[14]

Tenure and political positions

Luria was sworn in on January 3, 2019.[15] She was one of 102 female U.S. House members elected in 2018, a record number.[16] As the US government was in partial shutdown , she asked for her salary to be withheld until federal workers were paid.[17]

Committee assignments and caucuses

Committee on Armed Services[18]

Personal life

Luria's husband, Robert Blondin, is also a retired Navy commander who spent 27 years in the service.[10] They have three children and have lived in Norfolk since 2000.[10]

In 2010, Luria was a contestant on the game show Wheel of Fortune.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Elaine Luria | Archives of Women's Political Communication". Awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  2. ^ "Another way to serve: After 20 years in Navy, Elaine Luria running for Congress". Sjlmag.com. March 7, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d Navy Vet Represents Wave Of Female Jewish Candidates – The Forward
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Another way to serve: After 20 years in Navy, Elaine Luria running for Congress – Elaine for Congress
  5. ^ The Washington Post (November 7, 2018). "Mountain Brook native Elaine Luria wins Virginia Congressional seat". al.com. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  6. ^ "Another way to serve: After 20 years in Navy, Elaine Luria running for Congress". Sjlmag.com. March 7, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Brueck, Hilary; Kotecki, Peter. "The US just elected 9 new scientists to Congress, including an ocean expert, a nurse, and a biochemist. Here's the full list". Business Insider. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  9. ^ Meet the Jewish military veterans running for Congress | The Times of Israel
  10. ^ a b c "For Elaine Luria, it's ships to mermaids | Jewish News". Jewishnewsva.org. April 28, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  11. ^ "Mermaid Factory owner, retired Navy officer to take on Rep. Scott Taylor in election | Local Politics". pilotonline.com. January 8, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  12. ^ "In US House Race, Former Navy Commander Targets Former SEAL - WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21". Wboc.com. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  13. ^ "Dem Elaine Luria defeats GOP's Scott Taylor in Virginia". TheHill. November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  14. ^ Virginia House results from CNN
  15. ^ [2]
  16. ^ [3]
  17. ^ [4]
  18. ^ Congresswoman Elaine Luria Secures Seat on House Armed Services Committee | Representative Elaine Luria
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 2nd congressional district
2019–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States Representatives by seniority
390th 		Succeeded by
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