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Kathy Jennings

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Kathy Jennings
46th Attorney General of Delaware
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
GovernorJohn Carney
Bethany Hall-Long (designate)
Matt Meyer (elect)
Preceded byMatthew Denn
Personal details
Born (1953-04-04) April 4, 1953 (age 71)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity 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.[1][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.[1][2]

Electoral history

Election results
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2018 Attorney General General Kathy Jennings Democratic 218,351 61.31% Bernard Pepukayi Republican 137,730 38.68%
2022 Attorney General General Kathy Jennings Democratic 171,837 53.83% Julianne Murray Republican 147,369 46.17%

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Prosecutor Never Rests". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. December 1, 1989. p. D1,D12. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Meet Kathy". Meet Kathy - Kathy Jennings. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "Biden names Jennings as State Prosecutor | News". newarkpostonline.com. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  4. ^ "Candidate Conversations: State Attorney General candidate Kathy Jennings | Delaware First Media". Delawarepublic.org. August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "Former state prosecutor to run for attorney general". Delaware State News. January 9, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Jennings resigns county post, expected to run for Delaware attorney general". Delawareonline.com. January 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "Kathy Jennings running for attorney general". Cape Gazette. February 14, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "Kathy Jennings wins Democratic nod for Delaware attorney general". Delawareonline.com. September 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  9. ^ "Delaware's next attorney general: Kathy Jennings". Delawareonline.com. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Gerace, Frank (January 1, 2019). "Jennings, McGuiness, Davis sworn in to new elected positions". wdel.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  11. ^ "3 new state officials sworn in on New Year's Day". Delaware State News. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  12. ^ "(D) Kathy Jennings wins Delaware Attorney General Race".
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Delaware
2019–present
Incumbent