Paula Miller

Infobox State Representative
name = Paula J. Miller


caption = Paula Miller, August 16, 2008
state_delegate = Virginia
district = 87th
term_start = 2005
term_end =
preceded = Thelma Drake
succeeded = Incumbent
birth_date = Birth date and age | 1959 | 8 | 1
birth_place = Batavia, New York
party = Democratic
spouse = George E. Schaefer, III
children = George E. Schaefer, IV; Molly Schaefer
residence = Norfolk, Virginia
alma_mater = Genesee Community College, State University of New York at Geneseo
occupation = Public information officer
committees = Militia, Police and Public Safety; Science and Technology
religion = Roman Catholic
website = http://www.delegatepaulamiller.com

Paula Jean Miller (born August 1, 1959 in Batavia, New York) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Since 2005 she has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 87th district in the city of Norfolk.

Early life

Miller graduated from Attica Central High School in Attica, New York in 1977, then got degrees in mass communications from Genesee Community College (1979) and speech communication from SUNY Geneseo (1981). She then began working locally in broadcast journalism.

In 1984 Miller and her husband, George Schaefer, moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where she became a reporter for WTKR-TV, the local CBS affiliate. Miller worked at WTKR until 1999, when she took over the public information office of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office, where she works for Republican Sheriff Paul Lanteigne.

Miller has two children, George Schaefer IV and Molly Schaefer. In 2007, George attended American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. [cite news | last = Woerner | first = Barbara J. | title = For two teens, it's summer and time for politics | work = The Virginian-Pilot | date = 2007-07-26 | page = B1, Virginia Beach Beacon section] and the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership's High School Leadership Program in Charlottesville, Virginia [cite web | title = HSLP Class of 2007 | publisher = Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership | url = http://www.sorenseninstitute.org/alumni/hslp/2007 | accessdate = 2008-08-18] .

Political career

Miller's husband, George Schaefer, became heavily involved in Norfolk Republican politics, serving as local party chair and making unsuccessful bids to unseat 86th district Delegate George Heilig in 1993 and 1995. [cite web | title = November 7, 1995 General election results, House of Delegates | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = http://www2.sbe.virginia.gov/Election/results/1995/rslts95-hod_va_dist-loc.htm | accessdate = 2008-08-18] Due to her TV news job, Miller's role in Schaefer's campaigns was severely limited.

Schaefer switched political allegiances at the turn of the millennium and was elected Norfolk Clerk of Circuit Court as a Democrat in 2003. [cite web | title = November 4, 2003 General election results, Norfolk City, local offices | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = http://www2.sbe.state.va.us/web_docs/election/results/2003/nov/local/710.htm | accessdate = 2008-08-18] Now out of TV news, Miller was able to take an active role in his campaign.

Delegate Thelma Drake, a Republican, was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2004, creating a vacancy in the 87th district, where Miller's house was then located. She decided to run and was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. In the special election on December 14, she narrowly defeated Michael Ball, the local Republican chair and a professional fundraiser for conservative televangelist Pat Robertson's Regent University. Miller stressed the need for bipartisan solutions to such issues as transportation and the environment, in the manner of Democratic Governor Mark Warner; Ball emphasized his conservative credentials and his potential for delivering for the district as a member of the House majority. [cite news | last = Minium | first = Harry | title = Moderate GOP backs Democrat in 87th District | work = The Virginian-Pilot | date = 2004-12-11 | page = B1, Local section]

In 2005 she won reelection in a three-way race with Ball and independent John Coggeshall, a local lawyer, cabaret entertainer and radio talk show host. In 2007 she defeated retired Vice Admiral Henry C. 'Hank' Giffin III.

Notes

References

* [http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/a7b082ef6ed01eac85256c0d00515644/807ab96080b869258525738a0052b65f?OpenDocument Virginia House of Delegates: Bio for Paula J. Miller (2008 session)]
* [http://www.delegatepaulamiller.com Official website]
*Virginia State Board of Elections: Election Results for 87th House District
** [https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/00_p_710_B7089B28-F5AC-4EC9-8A41-FC631BBA1655.shtml November 6, 2007 General Election]
** [http://www2.sbe.virginia.gov/web_docs/Election/results/2005/nov2005/html/h_87.htm November 8, 2005 General Election]
** [http://www2.sbe.state.va.us/Election/results/2004/Results12_14_2004.asp December 14, 2004 Special Election]

External links

* [http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/71559 Virginia Public Access Project: Paula Miller]
* [http://www.vbso.net Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office]

Persondata
NAME=Miller, Paula Jean
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Virginia Politician
DATE OF BIRTH=1959-08-01
PLACE OF BIRTH=Batavia, New York, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=