- Matthew P. Denn
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Matthew P. Denn 25th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware Incumbent Assumed office
January 20, 2009Governor Jack A. Markell Preceded by John C. Carney, Jr. Insurance Commissioner of Delaware In office
January 4, 2005 – January 4, 2009Preceded by Donna Lee Williams Succeeded by Karen Weldin Stewart Personal details Born February 9, 1966
Wilmington, DelawarePolitical party Democratic Spouse(s) Michele Residence Newark, Delaware Alma mater Yale Law School
University of California, BerkeleyProfession lawyer Religion Jewish Matthew P. "Matt" Denn (born February 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician from Hockessin in New Castle County, Delaware. He is a member of the Democratic Party who was the Insurance Commissioner of Delaware and is currently the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.
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Early life and family
Denn was born in Wilmington, Delaware, son of Morton Denn, a professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, and Marilyn Denn. He grew up in suburban Hockessin and moved to Berkeley, California during high school. A graduate with honors and student body president at the University of California, Berkeley, he received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1991. He now lives with his wife, Michele, and twin children, Zachary and Adam.
Professional career
Returning to Delaware in 1991, Denn worked for two years with Delaware Volunteer Legal Services and then went into private practice, becoming a partner with the law firm of Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor in 2000. There he argued cases involving insurance disputes, personal injuries, real estate, commercial and corporate disputes, and bankruptcies, and received the Distinguished Service Award from the Young Lawyers Section of the Delaware State Bar Association. In 1998, he was appointed chairman of Delaware's new Child Protection Accountability Commission, a commission set up in the aftermath of the deaths of several children in state care. He also served on a variety of boards and commissions, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware, the Wilmington Civil Rights Commission, and the Kutz Home. Denn has also served as an adjunct professor at Widener University Law School in the area of constitutional law.[citation needed]
Political career
As Governor Ruth Ann Minner's legal counsel from 2001 through 2003, Denn wrote several of the Governor's major legislative initiatives, such as the Patients Bill of Rights, regulating health insurance companies, anti-terrorism legislation, environmental legislation, and legislation protecting school teachers from lawsuits.[citation needed] He also represented the Governor on a variety of task forces, including the Governor's Strategic Economic Council and the Governor's Cancer Task Force.
Denn first ran for a seat in the State Senate in 1998, losing to incumbent State Senator Bob Conner. However, he was elected State Insurance Commissioner in 2004 defeating Democratic Party primary rival, Karen Weldin Stewart, and Republican Party candidate, Dave Ennis, a member of Delaware General Assembly. He served as Insurance Commissioner from January 4, 2005 until January 4, 2009.
Lieutenant governor
Denn announced in March 2007 that he was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in the election of 2008. Another Democratic candidate, Wilmington City Council President Ted Blunt, ended his campaign in spring 2008, avoiding a primary. Denn took more than 61 percent of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Charlie Copeland in a statewide Democratic landslide.
Almanac
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. The Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Commissioner take office the third Tuesday of January and has a four-year term.
Public Offices Office Type Location Took Office Left Office notes Insurance Commissioner Executive Dover January 4, 2005 January 6, 2009 Lieutenant Governor Executive Dover January 20, 2009 Incumbent Election results Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % 1996 State Senate General Matthew P. Denn Democratic 6,632 45.7% Robert T. Connor Republican 7,860 54.2% 2004 Insurance Commissioner Primary Matthew P. Denn Democratic 18,436 58% Karen Weldin Stewart Democratic 13,363 42% 2004 Insurance Commissioner General Matthew P. Denn Democratic 182,619 53% David H. Ennis Republican 163,027 47% 2008 Lieutenant Governor General Matthew P. Denn Democratic 236,741 61% Charles L. Copeland Republican 149,222 39% References
- "Insurance Commissioner". State of Delaware. http://www.delawareinsurance.gov/.
External links
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
- University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965
Current lieutenant governors U.S. states and territories and next-in-line of succession for states and territories without lieutenant governors or where the office is vacantAL Ivey (R) AK Treadwell (R) AZ Bennett (R)1 AR Darr (R) CA Newsom (D) CO Garcia (D) CT Wyman (D) DE Denn (D) FL Carroll (R) GA Cagle (R) HI Schatz (D) ID Little (R) IL Simon (D) IN Skillman (R) IA Reynolds (R) KS Colyer (R) KY Mongiardo (D) LA Dardenne (R) ME Raye (R)2 MD Brown (D) MA Murray (D) MI Calley (R) MN Solon (D) MS Bryant (R) MO Kinder (R) MT Bohlinger (R) NE Sheehy (R) NV Krolicki (R) NH Bragdon (R)2 NJ Guadagno (R) NM Sanchez (R) NY Duffy (D) NC Dalton (D) ND Wrigley (R) OH Taylor (R) OK Lamb (R) OR Brown (D)1 PA Cawley (R) RI Roberts (D) SC Ard (R) SD Michels (R) TN Ramsey (R)2 TX Dewhurst (R) UT Bell (R) VT Scott (R) VA Bolling (R) WA Owen (D) WV Kessler (D)2 WI Kleefisch (R) WY Maxfield (R)1 DC Brown (D)3
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GovernorsCategories:- 1966 births
- Living people
- Jewish American politicians
- People from New Castle County, Delaware
- Delaware lawyers
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- Lieutenant Governors of Delaware
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