Jeanette Mott Oxford

Infobox State Representative
honorific-prefix =
name =Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford
honorific-suffix =


height =180px
state_house =Missouri
district =59^th
term_start =2005
term_end =present
preceded =Russ Carnahan
succeeded =
birth_date =birth date and age|1954|07|16
birth_place =Eldorado, Illinois
residence =St. Louis, Missouri
party =Democrat
spouse =Dorothy
website = [http://www.jmo4rep.com jmo4rep.com]

Jeanette Mott Oxford (born July 16, 1954) is an American activist and politician from the state of Missouri. She is a currently a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing a portion of St. Louis City. A Democrat, she is the first openly lesbian member of the Missouri Legislature.

Oxford was born in Eldorado, Illinois and graduated from Cave-in-Rock High School in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. She received an Associate of Arts degree from Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, Illinois in 1974 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1986.

Oxford attended Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Missouri and graduated with her Master of Divinity in 1989. Prior to her political career, Oxford served as executive director of the Reform Organization of Welfare (ROWEL) and as grassroots coordinator for the American Lung Association, both in St. Louis.

Oxford's political career began in 2000, when she sought election to the Missouri House of Representatives. She narrowly lost the Democratic primary election to Russ Carnahan. [http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=13&oid=3817&arc=1] In 2004, Carnahan gave up the State Representative seat to run for Congress. Oxford again ran for the seat, and was successful. She won in a three-way Democratic primary in August 2004, and obtained almost 90% of the vote against a Libertarian opponent in the November 2004 general election. [http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=116&oid=29346&arc=1]

Oxford won re-nomination as the Democratic party candidate in the August 2006 primary, obtaining 81% of the vote against opponent Mark Rice, who also opposed her in the three-way August 2004 primary. [http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=173&oid=39180] She faced only a Libertarian opponent in the November 2006 general election and won by more than eight-to-one. She faces no primary opposition in 2008, though a Libertarian has filed to run against her in November. [ [http://www.sos.mo.gov/candidates/ListAllCandidates.asp?vElection=P108 SOS, Missouri - Elections: Cumulative List of Offices Filed in Candidate Filing ] ] Assuming she continues to be re-elected, term limits will prevent her from seeking a fifth term in 2012.

Oxford is an active member of Epiphany United Church of Christ in St. Louis, and resides in the Benton Park neighborhood with her partner, Dorothy. She is one of two openly gay members of the Missouri General Assembly, serving alongside Sen. Jolie Justus (D–Kansas City). Her campaigns have won the backing of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

References

External links

* [http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/bio059.htm Biography from Missouri House of Representatives]
* [http://www.jmo4rep.com Campaign Web Site]