Shannon O'Brien

Shannon Patricia Elizabeth O'Brien, born April 30, 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts, is a Democrat from Massachusetts. She was the gubernatorial nominee of the Democratic Party in 2002, but lost in the general election to Mitt Romney. O'Brien received 45% of the vote.

Political career

She was the Massachusetts State Treasurer from 1999 through 2003, winning the office in 1998 after losing in her first attempt for that office in 1994. She was the first woman to be elected in Massachusetts to state-wide office by her own accord. While serving as State Treasurer, she restructured the lottery commission and the Abandoned Properties Division in Massachusetts, gaining acclaim for returning dormant funds to the residents of the state. She had previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1987 through 1993, and in the Massachusetts Senate from 1993 through 1995.

She won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2002, defeating, among others, former Democratic National Committee and AIPAC chair Steven Grossman.

After politics

Following her defeat in 2002, O'Brien joined a local Boston television station as a consumer advocate.

Personal

O'Brien's father Edward (1933-2004) was a lawyer who served on the Massachusetts Governor's Council from 1970 to 1975, left his post for a failed run for Massachusetts Attorney General, then held it from 1978 until his death. Her mother is named Ann.

O'Brien lives in Massachusetts with her husband, former state representative and Enron lobbyist Emmet Hayes, and children. She is the CEO of the [http://www.ptgirlscouts.org/ Patriot's Trail Girl Scout Council] covering greater Boston. O'Brien graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1985.

She has four siblings: Erin, a clerk at the West Roxbury District Court; Gaelan, a court officer in the Northampton District Court; Tara, a former employee at Boston City Hall; and Michael, who runs the family funeral home in Easthampton (job descriptions as of 2002). ["O'Briens take over title of First Family in state hackarama", "Boston Herald", August 23, 2002.]

Electoral history

*2002 Race for Governor
**Mitt Romney (R), 49.8%
**Shannon O'Brien (D), 44.9%
**Jill Stein (G), 3.5%
**Carla Howell (L), 1.1%
**Barbara Johnson (I), 0.7%

Notes