Albert Wynn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Wynn
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – May 31, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Donna Edwards |
| Member of the Maryland Senate from the 25th district |
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| In office January 14, 1987 – January 13, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | B. W. Mike Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Beatrice P. Tignor |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 25th district |
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| In office January 12, 1983 – January 14, 1987 |
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| Director of Prince George's County Consumer Protection Commission | |
| In office 1977–1983 |
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| Personal details | |
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Albert Russell Wynn
September 10, 1951 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Jessie Wynn (divorced) Gaines Clore Wynn (deceased) |
| Residence | Mitchellville, Maryland |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney, lobbyist |
Albert Russell Wynn (born September 10, 1951) is an American lobbyist and former politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 4th district of Maryland from 1993 to 2008.
In 2008, Wynn lost the Democratic primary election to Donna Edwards. He then resigned from his position on May 31, 2008.
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Early Life and Education
Albert Wynn was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He went to several universities for his education. He studied at the University of Pittsburgh, Howard University, and Georgetown University Law Center.
After finishing his studies, Wynn became the director of the Prince George's County Consumer Protection Commission. This group helps protect people who buy goods and services. In 1982, he started his own law firm.
He then spent ten years working in the Maryland General Assembly. This is Maryland's state legislature. He was a member of the state house from 1983 to 1987. Then, he served in the state senate from 1987 to 1993.
Political Career
In 1992, Wynn decided to run for the 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. This district had been changed to have more African-American voters. Wynn won a tough primary election with many candidates. This win almost guaranteed him a spot in Congress.
He won the main election in November with 75 percent of the votes. He was reelected seven times after that. He always won with at least 75 percent of the votes.
Work in Congress
Wynn was a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This committee deals with topics like energy, health, and trade. He also led a special group called the Subcommittee on the Environment and Hazardous Materials. He focused a lot on economic issues.
During his time in Congress, Wynn helped pass laws to improve opportunities for small businesses. He also helped businesses owned by minority groups. He received awards for his work supporting small businesses.
Wynn was one of only four members of the Congressional Black Caucus who voted for the Iraq War in 2002. This vote allowed the U.S. to use military force in Iraq. He also worked on a committee for the Congressional Black Caucus. This committee focused on political action and minority businesses.
Wynn also spoke about immigration. He supported helping immigrants already in the country. However, he also believed in having strong border security. He said that people who are in the country deserve respect and fair treatment.
Elections in 2006 and 2008
In 2006, Wynn faced a strong challenge in the Democratic primary election. His opponent was Donna Edwards, a community activist. Edwards had worked for Wynn earlier in her career. She criticized Wynn for some of his votes. These included his vote for the Iraq War and his support for certain energy bills. She argued he was too conservative.
The election was very close. Wynn won by a small number of votes, about 2,725 out of over 82,000 cast. The final count took almost two weeks because of problems with new electronic voting machines.
Edwards ran against Wynn again in 2008. This time, she received support from many online groups and progressive organizations. In the primary election, Edwards won by a much larger margin. She received 60 percent of the votes, while Wynn received 36 percent.
Leaving Congress
On March 27, 2008, Wynn announced he would resign from Congress in June. Donna Edwards was then elected in a special election. She finished the rest of Wynn's term.
After Congress
After leaving Congress, Albert Wynn became a partner at Dickstein Shapiro. This is a large firm that works as a lobbyist. Lobbyists try to influence government decisions for their clients. His clients included companies in the tobacco, entertainment, and energy industries.
House rules usually stop former members from lobbying current members for one year. But because Wynn resigned early, he was able to start lobbying sooner. He began lobbying Congress in June 2009.
See Also
In Spanish: Albert Wynn para niños
