Denise Majette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denise Majette
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Cynthia McKinney |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia McKinney |
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| Born |
Denise Lorraine Majette
May 18, 1955 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Duke University (JD) |
Denise Lorraine Majette (born May 18, 1955) is an American politician from the state of Georgia. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 4th congressional district from 2003 to 2005.
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Denise Majette's Early Life and Career
Denise Majette was born in Brooklyn, New York. She went to Yale University for her college degree. Later, she earned a law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from Duke University in 1979.
She started her career helping people with legal issues in North Carolina. She also taught law at Wake Forest University. In 1983, she moved to Stone Mountain, Georgia. She worked as a private lawyer for a while.
In 1992, she became a judge for workers' compensation cases in Georgia. The next year, Georgia's Governor Zell Miller appointed her as a judge for the State Court of DeKalb County. She served as a judge for nine years.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 2002, Denise Majette decided to run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress, where laws are made. She ran in Georgia's 4th district, which includes DeKalb County.
She won the Democratic Party's primary election against the person who was already holding the seat, Cynthia McKinney. This was a big surprise because Ms. McKinney had been in office for 10 years. Denise Majette won with 58% of the votes. After winning the primary, it was almost certain she would win the main election because her district usually votes for Democrats.
While in Congress, Majette was seen as a fairly liberal politician. She supported ideas like equal opportunities for all people. She also supported a woman's right to choose in healthcare decisions. She believed in allowing people who work in the U.S. to have legal status. She did not support using public money for private schools or the death penalty.
Running for the U.S. Senate
After serving one term in the U.S. House, Majette decided to run for a seat in the United States Senate. This was for the seat that Senator Zell Miller was leaving. Her decision to run surprised many Democrats in Georgia.
She won the Democratic primary election for the Senate seat. She then won a runoff election against another candidate, Cliff Oxford. She received support from other Senators and many people in Washington, D.C. Her campaign slogan was "I'll be nobody's Senator, but yours."
Denise Majette made history during this election. She was the first African American woman to be nominated by a major party to run for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.
However, in the main election, she lost to the Republican candidate, Johnny Isakson. She faced many challenges in her campaign. She did not have as much money as her opponent. She also started her campaign later than others. Also, a vote on a state issue that she opposed brought out many voters who did not support her. The national presidential election at the time also made it harder for her to win in Georgia.
After Majette left the House, Cynthia McKinney won back her old seat in the 2004 election.
Later Career in Georgia
After her time in Congress, Denise Majette returned to working as a lawyer in Atlanta. In 2006, she decided to run for state School Superintendent of Georgia. This job oversees all the public schools in the state. She won the Democratic primary election for this position. However, she lost the general election to the Republican who was already in office, Kathy Cox.
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
Images for kids
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Congressional photo of Denise Majette.
