Earl Ray Tomblin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Earl Ray Tomblin
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| 35th Governor of West Virginia | |
| In office November 13, 2011 – January 16, 2017 Acting: November 15, 2010 – November 13, 2011 |
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| Lieutenant | Jeff Kessler Bill Cole |
| Preceded by | Joe Manchin |
| Succeeded by | Jim Justice |
| President of the West Virginia Senate Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia |
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| In office January 3, 1995 – November 13, 2011 |
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| Governor | Gaston Caperton Cecil Underwood Bob Wise Joe Manchin Himself (acting) |
| Preceded by | Keith Burdette |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Kessler |
| Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 7th district |
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| In office December 1, 1980 – November 13, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Ned Grubb |
| Succeeded by | Art Kirkendoll |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 15, 1952 Logan County, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Joanne Jaeger
(m. 1979) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | West Virginia University (BS) Marshall University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
Earl Ray Tomblin was the 35th governor of West Virginia. He was born on March 15, 1952. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he served in the West Virginia Senate for many years. He was also the president of the West Virginia Senate. Tomblin became acting governor in November 2010. This happened after Joe Manchin was elected to the U.S. Senate. Tomblin then won a special election in October 2011 to finish the term. He was later elected for a full term as governor in November 2012.
Contents
His Early Life and School
Earl Ray Tomblin was born in Logan County, West Virginia. His parents were Freda M. and Earl Tomblin. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from West Virginia University. Later, he received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Marshall University.
Starting in Politics
Tomblin began his political career in 1974. He was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates. He was re-elected to this position in 1976 and 1978. In 1980, he was elected to the Senate for the 7th district. He continued to be re-elected every four years until he became governor.
Becoming Senate President
On January 3, 1995, Tomblin was chosen as the 48th President of the West Virginia Senate. He held this important job for almost 17 years. This makes him the longest-serving Senate President in West Virginia's history. In 2000, he also became the first Lieutenant Governor of West Virginia. As a senator, he represented the 7th Senate District. This district included Boone, Lincoln, Logan, and Wayne counties.
Serving as Acting Governor
Tomblin became the acting governor when Joe Manchin left his position. Manchin had been elected to the United States Senate. This made Tomblin the first person to serve as acting governor under West Virginia's current constitution. Even though he was acting governor, Tomblin kept his title as Senate President. However, he did not take part in lawmaking or lead the Senate during this time.
Governor of West Virginia
Winning Elections
The West Virginia constitution says that if the governor's job becomes empty with more than a year left, a special election must be held. This happened when Joe Manchin left office with two years remaining. Tomblin wanted to run for the rest of the term. A special election was set for October 4, 2011. Tomblin won the Democratic primary election. He then won the general election against Bill Maloney. He officially became governor on November 13, 2011. Before becoming governor, he resigned from the state senate. Tomblin ran for a full term in 2012 and won again, defeating Bill Maloney a second time.
What He Did as Governor
During the 2016 presidential election, Tomblin supported Hillary Clinton. She was also a Democrat.
How People Felt About His Work
In May 2013, a survey showed that about 69 percent of people approved of Tomblin's work as governor. This was the same as two months before. Another poll in September 2013 showed his approval rating was 47 percent. This was an increase from 44 percent in 2011.
Term Limits Explained
Tomblin could not run for a second full term in 2016. The state constitution has a rule about term limits. It says that a partial term (like the one he won in the special election) counts towards the limit of two terms in a row.
About His Family
Earl Ray Tomblin married Joanne Jaeger on September 8, 1979. Joanne is from New York and also went to Marshall University. She was the president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College for many years. Earl and Joanne live in Chapmanville. They have one son named Brent. Tomblin attends the First Presbyterian Church of Logan.
See also
In Spanish: Earl Ray Tomblin para niños
