Loren Leman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loren Leman
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 8th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska | |
| In office December 2, 2002 – December 4, 2006 |
|
| Governor | Frank Murkowski |
| Preceded by | Fran Ulmer |
| Succeeded by | Sean Parnell |
| Member of the Alaska Senate from the G district |
|
| In office December 1993 – December 2, 2002 |
|
| Preceded by | Pat Rodey |
| Succeeded by | Hollis French |
| Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 9th district |
|
| In office December 1989 - December 1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Drue Pearce |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia Toohey |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Loren Dwight Leman
December 2, 1950 Pomona, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Carolyn Rae Bratvold |
| Alma mater | Oregon State University, Corvallis Stanford University University of Alaska, Anchorage |
Loren Dwight Leman (born December 2, 1950) is an American politician who made history in Alaska. From 2002 to 2006, he served as the eighth lieutenant governor of Alaska. A lieutenant governor is like a vice president for a state.
When Leman was elected, he became the first person with Alaska Native roots to win a statewide election in Alaska. His family background is a mix of Alutiiq (a group of Alaska Natives), Russian, and Polish heritage. Before becoming lieutenant governor, he was a member of Alaska's state government for many years.
Contents
A Unique Alaskan Childhood
Loren Leman was born in Pomona, California, but he grew up in the small town of Ninilchik, Alaska. His family spoke Russian at home and were commercial fishermen. As a boy, he helped his father with their fishing business.
Leman's family has a very long history in Alaska. It goes all the way back to 1798, when one of his ancestors, a Russian shipbuilder, married an Alutiiq woman from Afognak.
After graduating from Ninilchik High School in 1968, Leman went to college. He studied civil engineering, which is about designing and building things like roads and bridges. He earned degrees from Oregon State University and Stanford University.
He and his wife, Carolyn, had three children: Rachel, Joseph, and Nicole.
Getting into Politics
Leman joined the Republican Party and decided to get involved in government. In 1988, he was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives, one of the two parts of the state's law-making body, called the legislature. He represented a part of Anchorage.
In 1992, he was elected to the other part of the legislature, the Alaska State Senate. He served there until 2002. During his time as a senator, he became a respected leader and was chosen as the Senate Majority Leader.
A Historic Election
In 2002, Leman ran for lieutenant governor. He won the election, which was a major moment for Alaska. He was the first person with Alaska Native heritage to be elected to such a high office in the state. One of his opponents in the primary election was Sarah Palin, who later became famous for running for vice president of the United States.
As lieutenant governor, Leman focused on several key issues. He wanted the government to be careful with its spending. He also supported what he called "wise use" of Alaska's natural resources, like oil and fish. Leman is known for his socially conservative views, which means he holds traditional values on social issues. For example, he supported a state law defining marriage as being between one man and one woman.
He also worked with faith-based groups and community organizations to help solve problems in Alaska. His work was so successful that the White House called Alaska a "role model" for other states.
Building a Better Alaska
Throughout his career, Leman has been very interested in improving transportation in Alaska. As a civil engineer, he has managed projects to make airports better and safer. He also supported the creation of a rocket launch site on Kodiak Island.
He helped the Alaska Railroad improve its tracks and championed projects to build better roads, ports, and harbors across the state. His engineering work has taken him all over Alaska, from Ketchikan in the south to Kotzebue in the north.
Awards and Recognition
In 1999, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a major organization for engineers, gave Leman a national award. They recognized him for his work to improve education, develop resources, and build better transportation in Alaska.
See also
