Mark Herring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Herring
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| 47th Attorney General of Virginia | |
| In office January 11, 2014 – January 15, 2022 |
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| Governor | Terry McAuliffe Ralph Northam |
| Preceded by | Ken Cuccinelli |
| Succeeded by | Jason Miyares |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district |
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| In office February 1, 2006 – January 11, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Mims |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Wexton |
| Member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors from the Leesburg district |
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| In office January 1, 2000 – December 31, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Joan Rokus |
| Succeeded by | Jim Clem |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mark Rankin Herring
September 25, 1961 Johnson City, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Laura Herring
(m. 1990) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Charles L. Waddell (step-father) |
| Education | University of Virginia (BA, MA) University of Richmond (JD) |
Mark Rankin Herring (born September 25, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 47th Attorney General of Virginia from 2014 to 2022. Before that, he was a member of the Senate of Virginia. He represented the 33rd district, which includes parts of Fairfax and Loudoun counties. Mark Herring is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Mark Herring's Early Life and Education
Mark Herring was born in Johnson City, Tennessee. When he was 12 years old, he moved to Leesburg, Virginia. His mother, Jane Rankin Herring, raised him by herself.
He finished high school at Loudoun Valley High School in 1979. To pay for college, he worked in construction and many other jobs. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia. He studied foreign affairs and economics. He also got a Master of Arts degree in foreign affairs from the same university. Later, he earned a law degree (called a J.D.) from the University of Richmond School of Law.
Mark Herring's First Steps in Politics
Before becoming Attorney General, Mark Herring held other important roles. From 2000 to 2003, he was an elected member of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. This group helps manage Loudoun County. He also worked as the town attorney for Lovettsville, Virginia, from 1992 to 1999.
He was first elected to the Senate of Virginia in 2006. This happened in a special election. He was re-elected for full terms in 2007 and 2011. He also runs his own law firm, The Herring Law Firm, P.C., in Leesburg, Virginia.
Becoming Virginia's Attorney General
The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of a state. They act as the state's lawyer, giving legal advice to the government and representing the state in court.
Attorney General Elections
Mark Herring ran for Attorney General several times.
2013 Election
In 2012, Mark Herring announced he would run for Attorney General. He won the Democratic primary election in June 2013. This meant he would represent the Democratic Party in the main election.
In the general election, he ran against Republican Mark Obenshain. The election was very close. After all the votes were counted, Herring had a small lead. Obenshain asked for a recount, which is when votes are counted again. After the recount, Herring won by 907 votes. He became the Attorney General on January 11, 2014.
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2017 Election
In 2017, Mark Herring ran for re-election. He did not have any opponents in the Democratic primary. He won the general election against Republican John Donley Adams. He was re-elected with 53% of the votes.
2021 Election
In 2020, Herring decided to run for Attorney General again instead of running for governor. However, in the election on November 2, 2021, he lost his re-election bid. Republican Jason Miyares won the election.
Important Work as Attorney General
As Attorney General, Mark Herring worked on several important legal cases.
Marriage Equality
In 2014, Mark Herring announced that he would not defend Virginia's law that banned same-sex marriage. He believed that the freedom to marry is a basic right. He filed a legal document asking for the ban to be removed.
Many people had strong opinions about this. Some praised him, while others said he should defend all state laws. However, Herring stated that an Attorney General is not required to defend laws that are unconstitutional. A federal court later ruled that the ban was unconstitutional. This decision was upheld by a higher court, making same-sex marriage legal in Virginia.
Fair Voting Districts
In 2019, Mark Herring and the Democratic Party won a case about gerrymandering in Virginia. Gerrymandering is when voting districts are drawn in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with their case, which helped make elections in Virginia fairer.
Healthcare Law
As Attorney General, Mark Herring also supported the Obamacare healthcare law. He took a case about this law to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Consumer Protection Case
In 2020, Herring filed a lawsuit against a towing company called Advanced Towing Company, LLC. The lawsuit claimed that the company was towing cars in ways that were "predatory, aggressive, overreaching and illegal." This case aimed to protect people from unfair towing practices.
Mark Herring's Personal Life
Mark Herring lives in Leesburg, Virginia, with his wife, Laura. They got married in 1990. They have two adult children, a daughter named Peyton and a son named Tim. His step-father was a former state Senator named Charlie Waddell.
Images for kids
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Mark Herring at a rally.
