Albert Wynn
 |
Albert Wynn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's4thdistrict | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – May 31, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Donna Edwards |
| Member of theMaryland Senate from the25thdistrict | |
| In office January 14, 1987 – January 13, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | B. W. Mike Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Beatrice P. Tignor[1] |
| Member of theMaryland House of Delegates from the 25th district | |
| In office January 12, 1983 – January 14, 1987 | |
| Director ofPrince George's County Consumer Protection Commission | |
| In office 1977–1983 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Albert Russell Wynn September 10, 1951 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jessie Wynn (divorced) Gaines Clore Wynn (deceased) |
| Residence | Mitchellville, Maryland |
| Alma mater | University of Pittsburgh(BA) Georgetown University(JD) |
| Occupation | attorney |
Albert Russell Wynn(born September 10, 1951) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives,representing the4th districtofMarylandfrom 1993 to 2008. On February 13, 2008, Wynn was defeated in theDemocratic primarybyDonna Edwards,and resigned his office effective May 31, 2008.
Early life and education[edit]
Wynn was born inMontgomery County, Pennsylvania.He was educated at theUniversity of Pittsburgh,Howard University,andGeorgetown University Law Center.While attending the University of Pittsburgh, Wynn was initiated as a member of the Beta Epsilon chapter ofKappa Alpha Psifraternity.[citation needed]
Soon after graduating, Wynn became director of the Prince George's County Consumer Protection Commission.[2]In 1982, he founded his own law firm. He then spent a decade in theMaryland General Assembly,serving in thestate housefrom 1983 to 1987 and in thestate senatefrom 1987 to 1993.
Career[edit]
Wynn entered the Democratic primary for the 4th District in 1992. The 4th had been reconfigured as a black-majority district after the1990 Census,and the previous incumbent, three-term DemocratTom McMillen,had been drawn out of the district. Wynn won a crowded seven-way primary by 1,300 votes, all but assuring him of election in the heavily Democratic district. He won the general election in November with 75 percent of the vote and was reelected seven times, never dropping below 75 percent of the vote.
Wynn was a member of theHouse Energy and Commerce Committee,where he chaired the Subcommittee on the Environment and Hazardous Materials.[2]Wynn placed a high priority on economic issues. Wynn also supported the energy bill promoted by Vice President and former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney.[citation needed]
During the105th Congress,Wynn sponsored legislation passed to improve federal contracting opportunities for small and minority businesses. He has twice received theSmall Business AdministrationAdministrator's Leadership Awardfor his efforts on behalf of small businesses.
His 2000 re-election race made headlines, when the Congressman's estranged wife, Jessie Wynn, served as the campaign manager for his Republican opponent, John B. Kimble. In radio spots for Kimble's campaign, Mrs. Wynn stated "Albert Wynn does not respectblackwomen. He left me for thewhitewoman. "
During the107th Congress,Wynn was one of only four of 36Congressional Black Caucusmembers who voted on October 10, 2002 for thejoint resolutionauthorizing theIraq War.The other three Congressional Black Caucus members who voted for the resolution authorizing the Iraq War wereBill JeffersonofLouisiana,Sanford BishopofGeorgia,andHarold Ford, Jr.ofTennessee.[3][4]Wynn also served on the Congressional Black Caucus' Political Action Committee and its Minority Business Task Force.[2]
Wynn has issued statements of support for integratingillegal aliensinto society, so long as strong border security provisions are included. He spoke at theWashington, D.C.Immigration Rally in April 2006, condemningH. R. 4437and other bills that aim to deport all illegal immigrants. On Wynn's official website, he says "Now that they are in this country, we owe them respect and fair treatment."[5]
2006 congressional elections[edit]
In 2006, he was challenged in the Democratic primary by community activistDonna Edwards,most recently executive director of theArca Foundation.Edwards, who had clerked for Wynn in the 1980s while he served in the state legislature, criticized Wynn for his votes to support the Iraq war, repeal of the estate tax, support of theBankruptcy Reform Act of 2005,and of the Bush Administration's energy bill, arguing that he was too conservative and too closely allied with Republicans. While Wynn was initially heavily favored, Edwards showed surprising strength. Two weeks before the primary,The Washington Postendorsed Edwards.
The primary was held on September 12, and when all the votes had been counted, Wynn defeated Edwards by 49.7 percent to 46.4 percent — by 2,725 votes out of more than 82,000 cast. George McDermott, a little-known candidate, took 3.9 percent. The final tally of the primary was unclear for nearly two weeks because of widespread voting problems on new electronic voting machines in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.[6]
2008 congressional elections[edit]
Edwards sought a rematch in 2008. This time, Edwards won the backing of the influentialMoveOn.org.[7]Edwards also had the support of many progressive community organizations, and many influentialnetrootsorganizations such asDaily KosandOpenLeft.
In the primary, Edwards routed Wynn, 60 percent to 36 percent.[8]
Resignation[edit]
On March 27, 2008, Wynn announced his resignation from Congress effective in June.[9]
Edwards was elected in a special election to finish out the rest of Wynn's term, defeating anti-war Republican primary winner Peter James in the general election in November 2008.[8][10]
Post-congressional career[edit]
He became a partner ofDickstein Shapiro,a largelobbyingfirm whose clients include the tobacco, entertainment, energy, and software industries as well as theTeamsters.[9]Because House rules prohibit former members from lobbying current members of Congress for one year after departing, Wynn began lobbying Congress in June 2009 instead of in January 2010 due to his early resignation.[9]
Election history[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^"Senate, Legislative District 25".Maryland State Archives.RetrievedSeptember 20,2023.
- ^abc"Collection: Albert R. Wynn papers | Archival Collections".archives.lib.umd.edu.RetrievedAugust 31,2020.
- ^"H.J.RES.114 To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq".THOMAS.October 16, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon April 8, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 12,2008.
- ^Penn, Ivan; Koening, Sarah (October 22, 2002)."Democrats split in vote on war resolution".The Sun.p. 2.B. Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2012.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
- ^"The Online Office of Congressman Albert R. Wynn – Home".Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2006.RetrievedMay 3,2006.
- ^"CQPolitics - Prolonged Vote Count in Md. 4 Ends with Victory for Wynn".Archived fromthe originalon October 27, 2006.RetrievedMarch 13,2008.
- ^MoveOn.org Political Action: Democracy in ActionArchived2008-11-01 at theLibrary of CongressWeb Archives
- ^ab"Local Elections 2008: Maryland: U.S. House, District 4 Results".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon February 15, 2008.RetrievedMarch 27,2008.
- ^abcHelderman, Rosalind S.; Birnbaum, Jeffrey H (March 28, 2008)."Wynn Decides to Leave Congress 6 Months Before His Term Expires".The Washington Post.p. B01.
- ^Helderman, Rosalind S.; Wan, William; Wiggins, Ovetta (February 14, 2008)."Rare Dual Losses in Md. Put Incumbents on Notice".The Washington Post.p. A01.
External links[edit]
- Biographyat theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office)at theFederal Election Commission
- AppearancesonC-SPAN
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- 1951 births
- African-American members of the United States House of Representatives
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- Living people
- Democratic Party Maryland state senators
- Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
- Politicians from Philadelphia
- University of Pittsburgh alumni
- Howard University alumni
- African-American state legislators in Maryland
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland
- People from Mitchellville, Maryland
- 21st-century American politicians
- The Graduate School of Political Management faculty
- Baptists from Maryland
- Members of Congress who became lobbyists
- 20th-century American legislators
- 20th-century Maryland politicians