Natalie Tennant

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On January 20, 2011, Tennant announced she was running for the Democratic nomination for Governor of West Virginia in the 2011 special gubernatorial election. [26] Tennant focused her campaign on openness and accountability, which she said had been a hallmark of her tenure as secretary of state. [27]

Public polling conducted in January 2011 showed Tennant to be a front runner in the Democratic primary, alongside acting governor Earl Ray Tomblin. [28] She lost the primary election to acting governor Earl Ray Tomblin, coming in third place behind state house speaker Rick Thompson. [29]

U.S. Senate campaign

Tennant ran for the Senate in 2014. The seat was open after incumbent Democrat Jay Rockefeller announced his retirement. Tennant lost to Republican representative Shelley Moore Capito in the general election, losing every county in the state.

Tennant did not face any significant primary opposition. [30] [31] She entered the race after ten prominent Democrats declined to run. [32] In announcing her campaign, Tennant stated, "I will fight any Republican or any Democrat — including President Barack Obama — who tries to kill our energy jobs, whether they are coal, natural gas, wind or water." [33] [34] Tennant was endorsed by Senator Rockefeller, Senator Joe Manchin, and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. [34] She was also endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama, [35] North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, [36] and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who hosted a fundraiser for Tennant. [36]

According to Politico and The New York Times , Tennant sought to distance herself from President Obama. Tennant was an Obama delegate at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. [32] [33]

Personal life

Prior to Tennant's election as secretary of state, she was co-owner of Wells Media Group, a Charleston-based video production and media training company she operated with her husband, Democratic state senator Erik Wells. Tennant and Wells have one daughter, Delaney, and reside in Charleston. [1]

In 2017, Tennant joined the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law in a voting rights advocacy position. [37]

Electoral history

Natalie Tennant
NatalieTennant7.jpg
29th Secretary of State of West Virginia
In office
January 19, 2009 –January 16, 2017
West Virginia Secretary of State Democratic primary election, 2004
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticKen Hechler67,06525.74
DemocraticNatalie Tennant65,94725.31
DemocraticMike Oliverio52,72020.23
DemocraticRoger Pritt40,82315.67
DemocraticLarrie Bailey17,5906.75
DemocraticDonna Acord9,2963.57
DemocraticGeorge Daugherty7,1392.74
West Virginia Secretary of State Democratic primary election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticNatalie Tennant172,45851.38
DemocraticJoe DeLong120,26435.83
DemocraticBilly Wayne Bailey, Jr.42,90212.78
West Virginia Secretary of State Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticNatalie Tennant437,43065.51
RepublicanCharles Theophilus Minimah230,28334.49
West Virginia Governor Special Democratic primary election, 2011
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticEarl Ray Tomblin51,34840.40
DemocraticRick Thompson30,63124.10
DemocraticNatalie Tennant22,10617.39
DemocraticJohn Perdue15,99512.58
DemocraticJeffrey Kessler6,5505.15
DemocraticArne Moltis4810.38
West Virginia Secretary of State Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticNatalie Tennant (inc.)398,46362.40
RepublicanBrian Savilla240,08037.60
West Virginia U.S. Senate Democratic primary election, 2014
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticNatalie Tennant104,59877.95
DemocraticDennis Melton15,81711.79
DemocraticDavid Wamsley13,77310.26
West Virginia U.S. Senate Election, 2014
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanShelley Moore Capito281,82062.12
DemocraticNatalie Tennant156,36034.47
LibertarianJohn Buckley7,4091.63
MountainBob Henry Baber5,5041.21
ConstitutionPhil Hudok2,5660.57
West Virginia Secretary of State Democratic primary election, 2016
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticNatalie Tennant (inc.)192,17677.18
DemocraticPatsy Trecost56,83222.82

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References

  1. 1 2 "Natalie Tennant". The West Virginia Encyclopedia. December 8, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
  2. ↑ "West Virginia Secretary of State's office". sos.wv.gov. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  3. ↑ "Obituaries: Rose Mary Brunetti Tennant". The Times West Virginian. June 4, 2011. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  4. ↑ "Natalie Tennant for U.S. Senate (WV)". IADLC. Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  5. 1 2 3 News, University Relations |. "Second woman to don the buckskins as WVU Mountaineer mascot". WVUToday. Retrieved 2016-02-12.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ↑ "WVU Mountaineers". WVU Alumni. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "The Year of the Mountaineer". www.morgantownmag.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-15. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  8. ↑ "25th Anniversary of the first female WVU Mountaineer: Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant". Huntington News. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  9. ↑ Holdren, Wendy (2013-03-17). "Secretary of state promotes women's role in W.Va". Register-Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Statewide Results". General Election - November 4, 2008. West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Laskow, Sarah (November 6, 2008). "Democrats dominate secretary of state races in toss-up states". Center for Public Integrity.
  12. ↑ "Statewide Results". General Election - November 6, 2012. West Virginia Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Mac Warner unseats Natalie Tennant for Secretary of State". Metro News. 2016-11-08. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  14. ↑ Mistich, Dave. "Democrat Natalie Tennant Announces She's Seeking Return As West Virginia's Secretary Of State". West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "June 9, 2020 Primary Election". Primary Election - June 9, 2020. West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Secretary of State: Incumbent Republican Warner turns back challenge from Tennant". Charleston Gazette-Mail. 2020-11-03. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  17. ↑ King, Joselyn (June 11, 2013). "Tennant Undecided on Senate". News-Register. Archived from the original on 2014-05-24. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Internet Voting: Will Democracy or Hackers Win?". PBS. 2012-02-16. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  19. 1 2 Brust, Pamela (May 23, 2012). "West Virginia to pay for ballot mistake". Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  20. ↑ Miller, Dendra (May 24, 2012). "Secretary Of States Office To Pay More Than $200K For Ballot Blunder". The Glenville Democrat. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  21. 1 2 "Lincoln County officials admit to stuffing ballot box". Charleston Daily Mail. 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
  22. ↑ Eyre, Eric (12 September 2013). "Secretary of State's Office returns $3M to W.Va.'s coffers". The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  23. ↑ Davis, Jim (May 4, 2014). "Pre-Election Blame Game". The Exponent Telegram. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  24. ↑ Boucher, David (2014-04-29). "Tennant: Vendor to blame for website issues". Charleston Daily Mail. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  25. ↑ Murray, Melissa. "West Virginia Secretary of State Opens Office in Fairmont". www.wboy.com. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  26. ↑ Fritz, Doug (January 20, 2011). "Tennant Announces Candidacy for Governor". WVNS-TV . Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Associated Press Reports on WV Gubernatorial Special Election". Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  28. ↑ "Public Policy Polling - W.Va. Governor's Race". 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  29. ↑ Lavender, Paige (2013-09-13). "Natalie Tennant Senate Run: West Virginia Secretary Of State Preparing Campaign". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  30. ↑ Kercheval, Hoppy (13 September 2013). "Tennant to run for U.S. Senate". Metro News. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  31. ↑ Kercheval, Hoppy (22 August 2013). "Natalie Tennant said to be considering Senate run". Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  32. 1 2 Gabriel, Trip (2013-12-28). "West Virginia Democrats Face an Uneasy Time". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  33. 1 2 Hohmann, James (17 September 2013). "West Virginia Senate race 2014: Natalie Tennant seeks distance from Obama, coal policy". Politico. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  34. 1 2 Nyden, Paul J. (17 September 2013). "Tennant announces run for Senate". The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  35. ↑ Boucher, Dave (November 19, 2013). "Michelle Obama backs Natalie Tennant in US Senate race". Charleston Daily Mail . Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  36. 1 2 Mattise, Jonathan (June 23, 2014). "Sen. Elizabeth Warren to campaign for Tennant in W.V". The Charleston Gazette . Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Tennant joins Brennan Center for Justice at NYU". Charleston Gazette-Mail. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of West Virginia
2009–2017		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Secretary of State of West Virginia
2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 		Succeeded by
Thornton Cooper
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from West Virginia
(Class 2)
2014 		Succeeded by
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