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Kathy Jennings

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Kathy Jennings
46th Attorney General of Delaware
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
GovernorJohn Carney
Preceded byMatthew Denn
Personal details
Born (1953-04-04) April 4, 1953 (age 71)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Delaware (BA)
Villanova University (JD)

Kathleen Jennings (born April 4, 1953),[1][2][failed verification] formerly known as Kathleen Rafal, is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Attorney General of Delaware. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

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Jennings was born in Wilmington, Delaware to Margaret "Peg" Rafal (née Reusing), a single mother[3] who subsequently married Dr. Harold Rafal.[4] Jennings graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1971[1] and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delaware in English and Juris Doctor from the Villanova University School of Law.[5]

Career

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She worked for the Delaware Department of Justice for twenty years as a state prosecutor and chief deputy attorney general. Among other cases, she successfully tried serial killer Steven Brian Pennell.[6] In 1995, she and Charles Oberly opened their own law firm.[7]

Jennings served as Chief Administrative Officer for New Castle County for one year. She resigned in January 2018 to run for Attorney General of Delaware.[8][9] She won the Democratic Party nomination.[10] She defeated Republican Bernard Pepukayi in the general election,[11] and was sworn into office on January 1, 2019.[12][13]

In the 2022 election, Jennings won a second term in a closer election, defeating Republican Julianne Murray with 53 percent of the vote.[14]

Personal life

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Jennings was married to Tom Molyneaux, a University of Delaware English professor, until his death in 1977. She subsequently married Wilmington police detective Bill Jennings in 1983 and has a son, Billy, and a daughter.[1][3]

Electoral history

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Election results
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2018 Attorney General General Kathy Jennings Democratic 218,351 61.31% Bernard Pepukayi Republican 137,730 38.68%
2022 Attorney General General Kathy Jennings Democratic 171,837 53.83% Julianne Murray Republican 147,369 46.17%

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Prosecutor Never Rests". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. December 1, 1989. p. D1,D12. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Kathleen Jennings: Attorney General". Archived from the original on November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Meet Kathy". Meet Kathy - Kathy Jennings. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "Margaret "Peg" Rafal". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. June 22, 2006. p. D1. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Biden names Jennings as State Prosecutor | News". newarkpostonline.com. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Candidate Conversations: State Attorney General candidate Kathy Jennings | Delaware First Media". Delawarepublic.org. August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "Former state prosecutor to run for attorney general". Delaware State News. January 9, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "Jennings resigns county post, expected to run for Delaware attorney general". Delawareonline.com. January 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  9. ^ "Kathy Jennings running for attorney general". Cape Gazette. February 14, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  10. ^ "Kathy Jennings wins Democratic nod for Delaware attorney general". Delawareonline.com. September 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  11. ^ "Delaware's next attorney general: Kathy Jennings". Delawareonline.com. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  12. ^ Gerace, Frank (January 1, 2019). "Jennings, McGuiness, Davis sworn in to new elected positions". wdel.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  13. ^ "3 new state officials sworn in on New Year's Day". Delaware State News. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "(D) Kathy Jennings wins Delaware Attorney General Race".
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Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Delaware
2019–present 		Incumbent
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