Senator kay hagan biography sample

A moderate Democrat who hailed from a political family with long roots in the United States Senate, Kay R. Hagan won election as North Carolina’s junior Senator in 2008 by defeating a nationally known incumbent. Hagan brought to the office a decade of experience in the state senate and a deep knowledge of the banking industry. When she arrived on Capitol Hill, she sought to mitigate the effects of the 2008 financial crisis and the onset of an economic recession.

Kay Hagan was born Kay Ruthven on May 26, 1953, in Shelby, North Carolina, to Joe Ruthven and Jeanette Chiles Ruthven. The family relocated to Lakeland, Florida, where her father ran a tire sales business and sold real estate, and later served as mayor of Lakeland. Her mother was a homemaker and the sister of Lawton Mainor Chiles Jr., who represented Florida for 18 years in the U.S. Senate (1971–1989) before winning election as the state’s governor in 1990. Hagan spent six months interning in her uncle’s office in the 1970s. She also helped on his various campaigns.

Hagan earned a BA in American Studies from Florida State University in 1975, and three years later graduated with a JD from Wake Forest University. In law school, she met her future husband Charles (Chip) Hagan. They settled in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, where they raised three children: Tilden, Jeanette, and Carrie. Kay Hagan went into law practice, working in the trust division of North Carolina National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America). She eventually became a vice president at the bank.

Hagan began her political career as the Guilford County campaign manager for James B. Hunt’s successful gubernatorial bids in 1992 and 1996. In 1998 Hunt and state senator Marc Basnight recruited her to run for a state senate seat representing Greensboro. She won the election and served in the state legislature for a decade. Basnight, who served as senate president pro tempore, mentored Hagan and steered h

Kay Hagan, a former bank executive from North Carolina who served one term in the US Senate, died Monday of encephalitis, or brain inflammation, which was caused by the Powassan virus. She was 66.

Hagan had been diagnosed in 2016 with the rare tick-borne virus and the inflammation made it difficult for her to speak and walk, said her former Senate spokeswoman, Sadie Weiner, who now works for Gov. Roy Cooper.

“We are heartbroken to share that Kay left us unexpectedly this morning,” her family said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for the support shared with our family as Kay worked to regain her strength these last few years after her illness, and we appreciate your continued prayers.

“Kay meant everything to us, and we were honored to share her with the people of North Carolina whom she cared for and fought for so passionately as an elected official. Most of all, we already miss her humor and spirit as the hub of our family, a role she loved more than anything. Nobody could light up a room and make people feel welcome like Kay.”

The Democrat served a single term in the Senate when she beat Republican Elizabeth Dole in 2008. She lost her 2014 re-election bid to Republican North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis.

Tillis, who is seeking re-election next year, said in a statement that Hagan had a “dedicated and distinguished record of public service to our state and nation.”

Hagan was born in Shelby, North Carolina, on May 26, 1953. She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida State University in 1975, then earned a law degree from Wake Forest University in 1978.

For 10 years, she worked for NationsBank, which was to become Bank of America, where she became a vice president in the estates and trust division.

After being a stay-at-home mom, the niece of former Florida governor and US Sen. Lawton Chiles launched her political career and won a seat as a Democrat in the Nor

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

Former Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., who lost her seat in the most expensive Senate race in history in 2014, has taken a job at lobbying powerhouse Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

After losing her seat, Hagan said in speeches that the biggest problem in America today is the dominance of big money, noting that the wealthy and special interests have come to control the political process through lobbyists and Super PACs. “We have got to get the obscene money out of politics, and I think that would change politics,” Hagan told the Rotary Club of Greensboro last year.

Akin Gump, one of the highest grossing lobbying firms in the country, is an odd perch for an avowed opponent of big money.

The firm lobbies for all kinds of corporate clients, including Amazon.com, AT&T, Boeing, Corrections Corporation of America, Dow Chemical, Monsanto, and Pfizer.

One of its top clients is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the lobbying group that aired campaign commercials that led to Hagan’s defeat over a year ago.

To be sure, like most influence peddlers in Washington, the firm is careful to cultivate relationships on both sides of the aisle. Lobbyists at Akin Gump serve as fundraisers for the Hillary Clinton campaign as well as for Jeb Bush’s Super PAC. As Hagan begins her new gig, she will be working alongside former Reps. Bill Paxon, R-N.Y., and Vic Fazio, D-Calif., two lawmakers who similarly became lobbyists after leaving public service.

Hagan is prohibited by law from lobbying her former Senate colleagues until 2017 — a law, notably, that has never been effectively enforced — but can advocate to the Obama administration and consult with clients.

In Congress, Hagan served on committees that oversaw banking and health care policy. In a statement released by Akin Gump, Hagan says she is looking forward to

Kay Hagan, a former bank executive who rose from a budget writer in the North Carolina Legislature to a seat in the U.S. Senate, died Monday following a prolonged illness. She was 66.

Hagan died at her home in Greensboro, her family said in a statement. "We already miss her humor and spirit as the hub of our family, a role she loved more than anything. Nobody could light up a room and make people feel welcome like Kay," the family statement said.

Hagan died of encephalitis, or brain inflammation, caused by Powassan virus, a rare virus spread from ticks to humans, said her former Senate spokeswoman, Sadie Weiner, who now works for Gov. Roy Cooper. Hagan contracted the illness in late 2016, and the subsequent brain inflammation made it difficult for her to speak and walk.

Dr. Jeannina Smith, an infectious disease specialist at UW Health, explained that Powassan "attacks the brain itself, causing inflammation and infections of the brain. And because of that, patients who have had this viral encepahlitis can have significant neurological problems, if they recover." 

Hagan, a Democrat, served a single term in the Senate and lost her 2014 re-election bid to Republican North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis. Tillis, who is seeking re-election next year, said in a tweet that Hagan had a "dedicated and distinguished record of public service to our state and nation."

Hagan was born in Shelby, North Carolina, on May 26, 1953. She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida State University in 1975, then earned a law degree from Wake Forest University three years later.

For 10 years, Hagan worked for NationsBank, which was to become Bank of America, where she became a vice president in the estates and trust division. After being a stay-at-home mother, the niece of former Florida governor and U.S. Sen. Lawton Chiles launched her own political career and won a seat as a Democrat in the North Carolina state Senate in 1998.

Ten years later, Hagan sought and wo