Amy Kennedy
Amy Kennedy | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | Amy Savell November 20, 1978 Atlantic City, New Jersey |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) |
|
Children | 5 |
Education | Pennsylvania State University (BS) Nova Southeastern University (MS) |
Amy Kennedy (née Savell; born November 20, 1978)[1] is an American educator, mental health advocate, and politician from the state of New Jersey. She is the Democratic Party nominee in the 2020 elections seeking to represent New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
Early life and education[edit]
Amy Kennedy was born Amy Savell in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Pleasantville and Absecon.[2] Kennedy's parents, Leni and Jerry Savell, are both teachers. Jerry also served as a freeholder for Atlantic County, New Jersey, and was a city council member in both Absecon and Pleasantville.[3][4] She graduated in 1997 from Holy Spirit High School[5] and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Pennsylvania State University.[6] She later earned a Master of Science in environmental education from Nova Southeastern University.[7]
Career[edit]
Kennedy taught middle school history at Northfield Community Schools.[4] She later became an education director of The Kennedy Forum, a mental health advocacy group founded by her husband.[8]
Politics[edit]
In the 2020 elections, Kennedy ran for the Democratic Party nomination for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district.[9] On July 7, 2020, she defeated university professor Brigid Callahan Harrison and former congressional aide Will Cunningham to win the party's nomination. Kennedy's victory was particularly notable as an "upset victory" because Harrison had been supported by George Norcross, a powerful figure in New Jersey politics.[10][11] As of July 9, 2020, vote totals showed Kennedy winning in all eight counties in the congressional district.[12] She will face Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew in the general election.[13]
According to The Washington Post, Kennedy is running as an "anti-establishment insurgent trying to ride the recent energy of grass-roots activists", and is backed by Martin Luther King III, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.[14] Her campaign focused on mental health issues and education. She is supportive of expanding the Affordable Care Act.[15]
Kennedy raised $1.4 million for her primary campaign, including a $500,000 personal loan of her own money.[16]
Personal life[edit]
Kennedy met Mark Petitgout in college, and they married in 2003. During college, Petitgout played football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and is the brother of former NFL offensive tackle Luke Petitgout. They lived in Linwood, New Jersey and had one daughter before divorcing in early 2010.[4]
Kennedy met former United States congressman Patrick J. Kennedy at a mental health forum in Atlantic City in 2010.[4][12] They married in July 2011 at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officiating.[17][18] They live in Absecon, New Jersey.[19] Kennedy has four children from her second marriage.[20]
References[edit]
- ↑ Tully, Tracey (2020-07-07). "A Kennedy Wins N.J. Primary to Take on Trump Loyalist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ↑ "Meet Amy". Amy Kennedy for Congress. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ↑ "Kennedy, Harrison comes from political families". New Jersey Globe. March 8, 2020.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Patrick Kennedy and the Jersey Girl". February 20, 2012.
- ↑ Pizarro, Max. "CD2 Flashpoint: Three Women at the Heart of a Fast-Developing National 2020 Contest", Insider NJ, January 23, 2020. Accessed July 10, 2020. "The daughter of former Atlantic County Freeholder and Absecon Councilman Jerry Savelll, Amy Kennedy was already in a political family when she met Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, and nephew of President John F. Kennedy.... Like fellow Holy Spirit High School graduate Kennedy, Harrison is the daughter – and youngest child – of a local politician."
- ↑ "Patrick and Amy Kennedy to speak on campus March 22 | Penn State University". news.psu.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ↑ "Meet Amy". Amy Kennedy for Congress. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ↑ "Amy Kennedy running to challenge Jeff Van Drew in New Jersey". Roll Call.
- ↑ "Amy Kennedy joins race to replace Jeff Van Drew | News". pressofatlanticcity.com. January 6, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ↑ Hill, Michael (2020-07-08). "Amy Kennedy primary win stuns South Jersey political machine". NJTV News. Retrieved 2020-07-12. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ Kane, Paul (2020-07-10). "Analysis | The Daily 202: 2020 primaries reveal the atrophy of political 'machines'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Rosenberg, Amy S. (2020-07-09). "Amy Kennedy beat a political machine, but her secret was her own family, not her husband's". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2020-07-10. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ "Harrison concedes to Kennedy in a surprising twist to 2nd District Democratic primary". pressofatlanticcity.com. July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ↑ Kane, Paul (July 7, 2020). "Amy Kennedy wins N.J. Democratic primary, will face party defector turned Trump loyalist". Washington Post. Retrieved July 8, 2020. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ Todisco, Eric (2020-07-09). "Amy Kennedy, Wife of Patrick Kennedy, Wins New Jersey Congressional Democratic Primary". People. Retrieved 2020-07-10. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ Manchester, Julia; Axelrod, Tal (2020-07-07). "Amy Kennedy wins NJ primary to face GOP's Van Drew". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-07-09. Unknown parameter
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ignored (help) - ↑ "Patrick Kennedy Married Amy Petitgout". PEOPLE.com.
- ↑ "Patrick Kennedy: A Kennedy Remade". PEOPLE.com.
- ↑ staff, News. "Ex-RI Rep. Kennedy, wife bring baby home in NJ". providencejournal.com.
- ↑ NEWS, NBC 10 (May 30, 2018). "Patrick and Amy Kennedy welcome fifth child". WJAR.
External links[edit]
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- 1970s births
- Holy Spirit High School (New Jersey) alumni
- People from Absecon, New Jersey
- People from Pleasantville, New Jersey
- Pennsylvania State University alumni
- Kennedy family
- Spouses of Rhode Island politicians
- New Jersey Democrats
- Schoolteachers from New Jersey
- Politicians from Atlantic City, New Jersey