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Alison Lundergan Grimes
76th Secretary of State of Kentucky
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2, 2012
Governor	Steve Beshear
Preceded by	Elaine Walker
Personal details
Born	Alison Case Lundergan (1978-11-23) November 23, 1978 (age 46) Maysville, Kentucky, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Andrew Grimes (2006–present)
Alma mater	Rhodes College American University
Website	Government website

Alison Case Lundergan Grimes (born November 23, 1978) is an American attorney and Democratic politician who is the Secretary of State of Kentucky, having defeated incumbent Elaine Walker in the May 17, 2011 primary election and Republican Bill Johnson in the November 8, 2011 general election. On May 20, 2014, she won the Democratic Party primary to run for United States Senate in Kentucky.

Early life and education

Grimes was born in Maysville, Kentucky. She is the daughter of Charlotte (née Case) and Jerry Lundergan, a former Kentucky Democratic chairman and state representative. Grimes was the third of five children, all girls. As a child, Grimes knocked on doors on behalf of her father's political campaigns, and also drove voters to the polls on election day. Grimes grew up wanting to be a doctor, but changed majors in college after passing out while watching carpal tunnel surgery.

Grimes went to Lexington Catholic High School in Lexington, Kentucky, and then went on to graduate from Rhodes College in 2001. Grimes majored in political science, with a minor in history. Grimes is a member of the Chi Omega sorority, as well a student trustee and a member of student government. Grimes graduated cum laude from the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, D.C. While at American, Grimes participated in public policy research for the National Kidney Foundation.

Career

Prior to running for Secretary of State, Grimes was a practicing attorney in Lexington. She served as an associate at Stoll Keenon Ogden from 2004 to 2011, specializing in intellectual property and complex business litigation. Grimes credits a domestic abuse case she won as helping to inspire her to pursue a political career rather than attempting to become a partner at her firm.

Grimes served as president of the Fayette County Women Lawyers' Association, and was awarded the 2010 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the Fayette County Bar Association. She was also a precinct officer for the 75th Legislative District in Kentucky as well as a member of the 2008 Democratic National Committee rules committee.

Grimes was a two-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention, supporting Hillary Clinton in 2008 and Barack Obama in 2012.

Secretary of State

In 2010, Grimes announced her candidacy for the office of Secretary of State of Kentucky, left open by term limited incumbent Republican Trey Grayson.

When Grayson resigned to accept a position at the Harvard Institute of Politics, Governor Steve Beshear appointed Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker over Grimes to fill the rest of Grayson's term in office. Despite this, Grimes stayed in the race and defeated Walker by a double digit margin in the May primary.

Grimes faced Republican businessman and former Senate candidate Bill Johnson in the general election. A main aspect of the campaign was Grimes' opposition to Johnson's proposal to require photo IDs in order to vote. Grimes argued this would take away voting rights from the homeless among others. She also became well known through commercials that showed her elderly grandmothers. Grimes defeated Johnson with over 60% of the vote. She received a higher percentage of the vote than any other Kentucky statewide Democratic candidate during the 2011 elections.

Her term as Secretary of State began on January 2, 2012. While Secretary of State, Grimes visited the Middle East to observe the voting process of overseas military personnel. This experience led her to become an advocate of an improved voting process for the U.S. military.

2014 U.S. Senate campaign

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In a July 2013 press conference, Grimes announced that she would run for the United States Senate seat held by Mitch McConnell. The Washington Post called the announcement event "underwhelming." Grimes kicked off her campaign formally at an event in Lexington on July 30, drawing a crowd of nearly 2,000 supporters.

Grimes received strong reviews for her appearance at the Fancy Farm picnic, an important event for politicians in Kentucky. The race is considered to be competitive by both the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Political Report.

On July 25, 2013, the Republican Laurel County Clerk filed a complaint with Kentucky's Executive Branch Ethics Commission after receiving a fundraising e-mail sent to government e-mail accounts by Secretary of State Grimes. The complaint concerns the legality of the secretary of state sending fundraising e-mails to county clerks who report to her in matters pertaining to elections.

On May 20, 2014, she won the Democratic primary with 77% of the vote. She will face Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the general election on November 4, 2014.

In April 2014, Grimes attended a Chicago meeting of the Democracy Alliance, a group of liberal donors who pool their resources in support of progressive causes. She was a featured speaker at the event. Hollywood executives Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Katzenberg have hosted fundraising events for Grimes in New York City and Beverly Hills.

Grimes and McConnell have disagreed over debate proposals; McConnell prefers a series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates with only candidates asking questions, while Grimes has said she wants members of the audience to ask questions. McConnell wanted all three debates completed by Labor Day while Grimes wants the debates closer to the November election.

Political positions

Grimes has indicated that she is concerned about an employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act, but supports the act's goals of increasing coverage.

In November 2013, Grimes said that as a member of the National Rifle Association, her "strong support for the Second Amendment is unquestioned" and added that she was "proud of Kentucky's long-held gun ownership, sporting and hunting traditions", inviting McConnell to go shooting with her.

Grimes has said that she is "pro-choice down the line on abortion" and opposes efforts to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks. She explained "I come from a family of five women. I would never pretend to tell one of my sisters what to do with their body and I don't want the federal government doing that either.… When it comes to choice, I believe, should a woman have to make that decision, it's between herself, her doctor, and her God."

When asked her opinion on Israel's Iron Dome air-defense missile system Grimes indicated its importance in preventing terrorists from tunneling into Israel. She later stated that she meant to say that it allows Israel's defense forces to "focus their efforts on eradicating the terrorists who try to tunnel their way in."

Grimes opposes further EPA rules on powerplant emissions, arguing that they will result in job losses in Kentucky's coal industry. However, after insisting that she would use the forum of a private fundraiser with Harry Reid to champion the Kentucky coal industry and lobby for action to protect fossil fuel, an audio recording of the event indicated that Grimes failed to mention coal at all.

Grimes supports reducing taxes for businesses that provide child care to their employees, has called for pay equity for female employees and expressed her desire to increase the federal minimum wage.

Electoral history

Personal life

Married since September 2, 2006, Grimes lives with her husband, Andrew, in downtown Lexington.

References

1. "Mr. Case". Maysville-online.com. 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
2. ^ Horn, Rachel (Winter 2012). "This Woman's Work" (PDF). Story. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
3. "Allison Grimes". Lasting Lynx. Rhodes College. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
4. ^ Musgrave, Beth (May 18, 2011). "Grimes beats incumbent in Democratic race for Secretary of State". Lexington Herald-Leader.
5. Stoll Keenan Ogden (February 14, 2011). "Alison Lundergan Grimes Announces Departure from Law Firm to Pursue Secretary of State Candidacy".
6. "Alison Lundergan Grimes Announces Departure from Law Firm to Pursue Secretary of State Candidacy". Stoll Keenon Ogden. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
7. Raju, Manu. "Bluegrass bravado: Untested Alison Lundergan Grimes takes on Mitch McConnell". Politico. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
8. "Grimes wins Kentucky secretary of state race". Evansville Courier & Press. November 8, 2011.
9. Estep, Bill (November 9, 2011). "Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes easily wins secretary of state race". Lexington Herald-Leader.
10. Emily Schultheis & Manu Raju (July 1, 2013). "Alison Lundergan Grimes announces Senate run". Politico.
11. Blake, Aaron (7-2-2013). "Alison Lundergan Grimes's underwhelming launch — and what it means". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
12. Joe Sonka (August 7, 2013). "Fancy, brutish and short". LEO Weekly.
13. Cross, Al (11 August 2013). "What Fancy Farm portends". Retrieved 11 August 2013.
14. Keeling, Larry Dale (11 August 2013). "Larry Keeling: Round 1 to Matt Bevin, Alison Lundergan Grimes". Lexington Herald-leader.
15. Carroll, James R. (3 August 2013). "Mitch McConnell, Alison Lundergan Grimes race a 'toss up,' according to non-partisan observer". The Courier-Journal.
16. Scott Wartman (July 25, 2013). "County clerk files ethics complaint against Grimes".
17. "Kentucky - Summary Vote Results". Associated Press. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
18. Drush, Andrea (5-2-2014). "Republicans Forcing Lundergan Grimes To Choose Between Her Donors And Voters". National Journal. Retrieved 27 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
19. Gold, Matea (5-4-2014). "Washington Post". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
20. Itkowitz, Colby (2014-06-19). "Alison Lundergan Grimes hangs with Hollywood". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
21. "McConnell, Grimes debate over the debate". WHAS11. 2014-06-06. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
22. ^ Fineman, Howard (8-3-2013). "Alison Lundergan Grimes Talks Abortion As She Unfurls Policy Positions". Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
23. Grimes hits back: On Obamacare, Mitch McConnell is in “fantasyland”, Greg Sargent, The Washington Post, May 28, 2014
24. Grimes campaign slams McConnell, The Hill, May 28, 2014
25. Matt Berman (November 8, 2013). "Alison Lundergan Grimes Really Wants You to Know How Much She Likes Guns". National Journal. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
26. Goldmacher, Shane (2014-05-18). "Alison Lundergan Grimes Is Talking a Lot About Her Gender". National Journal. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
27. Bobic, Igor (2014-08-17). "Alison Lundergan Grimes: Iron Dome Helps Israel Defend Against Terrorists In Tunnels". Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
28. Democrats brace for climate rule fallout, Politico, June 1, 2014
29. Alison Lundergan Grimes mum on coal at private fundraiser, Politico, June 9, 2014
31. "Alison Lundergan Grimes biography". Kentucky Secretary of State.
32. "Lundergan and Grimes vows are solemnized". The Ledger Independent. September 7, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2013.

External links

• Office of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes
• Alison Lundergan Grimes for U.S. Senate
• Template:Dmoz
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart

v t e Statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of Kentucky
U.S. senators	Mitch McConnell Rand Paul
State government	Andy Beshear, Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Lieutenant Governor Michael Adams, Secretary of State Russell Coleman, Attorney General Mark Metcalf, Treasurer Allison Ball, Auditor Jonathan Shell, Agriculture Commissioner
Senate	Robert Stivers, President David P. Givens, President pro tempore Max Wise, Majority Leader Gerald Neal, Minority Leader
House	David Osborne, Speaker David Meade, Speaker pro tempore Steven Rudy, Majority Leader Pamela Stevenson, Minority Leader
Supreme Court	Debra H. Lambert, Chief Justice Michelle M. Keller Christopher S. Nickell Robert B. Conley Kelly Thompson Angela McCormick Bisig Pamela R. Goodwine, Justices

Template:Persondata

• 1978 births
• 20th-century Roman Catholics
• 21st-century Roman Catholics
• American Roman Catholics
• Kentucky Democrats
• Kentucky politicians
• Lexington Catholic High School alumni
• Living people
• People from Lexington, Kentucky
• People from Mason County, Kentucky
• Rhodes College alumni
• Secretaries of State of Kentucky
• Washington College of Law alumni
• Women in Kentucky politics