Leslie Coolidge
Leslie Coolidge was a 2012 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 6th Congressional District of Illinois. Coolidge was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune in the Democratic primary over candidates Geoffrey Petzel and Maureen Yates.[1] Coolidge defeated Petzel and Yates in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012. She was defeated by incumbent Peter Roskam (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[2]
Biography
Coolidge attended Harvard College, receiving a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in government.[3] She also has a master's degree in accounting from NYU.[3]
Career
Coolidge is a certified public accountant and an environmental activist.
- 1981-2009: Partner, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (which ultimately became KPMG), New York
Campaign themes
2012
On her campaign website Coolidge listed 6 leading issues that she was concerned about. They included:[4]
- Bring Back American Jobs: Excerpt: "Too many of our roads, bridges and schools are old and crumbling. We can put America back to work by making repairing them a priority. More people working means more money being spent at American's businesses, which will then need to hire more people to keep up with demand."
- Create Financial Incentives for Businesses to Create Jobs and for Banks to Lend: Excerpt: "She believes that targeted incentives (not tax breaks) are what is needed to help businesses create jobs and encourage banks to lend. Otherwise, financial capital will continue to sit on the sidelines waiting for more favorable conditions, while the American middle class waits for the economy to produce more jobs. Without incentives, it could be a long wait for mortgage relief."
- Value Education as an Engine of Innovation: Excerpt: "Congress has a role to play in supporting education in America, in cooperation with local school systems. We must encourage local schools and institutions of higher learning to adopt the best practices of successful schools and produce tomorrow's innovators. Otherwise, we risk ceding our technological superiority to other countries, along with our position in the world economy."
- Protect our environment for future generations: Excerpt: "We need to invest in environmentally-sound solutions so that our water, air and climate do not continue to deteriorate. Our children and grandchildren deserve to grow up in a world where the adults are working on sustainable ways of producing the prosperity we all envision for our future."
- Ensure that wealthy people pay their fair share of taxes: Our first priority has to be promoting economic growth and job creation. But we also need to address growing income inequality. Surveys show that the majority of wealthy people are ready to pay more in taxes if it serves to get our economy moving again, which is good for everyone. Specifically, tax cuts for those earning a million dollars or more each year should be eliminated. It is only fair."
- Strengthen the middle class: Excerpt: "Congress should make the middle class, not the wealthy, its top priority. We must begin passing legislation that puts money into the pockets of average Americans where it will be spent to support growth of the economy."
Elections
2012
Coolidge lost to incumbent Peter Roskam.[5] Coolidge ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 6th District. Coolidge ran on the Democratic ticket.[6] The signature filing deadline was December 27, 2011, and the primary took place on March 20, 2012. Incumbent Peter J. Roskam had sought re-election on the Republican ticket.
Coolidge was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune in the Democratic primary over candidates Geoffrey Petzel and Maureen Yates.[1] In a February 23, 2012 article, the Chicago Tribune's endorsement states, "We like her analytical approach to fiscal matters and her willingness to fine-tune ideas — increasing the cap on earnings subject to Social Security taxes, for example, or raising the retirement age — based on the actual numbers."[1]
Coolidge defeated candidates Geoffrey Petzel and Maureen Yates in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012.[2] She was defeated by incumbent Peter Roskam, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in the general election on November 6, 2012.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Peter Roskam Incumbent |
59.2% | 193,138 | |
| Democratic | Leslie Coolidge | 40.8% | 132,991 | |
| Total Votes | 326,129 | |||
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections "2012 General Election Official Vote Totals" | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Leslie Coolidge |
54.5% | 9,919 |
| Maureen Yates | 32.6% | 5,934 |
| Geoffrey Petzel | 12.9% | 2,343 |
| Total Votes | 18,196 | |
Campaign finance summary
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chicago Tribune, "Contested races for the U.S. House" accessed March 12, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 ABC News 7, "Election Results Primary 2012," accessed March 20, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Leslie Coolidge for Congress, "About Leslie Coolidge" accessed January 13, 2012
- ↑ Coolidge for Congress, "Issues" accessed January 4, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Illinois"
- ↑ Roll Call, "Leslie Coolidge Faces Tough Climb Against Peter Roskam" accessed December 5, 2011
