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Teresa Hensley
Teresa Hensley was the Democratic candidate for attorney general of Missouri in the state's 2016 election. She won the Democratic primary election on August 2, 2016. She was defeated in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Hensley previously sought election in 2012 to the U.S. House to represent the 4th Congressional District of Missouri.
Biography
Upon graduation from Raymore-Peculiar High School, Hensley earned her undergraduate degree at William Jewell College and her J.D. from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Before becoming Cass County prosecutor, Hensley was a partner and practicing attorney for 14 years with the Hensley Law Firm in Raymore.
She has also served as a Raymore Alderman, and as a member of the Hope Haven board, the Raymore Planning and Zoning board, and the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Review board.[1]
Elections
2016
- See also: Missouri Attorney General election, 2016
Hensley ran as a Democrat for attorney general of Missouri.[2] She defeated fellow Democrat Jake Zimmerman in the August 2, 2016, primary election. She competed with Republican Josh Hawley in the November general election.
Josh Hawley defeated Teresa Hensley in the Missouri attorney general election.
| Missouri Attorney General, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Josh Hawley |
61.10% | 1,389,196 | |
| Democratic | Teresa Hensley | 38.90% | 884,354 | |
| Total Votes | 2,273,550 | |||
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State | ||||
Teresa Hensley defeated Jake Zimmerman in the Missouri Democratic primary for attorney general.
| Missouri Democratic primary for attorney general, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Teresa Hensley |
52.72% | 167,626 |
| Jake Zimmerman | 47.28% | 150,322 |
| Total Votes (3214 of 3214 precincts reporting) | 317,948 | |
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State | ||
Campaign finance
| Teresa Hensley Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| 10/1/2015-12/31/2015 | 1/15/2016 | $151,160.19 | $113,602.00 | $(33,963.58) | $228,198.61 | ||||
| 1/1/2016-3/31/2016 | 4/15/2016 | $228,198.61 | $94,934.88 | $(36,639.66) | $284,126.23 | ||||
| Second quarter | 4/1/2016-6/30/2016 | $284,126.23 | $110,450.10 | $(99,969.75) | $288,541.48 | ||||
| Pre-primary | 7/1/2016-7/21/2016 | $288,541.48 | $67,471.00 | $(291,931.15) | $44,681.33 | ||||
| 30 days after primary | 9/1/2016 | $44,681.33 | $620,056.96 | $(205,745.57) | $457,792.72 | ||||
| October quarterly report | 10/17/2016 | $457,792.72 | $1,105,496.76 | $(400,778.97) | $1,148,376.41 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $2,112,011.7 | $(1,069,028.68) | ||||||||
Democratic primary endorsements
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2012
Hensley was defeated by incumbent Vicky Hartzler.[3] Hensley ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 4th District. Hensley ran as a Democratic candidate unopposed in the Democratic primary.
According to the Washington Post, redistricting has turned the 4th District from a safely conservative seat into a swing district. Republican incumbent Vicky Hartzler faces real competition from Hensley, who recently has been raising more money than the incumbent.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Teresa Hensley | 35.5% | 113,120 | |
| Republican | Vicky Hartzler Incumbent |
60.3% | 192,237 | |
| Libertarian | Thomas Holbrook | 3.3% | 10,407 | |
| Constitution | Greg Cowan | 0.9% | 2,959 | |
| Total Votes | 318,723 | |||
| Source: Missouri Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Campaign finance summary
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Campaign themes
2016
Hensley's campaign website stated:[5]
| “ | As a former prosecutor, I saw the pain and the devastation families experience when they’re the victims of violent crime. I saw parents who lost children to drunk drivers, and children who lost their innocence to abuse. But I also saw the power of justice in action. I saw people begin to put their lives back together after justice was served in a court of law.
That’s why I’m running. I have a unique understanding of the power and importance of the Office of the Attorney General. As the state’s top prosecutor, I will seek justice with honesty and integrity for Missouri’s families.[6] |
” |
2012
On her campaign website, Hensley listed five issues. They were:[7]
- Creating Jobs and Getting Missouri Working Again
- On her website, Hensley says, "Looking back at the history of some of America’s most successful companies, they all started out as small businesses. Whether in a garage or a small storefront, every company started small and made it big. No company ever started with thousands of employees. Successful companies found success thanks to the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the businessmen and women who founded them. As your Congresswoman, Teresa will work to create jobs by supporting small businesses and the entrepreneurs who are setting out to launch the next great American business right here in Missouri."
- Balancing the Budget the Right Way
- On her website, Hensley says, "It’s no surprise that, with a budget this out of balance, we can’t keep our economy on the right track. To get our economy working again we’re going to have to make smart decisions based on facts and Missouri values, not politics, when it comes to the budget. Teresa will balance the budget right away by pushing for common sense reform that grows our middle class and makes everyone – like wealthy corporations and millionaires – pay their fair share."
- Supporting our Military and Veterans
- On her website, Hensley says, "Teresa will stand up for our military by ensuring that our district’s bases have the resources they need to fulfill their mission. Her continued support of these bases will not only help protect our country abroad, but also protect the jobs and families their presence in Missouri supports. Teresa will also make certain that our veterans have access to the best possible care and treatment, as well as access to assistance as they seek jobs when leaving military service."
- Keeping our Promise to our Seniors by Strengthening Social Security and Medicare
- On her website, Hensley says, "Teresa’s dad retired with a full pension after working decades as a union plumber. She knows that most of our retirees are not that fortunate. Today’s working families are struggling to make ends meet every week and don’t have the resources to plan for the future. Teresa will work to strengthen Social Security and Medicare and find ways to help our working families save for their futures. It’s a promise made. It’s a promise we need to keep. It’s that simple."
- Making Government more Accountable
- On her website, Hensley says, "Americans have lost faith in their government partly because their government is no longer accountable to them. What does it say about our government when lobbyists can hold closed door meetings with Members of Congress by simply picking up the phone, but citizens have to jump through hoops to speak to their representative? Teresa will represent citizens of the Fourth District in a manner that is both open and accountable. That’s how the Cass County Prosecutor’s office is run, and that’s how Teresa will serve you in Washington."[7]
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’Hensley for Congress “About Teresa” April 5, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcandsite - ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Missouri"
- ↑ Washington Post blog, "The 10 House districts that might surprise you," May 11, 2012
- ↑ Teresa Hensley, accessed July 5, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Hensely for Congress, "Issues" April 24, 2012
