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Tom Perez (DNC chairman)
Tom Perez was the Maryland Secretary of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. He assumed office on February 25, 2017.
Perez (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Maryland. He lost in the Democratic primary on July 19, 2022.
Perez is a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He was elected to the position by DNC members on February 25, 2017, succeeding interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile.[1] Jaime Harrison was elected to succeed Perez as DNC chairman on January 21, 2021.[2]
Perez was the secretary of labor under the Obama administration. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on March 18, 2013, and he was confirmed by the Senate on July 18, 2013, by a vote of 54-46, along party lines. It was the first time in history that a Cabinet member was confirmed by a strict party-line vote.[3][4]
Before assuming the office as secretary, Perez served as head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.[5]
Perez announced his candidacy for chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on December 15, 2016.[6][7]
Biography
Perez was born in Buffalo, New York, and is the son of Dominican immigrants. Perez received his bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1983 and his master's degree and J.D. from Harvard University in 1987. In 1983, Perez graduated from Brown University and then went on to earn a master's degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1987. His professional experience includes working as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and a law professor at the University of Maryland.[8]
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Perez's academic, professional, and political career:[9]
- 2017-2021: Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
- 2013-2017: U.S. Secretary of Labor
- 2009-2013: Assistant Attorney General for Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
- 2006-2009: Secretary of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
- 2002-2006: Montgomery County Council member
- 2001-2007: Professor at the University of Maryland School of Law
- 1999-2001: Director of Dept. of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
- 1995-1998: Special Counsel to Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)
- 1989-1995: Federal Prosecutor for Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
- 1987-1989: Law Clerk for District of Colorado
- 1987: Earned a master's of public policy and a J.D. from Harvard University
- 1983: Graduated from Brown University
Democratic National Committee chair election, 2017
The more than 400 members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) met to select a new chair to succeed interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile on February 25, 2017. Perez announced his candidacy for the position on December 15, 2016.[6][7]
"It’s not just about the future of the Democratic Party, but the future of America, and given what happened last month, I believe that at no point in my life has the Democratic chair been this important," said Perez. "We need strong progressive leadership that can deliver results. I’m a proud progressive and have been getting stuff done my entire career."[7]
Perez was elected chairman on the second round of voting with 235 votes. He later named runner-up Keith Ellison as his deputy chairman.[1]
Secretary of labor
In a speech announcing Perez as his nominee for secretary of labor, President Obama said, “Like so many Americans. Tom knows what it’s like to climb the ladder of opportunity. He’s the son of Dominican immigrants. He helped pay his way through college as a garbage collector and working at a warehouse. He went on to become the first lawyer in his family. So his story reminds us of this country’s promise, that if you’re willing to work hard it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, what your last name is, you can make it if you try. And Tom’s made protecting that promise for everybody the cause of his life.”[10]
Confirmation vote
Perez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 18, 2013, by a vote of 54-46.[11] He succeeded Hilda Solis.
| Tom Perez confirmation vote, July 18, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes for  |
Votes against  |
Total votes |
 Democrats |
52 | 0 | 52 |
 Republicans |
0 | 46 | 46 |
 Independents |
2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total Votes | 54 | 46 | 100 |
 |
Priorities as secretary
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Perez outlined the following priorities as secretary of labor:[12]
- "Ensuring a fair day's pay for a fair day's work through continued efforts to raise the minimum wage, expand overtime protections, and by being smarter and more strategic in the department's enforcement of federal law."
- Ensuring "that Americans return home from their jobs safe and healthy."
- Providing "job training and workforce development" by investing "in community colleges and apprenticeships and the department's implementation of the bipartisan Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act."
- Protecting "Americans' hard-earned retirement savings" by proposing a "new rule to require financial advisers to put their customers' best interest first."
- Advocating for paid leave.
- Ensuring "that people with disabilities and veterans have access to employment opportunities and other supports to help them succeed."
Elections
2022
See also: Maryland gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Maryland
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Maryland on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Wes Moore (D) | 64.5 | 1,293,944 |
 | Dan Cox (R)  | 32.1 | 644,000 | |
 | David Lashar (L) | 1.5 | 30,101 | |
 | David Harding (Working Class Party) | 0.9 | 17,154 | |
 | Nancy Wallace (G) | 0.7 | 14,580 | |
 | Kyle Sefcik (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 596 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 4,848 | ||
| Total votes: 2,005,223 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Maryland
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Maryland on July 19, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Wes Moore | 32.4 | 217,524 |
 | Tom Perez | 30.1 | 202,175 | |
 | Peter Franchot | 21.1 | 141,586 | |
 | Rushern Baker III (Unofficially withdrew) | 4.0 | 26,594 | |
 | Douglas F. Gansler | 3.8 | 25,481 | |
 | John B. King Jr. | 3.7 | 24,882 | |
 | Ashwani Jain | 2.1 | 13,784 | |
 | Jon Baron | 1.8 | 11,880 | |
 | Jerry Segal | 0.6 | 4,276 | |
 | Ralph Jaffe | 0.4 | 2,978 | |
| Total votes: 671,160 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Laura Neuman (D)
- Mike Rosenbaum (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Maryland
Dan Cox defeated Kelly Schulz, Robin Ficker, and Joe Werner in the Republican primary for Governor of Maryland on July 19, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Dan Cox | 52.0 | 153,423 |
 | Kelly Schulz | 43.5 | 128,302 | |
 | Robin Ficker | 2.8 | 8,268 | |
 | Joe Werner | 1.7 | 5,075 | |
| Total votes: 295,068 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tom Perez did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Political positions
Presidential preference
2016 presidential endorsement
✓ Perez endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[13]
- See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton
Possible 2016 Democratic vice presidential candidate
- See also: Possible vice presidential picks, 2016
Perez was mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate. On July 22, 2016, Hillary Clinton announced that she had selected U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) as her running mate.[14]
Position on the role of government
According to a May/ June 2013 issue of the Brown Alumni Magazine, "Perez not only thinks government can open doors and level playing fields, he says so repeatedly, enthusiastically, and without qualification.” In March 2013, Perez said, “What I love about the executive branch is the ability to make a difference in so many different ways with so many different people. If you can get 800 people in a division all with their oars in the water rowing in synchronicity, the multiplier effect is just remarkable. The power of agencies to affect people’s lives and to expand opportunity is limitless.”[10]
Most progressive cabinet member
In March 2013, Mother Jones labeled Perez President Obama's "most progressive cabinet nominee."[15] Similarly, MSNBC called Perez "arguably the most liberal member of President Obama’s second-term cabinet."[4]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Perez is married to Ann Marie Staudenmaier, an attorney with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and they have three children. Perez enjoys running, coaching his children's basketball and baseball teams, and watching the Buffalo Bills.[16][12]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Tom + Perez + Secretary + Labor
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Politico, "Perez elected DNC chairman," February 25, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "Jaime Harrison officially elected Democratic National Committee chair," January 21, 2021
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Thomas Perez Confirmed As Labor Secretary By Senate," accessed July 18, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 MSNBC, "The historical oddity of Thomas Perez’s confirmation," accessed May 4, 2016
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "President Obama Nominates Thomas Perez for Secretary of Labor," accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Denver Post, "In Denver, Howard Dean drops out, others campaign to lead DNC," December 2, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Hill, "Labor Secretary Perez enters DNC chair race," December 15, 2016
- ↑ Tom Perez's 2022 campaign website, "Meet Tom," accessed June 17, 2022
- ↑ Associated Press, "Biographical Information for Thomas Perez," accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Brown Alumni Magazine, “Meet Obama's New Secretary of Labor, Tom Perez ’83,” accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ Govtrack, "On the Nomination PN205: Thomas Edward Perez, of Maryland, to be Secretary of Labor," accessed July 18, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Department of Labor, “Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez,” accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Labor Secretary Tom Perez endorses Hillary Clinton," December 3, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Hillary Clinton selects Tim Kaine, a popular senator from a swing state, as running mate," July 22, 2016
- ↑ Mother Jones, "The GOP Wants to Use This Bizarre Case to Scuttle Obama's Most Progressive Cabinet Nominee," accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Hilda Solis |
U.S. Secretary of Labor 2013-2017 |
Succeeded by - |
| |||||||||||||||||||
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State of Maryland Annapolis (capital) |
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