Esther Cullen
From Usgovsimulation
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| 46th President of the United States | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Office: 2013 - 2016 Vice President: Valerie Francis | ||||
| Preceded by | Jack Magruder | |||
| Succeeded by | Jack Pizzuto | |||
| Senate Majority Leader | ||||
| In Office: 2011 - 2012 | ||||
| Preceded by | Harry Reid | |||
| Succeeded by | Ken MacLeod | |||
| Bluegrass Senator | ||||
| In Office: 2011 - 2013 Serving alongside: Bryan McLaggen | ||||
| Preceded by | Regionalization | |||
| Succeeded by | Obediah Maysfield | |||
| Member of the Kentucky State Senate | ||||
| In Office: 1991 - 2001 | ||||
| Preceded by | Samuel Cullen (D) | |||
| Succeeded by | Harry Garrison (R) | |||
| Born | April 24, 1949 Goshen, Kentucky | |||
| Political Party | Democrat | |||
| Spouse | Robert Stevenson | |||
| Children | Edgar and Inez Stevenson | |||
| Profession | Farm Owner | |||
| Religion | Episcopal Church | |||
Esther Cullen is the 46th, and 1st female President of the United States. She previously served as the Senior Senator from the Bluegrass Valley, and as Senate Majority Leader. She's a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to becoming Senator, she served as a state legislative member for 10 years, and as a board director of her family farm.
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Early Life
Esther Cullen was born on April 24, 1949 to Samuel and Alexis Cullen in Goshen, Kentucky. Her parents were prized horsemen and founded Cullen Farms in 1957. In addition to his equestrian skills, Samuel Cullen also belonged to minor Kentucky political royalty, having replaced his father in the Kentucky State Senate in 1960.
Once she graduated from high school, Esther recieved a degree in international relations from George Washington University with the intent of eventually going into the foreign service. However, with her father's expansion of the farm to include thoroughbred race horses, business was booming. Needing assistance at the farm, Samuel convinced Esther to instead get her MBA from Harvard Business School and return to the farm.
Adulthood
Business for Cullen Farms skyrocketed in the 1970s when one of their horses competed well in each leg of the Triple Crown. In 1979, Samuel Cullen quit day-to-day operations of Cullen Farms in order to run for the Democratic nomination for Governor. In his stead, Esther took over as CEO of Cullen Farms. Cullen lost the nomination, of course, but chose not to return to the operations portion of the farm and focused on the State Senate with an eye at making another run at Governor that never occurred.
It was also in 1979 that Esther Cullen married Robert Stevenson, a local businessman, and started her family. She remained as CEO through the births of both of her children, Edgar (1980) and Inez (1982). In 1988, after presiding over almost a decade of steady growth in Cullen Farms, Esther also stepped down as CEO, preferring to remain on the board only. It was long believed that Esther would follow her father and his father in the State Senate, which became a reality in 1991 when she won a special election to succeed her father who had passed away in office.
Political Early History
While in the State Senate she became a forceful advocate for marketing Kentucky's goods on the world market, gaining praise for traveling with both Democratic and Republican governors abroad to promote Kentucky. In addition, because of her association with the horse racing industry she became close associates with several Persian Gulf horse racing enthusiasts. Beyond trade and commerce, she focused primarily on creating wealth in the middle class and opposed increases in the state sales tax as "regressive."
In 2001, Esther was defeated for re-election narrowly by a conservative Republican State Representative - the first Cullen to lose an election in decades. Not missing a beat, Esther was asked to join the Board of Directors for Churchill Downs in Louisville, where she brought a wealth of contacts, political acumen, and knowledge of the horse breeding industry. In addition to that, she always maintained her interest in foreign affairs and international trade. This led her to serve on the Board of Directors of the US Chamber of Commerce and an international bank. Upon the recommendation of one of an associate she had met on a foreign trip, she also served on the Advisory Committee to the World Affairs Council of America.
In 2010, encouraged by friends and neighbours, she ran for the Democratic nomination for Bluegrass United States Senator, to later defeat Brian Murphy in a close race and narrowly win entrance into Congress.
Senate Majority Leader
In 2011 she was unanimously elected Senate Democratic Leader and de facto Senate Majority Leader with the confirmation of Jonathan Hayes to be Vice President. She faced the challenge to improve the economy and solve the auto crisis, giving her confidence to her friend, Senator Jimmy Kennedy to lead the powerful GRAC Committee, Sebastian Williams to chair FRID, and to Senators Sabates and Ballentine for JUD and DAC.
Election Results
| Election Result for Bluegrass Senator, 2010 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Status | % | |||
| Republican | Brian Murphy | Challenger | 48.43% | |||
| Democratic | Esther Cullen | Challenger | 51.57% | |||
