Layna Knightley
From Usgovsimulation
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| Representative for Colorado First | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Office: 3 January 2009 - Present | ||||
| Electoral District | Colorado 2nd | |||
| Preceded by | Diana DeGette (D) | |||
| Succeeded by | incumbent | |||
| Born | 12 December 1974 Creston, Iowa | |||
| Political Party | Democratic | |||
| Spouse | divorced | |||
| Religion | Quaker | |||
Layna Knightley is a Democratic United States Representative for Colorado's First Congressional District, which comprises Denver and the surrounding area. She is considered to be a candidate for higher office after the inclusion of the region system.
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Before Politics
Layna was born the second youngest to Mason and Caroline Knightley of Creston, Iowa, on the cold winter night of December 12th. A Vietnam war veteran, Mason struggled with his mental health problems during his employment as a railroad technician. The family was kept together by Caroline, the loving mother of four daughters, who helped keep the family budget even with her minimal wages earned at one general store in town. Layna grew up in the cramped, five-room apartment with her parents and three sisters, Lois, Sandra, and Jennifer. Her father's suicide, caused by lingering mental depression from the war, dampened the day that Layna received her acceptance letter to Drake University in Iowa.
Layna attended Drake University from 1992 until 1996, graduating with honors. During her time there, she was part of the National Mock Trial Championship Team from Drake University. Her work there earned the attention of then Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who wrote a signed letter congratulating her. Layna went onto attend the University of Chicago with a full scholarship, graduating once again with honors in 2000. While at Chicago, she met Reginald Berkeley, whom she married in 1999. She was tapped by Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a law clerk for the year of 2000-2001.
She followed her husband as his work moved him to Denver, Colorado. Layna worked for two years as a public defender in the area before retiring from the legal world. She gave birth to twin boys, Edward and Timothy, in April of 2003. The next year, Layna purchased a run-down commercial space on Broadway in Denver and reconstructed it into Club Club, Denver's nationally-recognized gay bar and home of the The Mighty in Tighty Whities competition, a charity event aimed at raising money for first responders. She quickly saw economic success in the bar. Growing tensions between Layna and her husband caused them to divorce in late 2005. The two remain amicable as Reginald is now a regular at Club Club.
Political Career
House Representative
In 2008, she urged by the local Democratic organization to run for an open seat race in 2008 as Democratic incumbent Diana DeGette decided to not run for re-election. Layna was handily elected with 71% of the district. Layna formally filed with the Federal Elections Commission to be a candidate in the Sunbelt Senate Seat B in 2010 against Markus Rasan. She lost by 5%, but was re-elected by her home district with 67% of the vote against Tom Barker, her Republican opponent.
Personal Life
Family Life
Layna had one husband, Reginald Berkeley, who she was married to from 1993 until late 2005. They gave birth to two twin boys, Edward and Timothy, in April of 2003. The boys currently reside with their mother in Denver with Chester, a rescue dog. Layna attends the First Denver Friends Church every Sunday.
External Links
Board Biography [1]
