Virgil Bernero
| Virgil Bernero | |
|---|---|
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| Mayor of Lansing | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Antonio Benavides |
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 23rd district |
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| In office January 1, 2003 – 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Joanne G. Emmons |
| Succeeded by | Gretchen Whitmer |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 68th district |
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| In office January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2003 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | March 31, 1964 Pontiac, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Teri Bernero |
| Children | Kelly, Virginia |
Virgil "Virg" Bernero (born March 31, 1964) is the current mayor of Lansing, Michigan, elected on November 8, 2005 and re-elected on November 3, 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to serving as mayor, Bernero served as a legislative aide, an Ingham County Commissioner and as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan in 2010, losing in the November 2 general election to Republican Rick Snyder.[1]
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[edit] Early life, education and career
Virg Bernero was born March 31, 1964 in Pontiac, Michigan in the Metro Detroit area. He was the youngest of five children born to Giulio, an Italian immigrant, and Virginia, a first generation Italian-American. Bernero has said that the diagnosis of schizophrenia of one of his brothers, and the death of another brother to AIDS in 1990 (on the same day he was elected to the Ingham County Commission) have helped to shape his life and politics.[2]
Bernero graduated from Waterford Mott High School in 1982, and from Adrian College in 1986, with a B.A. in political science. He is married to Teri Johnston, with whom he has two daughters, Kelly and Virginia. In 2007, Bernero appeared in the documentary Fired! by Annabelle Gurwitch. The film chronicles the experiences of individuals who have been fired from their jobs. In it, Bernero was interviewed about his efforts to pass a law that would make it illegal for Michigan employers to fire their workers at will or for "moral or ethical reasons."[citation needed]
[edit] Political career
[edit] Michigan State Representative
Bernero ran for and won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2000, serving one term before being elected to the Michigan State Senate in 2002.
[edit] Michigan State Senator
Bernero was elected to the Michigan Senate on November 5, 2002, and served there until his election as Mayor three years later.
[edit] Mayor of Lansing
Bernero was elected Mayor of Lansing on November 8, 2005.
Bernero was re-elected as mayor of Lansing in November 2009, winning against opponent Carol Wood.[3]
During Bernero's tenure, Lansing received more than a half-billion dollars in new investments that created more than 6,000 jobs. During potential revenue losses and rising costs, Bernero helped to eliminate more than $40 million in city budget deficits without raising taxes. [4]
His tenure as mayor was not without some criticism, as issues with unemployment in Lansing and critics of his support of then-governor Granholm resulted in a petition to have him recalled as mayor.[5] The petition ultimately failed.
[edit] Campaign for Michigan Governor
Bernero officially announced his intention to run for Governor of Michigan on February 8, 2010.[6] On August 3, 2010, Bernero defeated primary challenger Andy Dillon by 90,326 votes or nearly 20 percentage points.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ 2010 Election Results at Politico.com [1]
- ^ The Primary Prelude: Benavides, Bernero Test Voter Support, by Daniel Sturm & Berl Schwartz, published March 7, 2003
- ^ http://www.lansingmi.gov/Lansing/clerk/docs/20091103/Summary_Report.pdf
- ^ http://www.lansingedc.com
- ^ http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/184/Default.aspx
- ^ staff writers (February 8, 2010). "Virg Bernero officially kicks off Democratic bid for governor". mlive.com. http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/virg_bernero_to_enter_michigan.html. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
- ^ staff writers (August 4, 2010). "Bernero vs. Snyder". Detroit Free Press freep.com. http://www.freep.com/article/20100804/NEWS15/8040501/1435/Bernero-vs.-Snyder. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
[edit] External links
Media related to Virgil Bernero at Wikimedia Commons
- Lansing Mayor Virgil Bernero official city government site
- Virg Bernero for Governor official campaign site
- Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tony Benavides |
Mayor of City of Lansing 2006-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Michigan Senate | ||
| Preceded by Joanne G. Emmons |
MI State Senator, 23rd District 2003-2005 |
Succeeded by Gretchen Whitmer |
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