Sue Kelly | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 19th district |
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In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 |
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Preceded by | Hamilton Fish |
Succeeded by | John Hall |
Personal details | |
Born |
Susan Weisenbarger September 26, 1936 Lima, Ohio, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Ed Kelly |
Alma mater |
Denison University Sarah Lawrence College |
Religion | Presbyterianism |
Susan "Sue" Weisenbarger Kelly (born September 26, 1936) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007, representing New York's 19th District. She is a Republican. She took over fellow Republican Hamilton Fish IV's seat after he dropped out of the 1994 race due to prostate cancer. Kelly defeated his son, Hamilton Fish V in that race and served until the end of 2006, when her seat went to John Hall, who defeated her in 2006 congressional election. Kelly served from February 1999 to April 2001 as Chair of the House Page Board, which came under fire during the Mark Foley scandal.
She was born in Lima, Ohio as Susan Weisenbarger and raised Presbyterian. She graduated from Denison University and holds a Master's degree from Sarah Lawrence College. Prior to becoming a Congresswoman, Kelly held jobs as a small business owner, patient advocate, rape counselor, and educator. She is married to Edward Kelly, and they live in Katonah, New York. They have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.
When Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr., a Republican, decided not to seek re-election in 1994, Kelly sought and won the nomination for the congressional seat. Kelly defeated Fish's son, Hamilton Fish V, who ran as a Democrat, and Conservative Party candidate, former congressman Joseph DioGuardi, who had been defeated by her in the Republican primary but continued campaigning. In 2004, Kelly easily won re-election with 67% of the vote in New York's 19th Congressional district although the New York Times described Kelly's opponents in previous races as "token opposition".