Colleen Davis

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Colleen Davis

| office = Treasurer of Delaware

| image = Colleen Davis (52834741300) (cropped).jpg

| governor = John Carney
Bethany Hall-Long
Matt Meyer

| term_start = January 1, 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Ken Simpler

| successor =

| birth_name = Colleen Carroll

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|38|2018|6|22}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = Philadelphia University (BS, MS)

| signature = Colleen Davis Signature.png

}}

Colleen Davis ({{nee|Carroll}}; born 1979 or 1980) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party serving as the Delaware State Treasurer since 2019.

Early life and career

As a child, Davis moved from the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland to Sussex County, Delaware, where she grew up. She graduated from Indian River High School in 1998 and attended Philadelphia University on a soccer scholarship.{{Cite web|first=Jason |last=Feather |url=https://www.coastalpoint.com/sports/giorgilli-davis-warrington-and-slonin-added-to-soccer-hall-of-fame/article_51a94566-16e2-5eca-8fad-805be422d699.html |title=Giorgilli, Davis, Warrington and Slonin added to Soccer Hall of Fame |website=Coastal Point |department=Sports |date=May 11, 2018 |accessdate=January 20, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/jeffersonrams.com/documents/2021/9/30/WSOC_2021_Season_Record_Book.pdf |title=Jefferson Women's Soccer 2021 Record Book |work=Jefferson Rams |format=PDF |page=37 |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=December 28, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001065303/https://s3.amazonaws.com/jeffersonrams.com/documents/2021/9/30/WSOC_2021_Season_Record_Book.pdf |archive-date=October 1, 2021}} Prior to running for office, she worked as a financial consultant for medical systems.{{Cite web|last=Ciolino|first=Nick|title=State Treasurer's race now has a Democratic candidate|url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/post/state-treasurers-race-now-has-democratic-candidate|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.delawarepublic.org|language=en}} In 2016, she moved to Dagsboro, Delaware with her husband Anthony and their three children.{{Cite web|date=2018-10-22|title=Q&A: State treasurer candidates address the issues|url=https://delawarestatenews.net/government/qa-state-treasurer-candidates-address-the-issues/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=Delaware State News|language=en-US}}

Political career

Davis ran for Delaware State Treasurer in the 2018 elections as a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated incumbent Republican Ken Simpler.{{Cite web|url=http://coastalpoint.com/content/dagsboro-resident-davis-seeking-office-treasurer_07_05_2018-0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706010113/http://coastalpoint.com/content/dagsboro-resident-davis-seeking-office-treasurer_07_05_2018-0 |archivedate=July 6, 2018 |title=Dagsboro resident Davis seeking office as treasurer |website=Coastal Point |date=July 6, 2018 |accessdate=November 11, 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/voters-guide/2018/08/17/colleen-davis-state-treasurer/940776002/ |title=Colleen Davis, State Treasurer |newspaper=The News Journal |date=August 17, 2018 |accessdate=November 11, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/democrat-colleen-davis-takes-state-treasurer-race-over-favorite/1872193002/ |title=Democrat Colleen Davis takes state treasurer race over Ken Simpler |newspaper=The News Journal |date=November 6, 2018 |accessdate=November 11, 2018}} Her victory was a major upset and was one of several losses for prominent Republicans in Delaware.{{Cite web |url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/post/state-house-and-senate-minority-whips-ousted-democratic-challengers |title=State House and Senate Minority Whips ousted by Democratic challengers |date=November 7, 2018 |first=Sophia |last=Schmidt |publisher=Delaware Public Media}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/11/06/democrat-colleen-davis-takes-state-treasurer-race-over-favorite/1872193002/ |title=Democrat Colleen Davis takes state treasurer race over Ken Simpler |date=November 6, 2018| first=Jerry| last=Smith |newspaper=The News Journal}} She was sworn into office on January 1, 2019.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wboc.com/story/39718804/del-democrats-sworn-in-to-statewide-offices |title=Del. Democrats Sworn in to Statewide Offices |publisher=WBOC 16 |date=January 2, 2019 |accessdate=January 2, 2019 |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102161220/http://www.wboc.com/story/39718804/del-democrats-sworn-in-to-statewide-offices |url-status=dead }}

Davis ran for reelection in 2022 and defeated the Republican nominee, Greg Coverdale.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrde.com/news/d-colleen-davis-beats-r-greg-coverdale-for-delaware-state-treasurer/article_0b289fa4-5eef-11ed-9c62-ef7f63d784b8.html|title=(D) Colleen Davis Beats (R) Greg Coverdale for Delaware State Treasurer|first=Zoe|last=Stayman|date=November 8, 2022|website=WRDE Coast TV}} She was sworn into office for her second term on January 1, 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrde.com/news/delaware-state-treasurer-colleen-davis-sworn-in-for-second-term/article_2989c544-8b9b-11ed-b120-9f8b96d6463a.html|title=Delaware State Treasurer Colleen Davis Sworn in for Second Term|first=Benjamin|last=Rothstein|date=January 3, 2023|website=WRDE Coast TV}}

After Lisa Blunt Rochester announced that she would not run for reelection to the United States House of Representatives in {{ushr|DE|AL}} in the 2024 elections, Davis announced her candidacy in the election in July 2023.{{cite news |title=Colleen Davis launches campaign for Congress |url=https://www.capegazette.com/article/colleen-davis-launches-campaign-congress/261727 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |work=Cape Gazette |date=July 19, 2023}} She withdrew from the race in February 2024.{{Cite web |last=Edelen |first=Joseph |date=February 28, 2024 |title=Delaware Treasurer Colleen Davis drops out of U.S. Congress race |url=https://baytobaynews.com/stories/delaware-treasurer-colleen-davis-drops-out-of-us-congress-race,129273 |access-date=March 4, 2024 |website=Bay to Bay News}}

Legal issues

In November 2018, Davis was issued citations for driving on a suspended license and failure to show insurance and registration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/19/treasurer-elect-addresses-legal-issues-stays-mum-exact-details/2051941002/ |title=Treasurer-elect Colleen Davis issues statement on legal issues, stays mum on exact details |newspaper=The News Journal |date=November 19, 2018 |first=Scott |last=Goss |accessdate=January 2, 2019}} Although she told a police officer that she has not driven on her suspended license, her claims were contradicted by a photo posted on the Facebook page of Tom Carper, who had campaigned with Davis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/16/state-treasurer-elect-colleen-davis-caught-driving-suspended-license/2017881002/ |title=State Treasurer-elect Colleen Davis caught driving on suspended license |newspaper=The News Journal |date=November 16, 2018 |first=Scott |last=Goss |accessdate=January 2, 2019}} She pled guilty to speeding on December 20, 2018, and the other charges were dropped.{{Cite web |first=Randall |last=Chase |department=Associated Press |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2018/12/20/delaware-treasurer-elect-colleen-davis-pleads-guilty-after-traffic-stop/2379081002/ |title=Treasurer-elect Colleen Davis pleads guilty after traffic stop |newspaper=The News Journal |date=December 20, 2018 |accessdate=January 2, 2019}} It was the fourth time she had been charged with driving on a suspended license, after pleading guilty to the charge when she was 17 and pleading guilty to lesser charges twice when she was an adult.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin | title=2018 Delaware State Treasurer election{{Cite web |url=http://elections.delaware.gov/results/html/election.shtml |title=State of Delaware General Election (Official Results)|publisher=State of Delaware Election Commissioner |access-date=November 6, 2018}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Colleen Davis

|votes = 187,225

|percentage = 52.36%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Ken Simpler (incumbent)

|votes = 163,999

|percentage = 45.87%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Green Party (United States)

|candidate = David Chandler

|votes = 6,300

|percentage = 1.77%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 357,524

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

| loser = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin

| title = 2022 Delaware State Treasurer election

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Colleen Davis (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 170,402

| percentage = 53.64%

| change = +1.28%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Greg Coverdale

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 147,293

| percentage = 46.36%

| change = +0.50%

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 317,695

| percentage = 100%

| change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

References

{{Reflist}}