Pamela Pugh

{{Short description|American politician (born 1970)}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Pamela Pugh

|office = President of the Michigan State Board of Education

|term_start = January 10, 2023

|term_end =

|predecessor = Casandra Ulbrich

|successor =

|birth_name = Pamela Louise Pugh

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|12|20}}

|birth_place = Newton, Mississippi, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|education = Florida A&M University (BS)
University of Michigan (MS, DPH)

}}

Pamela Louise Pugh (born December 20, 1970) is an American public health scientist, politician, and the current president of the Michigan State Board of Education. She first won election to the board in 2014 and was reelected in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Bob |date=2014-11-06 |title=Saginaw's Pamela Pugh Smith elected to State of Michigan Board of Education |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/2014/11/saginaw_woman_elected_to_state.html |access-date= |website=MLive |language=}}{{Cite web |title=Democrats win election for pair of Michigan Board of Education seats |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/11/09/democrats-win-two-open-seats-on-michigan-board-of-education/69633625007/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}} She was a Democratic candidate for Michigan's 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024.

Biography

Pamela Pugh was born on December 20, 1970, in Newton, Mississippi. Her father, John Pugh, is a civil rights activist, professor, and administrator at Delta College and her mother was a paraprofessional.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=Pamela Pugh becomes president of Michigan's state school board |url=https://detroit.chalkbeat.org/2023/1/11/23549288/pamela-pugh-elected-president-michigan-school-board-priorities-agenda |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=Chalkbeat Detroit |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-13 |title=First Black woman sworn in as president of the Michigan State Board of Education |url=https://www.fox47news.com/neighborhoods/state-capitol/first-black-woman-sworn-in-as-president-of-the-michigan-state-board-of-education |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=FOX 47 News Lansing - Jackson (WSYM) |language=en}} She attended Florida A&M earning a Bachelor of Science and the University of Michigan graduating with a Master of Science and Doctorate of Public Health.{{Cite web |title=Pamela Pugh |url=https://www.michigan.gov/mde/about-us/state-board/meet-the-board/old-bios/pamela-pugh |website=Michigan.gov |publisher=Department of Education}} Pugh serves on multiple boards including the Healthy Schools Network Board of Directors and the National Association of State Boards of Education Board of Directors.{{Cite web |title=State board of education president Pamela Pugh launches U.S. Senate bid |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/michigan/2023/05/23/michigan-senate-race-pamela-pugh-elissa-slotkin-leslie-love-nasser-beydoun-hill-harper-zack-burns/70244966007/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}} She also served as the Chief Public Health Advisor to the city of Flint during its water crisis.{{Cite web |last=KMoore |date=2016-10-06 |title=Flint's New Chief Public Health Advisor Officially Onboard |url=https://www.cityofflint.com/flints-new-chief-public-health-advisor-officially-onboard/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=City of Flint |language=en-US}}

Pugh is the first Black woman to serve as the President of the Michigan State Board of Education. She was voted president in a 6–0 vote with two Republican members voting present.

= 2024 elections =

On May 23, 2023, Pugh announced her candidacy as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Michigan Board of Education president launches campaign for U.S. Senate |url=https://apnews.com/article/senate-michigan-democrat-978dab6c2bc4ee0638daa3816bb65de0 |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=AP News |language=en}} Pugh withdrew from the race on November 27 to instead run for the 8th district in the U.S. House of Representatives, 11 days after incumbent Dan Kildee announced that he was not seeking re-election.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2023/11/pugh-becomes-first-democrat-to-confirm-shes-running-for-kildee-congressional-seat.html|title=Pugh becomes first Democrat to confirm she's running for Kildee congressional seat|last=Fonger|first=Paul|date=November 27, 2023|access-date=November 27, 2023|website=MLive}}{{Cite news |last=Coleman |first=Ken |date=November 27, 2023 |title=Pugh leaves U.S. Senate race to run for congressional seat left open by Kildee |url=https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/pugh-leaves-u-s-senate-race-to-run-for-congressional-seat-left-open-by-kildee/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=Michigan Advance}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin|title=2014 Michigan State Board of Education Election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Pamela Pugh Smith|votes=1,368,790|percentage=24.5%|change=}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Casandra E. Ulbrich (incumbent)|votes=1,309,760|percentage=23.4%|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Maria Carl|votes=1,279,122|percentage=22.9%|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Jonathan Tade Williams|votes=1,206,419|percentage=21.6%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Kimberly Moore|votes=114,666|percentage=2.1%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=US Taxpayers Party|candidate=John Adams|votes=82,511|percentage=1.5%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Gregory Scott Stempfle|votes=75,702|percentage=1.4%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=US Taxpayers Party|candidate=Karen Adams|votes=65,828|percentage=1.2%|change=|}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party (United States)|candidate=Sherry A. Wells|votes=60,516|percentage=1.1%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Natural Law Party (United States)|candidate=Nikki Mattson|votes=30,099|percentage=0.5%|change=}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=5,593,413|percentage=36.5%|change=}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Democratic Party (US)}}

{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin|title=2022 Michigan State Board of Education Election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Pamela Pugh (incumbent)|votes=2,068,706|percentage=25.2%|change=+0.7%}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Mitchell Robinson|votes=1,989,022|percentage=24.2%|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Tami Carlone|votes=1,914,330|percentage=23.3%|change=}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Linda Lee Tarver|votes=1,873,715|percentage=22.8%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Working Class Party|candidate=Mary Anne Hering|votes=135,789|percentage=1.7%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Donna Gundle-Krieg|votes=87,353|percentage=1.1%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Bill Hall|votes=87,316|percentage=1.1%|change=|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=US Taxpayers Party|candidate=Ethan Hobson|votes=48,248|percentage=0.6%|change=|}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=8,204,479|percentage=51.7%|change=}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Democratic Party (US)}}

{{Election box end}}

References