User:LizArchive/Addison Cochran

Dr. Addison Alison Carol Kent-Cochran PhD BSc (ádɪsən kɔ́krən) is an American politician currently serving as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She is also the U.S. Representative for Pacifica's 4th congressional district, and the sister of the late Governor, Senator, Representative, Secretary and First Lady Elizabeth Kent. She was the Farmer Labor Party nominee for President of the United States alongside Diana Maddow in 2008, not garnering any electoral votes, and being defeated by President pro Tempore Jackson Cole. She will run again in 2012.

Early life
Cochran was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1967. She earned a PhD in obstetrics and gynecology from Seattle Pacific University, and begun working at Harborview Medical Center. She worked for her sister, Elizabeth Kent, as her chief of staff during her 2004 Senatorial career.

Election to U.S. Representative
In 2008, after the death of her sister Elizabeth Kent, Cochran made the decision to run for U.S. Representative, stating - "There must be a Kent in the Government - it seems logical after roughly 22 years of it!"

She was elected unopposed to Pacifica's 4th district after the district saw 4 years of vacancy since her sister's appointment to Senate.

111th Congress
Cochran became one of only 8 Representative s during the 111th Congress, and she was selected as Speaker pro Tempore by the Speaker (and former Vice President) Alex Rivera. She was the main sponsor of several resolutions - the most well-known of which being J.R. 01, the Representative Vacancy Amendment, to allow Representatives to be appointed by Governors.

Running for re-election
On PalCo's BKN, Cochran announced her intent to run for re-election despite immense criticism of the incumbent Senator Carter Kendall, who was up for re-election. Cochran campaigned on the slogan Make the House Competent Again, and fought for incumbents such as Speaker Alex Rivera-Holden to be re-elected, and new candidates such as activist Mia Brown and former Governor of Albany Daniel Lorenzo, in order to "make the house have some decency."

Death of Speaker Rivera, assuming the Speakership
Soon after passing a rules amendment to make it so that the Speaker pro Tempore assumes the role of Speaker in the event of incapacitation, Speaker Alex Rivera-Holden died in a car crash. This made Cochran the Speaker on September 26th, 2010.