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Amy Kennedy
Personal details
Born
Amy Savell

(1978-11-20) November 20, 1978 (age 45)
Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
  • Mark Petitgout
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2003; div. 2010)​
  • ​
    (m. 2011)​
Children5
EducationPennsylvania State University (BS)
Nova Southeastern University (MS)
WebsiteOfficial website

Amy Kennedy (née Savell; born November 20, 1978)[1] is an American educator, mental health advocate, and former political candidate from the state of New Jersey. She was the Democratic Party nominee in the 2020 elections to represent New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives losing to incumbent Jeff Van Drew.

Early life and education

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Amy Savell was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Pleasantville and Absecon.[2] Her parents, Leni and Jerry Savell, are both teachers. Jerry also served as a freeholder for Atlantic County, New Jersey, and was a city council member in both Absecon and Pleasantville.[3][4] She graduated in 1997 from Holy Spirit High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Pennsylvania State University.[5][6] She later earned a Master of Science in environmental education from Nova Southeastern University.[2]

Career

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Kennedy taught middle-school history at Northfield Community Schools.[4] She later became an education director of the Kennedy Forum, a mental health advocacy group founded by her husband.[7]

Politics

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In the 2020 elections, Kennedy ran for the Democratic Party nomination for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district.[8] On July 7, 2020, she defeated university professor Brigid Callahan Harrison and former congressional aide Will Cunningham to win the party's nomination. Kennedy's victory was particularly notable as an "upset victory" because Harrison had been supported by George Norcross, a powerful figure in New Jersey politics.[9][10] As of July 9, 2020, vote totals showed Kennedy winning in all eight counties in the congressional district.[11] She faced Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew, who was originally elected as a Democrat, in the general election.[12][13]

According to The Washington Post, Kennedy ran as an "anti-establishment insurgent trying to ride the recent energy of grass-roots activists", and was backed by Martin Luther King III, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.[14] Her campaign focused on mental health issues and education. She is supportive of expanding the Affordable Care Act.[15]

Kennedy raised $1.4 million for her primary campaign, including a $500,000 personal loan.[16] On August 3, 2020, she received the endorsement of former president Barack Obama.[17][18] Kennedy lost to Van Drew in the general election.[19]

Personal life

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Kennedy attends a rally for the 2012 U.S. Senate campaign of Elizabeth Warren alongside her husband and one of their children

Kennedy met Mark Petitgout in college, and they married in 2003. The brother of former NFL offensive tackle Luke Petitgout, Mark played football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. They lived in Linwood, New Jersey and had one daughter before divorcing in early 2010.[4]

Kennedy met former United States congressman Patrick J. Kennedy at a mental-health forum in Atlantic City in 2010.[4][11] They married in July 2011 at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officiating.[20][21] They live in Brigantine, New Jersey,[22] with their five children.[23][24][22]

References

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  1. ^ Tully, Tracey (July 7, 2020). "A Kennedy Wins N.J. Primary to Take on Trump Loyalist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Meet Amy". Amy Kennedy for Congress. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "Kennedy, Harrison comes from political families". New Jersey Globe. March 8, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Patrick Kennedy and the Jersey Girl". February 20, 2012.
  5. ^ Pizarro, Max (January 23, 2020). "CD2 Flashpoint: Three Women at the Heart of a Fast-Developing National 2020 Contest". Insider NJ. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  6. ^ "Patrick and Amy Kennedy to speak on campus March 22 | Penn State University". news.psu.edu. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Amy Kennedy running to challenge Jeff Van Drew in New Jersey". Roll Call. January 6, 2020.
  8. ^ "Amy Kennedy joins race to replace Jeff Van Drew | News". pressofatlanticcity.com. January 6, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  9. ^ Hill, Michael (July 8, 2020). "Amy Kennedy primary win stuns South Jersey political machine". NJTV News. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  10. ^ Kane, Paul (July 10, 2020). "Analysis | The Daily 202: 2020 primaries reveal the atrophy of political 'machines'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Rosenberg, Amy S. (July 9, 2020). "Amy Kennedy beat a political machine, but her secret was her own family, not her husband's". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  12. ^ "Harrison concedes to Kennedy in a surprising twist to 2nd District Democratic primary". pressofatlanticcity.com. July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Rep. Jeff van Drew wins re-election in New Jersey after party switch". November 6, 2020.
  14. ^ Kane, Paul (July 7, 2020). "Amy Kennedy wins N.J. Democratic primary, will face party defector turned Trump loyalist". Washington Post. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  15. ^ Todisco, Eric (July 9, 2020). "Amy Kennedy, Wife of Patrick Kennedy, Wins New Jersey Congressional Democratic Primary". People. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  16. ^ Manchester, Julia; Axelrod, Tal (July 7, 2020). "Amy Kennedy wins NJ primary to face GOP's Van Drew". The Hill. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  17. ^ "First Wave of 2020 Endorsements". September 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Obama just got involved in N.J.'s hottest congressional race". August 3, 2020.
  19. ^ McGeehan, Patrick; Tully, Tracey (November 6, 2020). "Van Drew, Who Switched Parties and Backed Trump, Keeps N.J. House Seat". New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  20. ^ "Patrick Kennedy Married Amy Petitgout". PEOPLE.com.
  21. ^ "Patrick Kennedy: A Kennedy Remade". PEOPLE.com.
  22. ^ a b "Amy Kennedy beat a political machine, but her secret was her own family, not her husband's". July 9, 2020.
  23. ^ "Ex-RI Rep. Kennedy, wife bring baby home in NJ". providencejournal.com.
  24. ^ "Patrick and Amy Kennedy welcome fifth child". WJAR. May 30, 2018.
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