Beau Biden
Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden III (born February 3, 1969, in Wilmington, Delaware, died May 30, 2015, in Bethesda, Maryland) was the 44th Attorney General of Delaware and the son of United States Vice President Joe Biden.[1]
Biden died of brain cancer on May 30, 2015, at the age of 46.[2] Prior to his death, Biden had a stroke in 2010 and underwent surgery to remove a lesion from his brain in 2013. In a statement after his passing, President Barack Obama said,
| “ | He studied the law, like his dad, even choosing the same law school. He chased a life of public service, like his dad, serving in Iraq and as Delaware's Attorney General. Like his dad, Beau was a good, big-hearted, devoutly Catholic and deeply faithful man, who made a difference in the lives of all he touched – and he lives on in their hearts."[3] | ” |
| —President Barack Obama[4] | ||
Biden, a Democrat, served as state attorney general from 2007–2015 and was succeeded in the position by twice-elected Delaware Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn (D). As attorney general, Biden was the state's chief law officer and the head of the State Department of Justice. First elected in November 2006, Biden was sworn into office in January 2007. He won re-election in 2010, winning both the Democratic primary and November general election uncontested. Biden's second term as state attorney general expired on January 6, 2015. Rather than seek re-election in 2014, Biden announced in April that he would forgo a possible third term in order to run to succeed term-limited incumbent Gov. Jack Markell (D).[5][6][7] Biden's tenure as attorney general included efforts targeting sex-related crime and consumer protection.[8]
A major in the Delaware Army National Guard's Judge Advocate General's Corps, Biden was deployed to Iraq in October 2008, midway through his first term as attorney general. Biden's deputy attorney general filled in for him when necessary during his 12-month deployment.[9]
Before winning statewide office, Biden was an attorney and partner in the Wilmington-based law firm of Bifferato, Gentilotti, Biden & Black. Prior to that, he served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office.[1] From 2001–2002, he was interim legal adviser for the U.S. Department of Justice in Kosovo.[10]
Biography
Beau Biden was born and raised in Delaware. Tragedy struck the Biden family early in Beau's life, when he and his brother Hunter were injured in an automobile accident that claimed the lives of their mother, Neilia Biden, and infant sister, Naomi Christina Biden.
Biden received his J.D. from Syracuse University's College of Law. After graduation, he served a two-year clerkship for the United States District Court in New Hampshire. Biden then moved to Philadelphia, where he had previously lived as an undergraduate attending the University of Pennsylvania, to join the United States Department of Justice. There, he served as counsel in the Office of Policy Development, specializing in firearm laws and women's rights laws, as well as issues related to child protection.[1]
Biden became a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office in 1997, remaining there until 2004, when he returned to the private sector as a partner in the Wilmington-based law firm of Bifferato, Gentilotti, Biden & Black.[1]
In August 2003, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in Delaware's National Guard’s 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade, and his unit was activated for a 12-month deployment to Iraq in October 2008. Biden, now a major in the Delaware Army National Guard's Judge Advocate General's Corps, returned from Iraq in late 2009.
Biden served on the boards of directors for the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, Wilmington Housing Partnership and World Affairs Council of Wilmington.
Education
- Graduated from Archmere Academy
- Bachelor's degree, University of Pennsylvania
- Juris Doctorate degree, Syracuse University College of Law
Political career
Delaware Attorney General (2007-2015)
Biden took office as Delaware's 44th Attorney General in January 2007.[11]
Elections
2016
Biden planned to run for Governor of Delaware in 2016, but he died of brain cancer on May 30, 2015.[5][4] He announced his candidacy for the open governor's seat being vacated by term-limited Democrat Jack Markell in April 2014, simultaneously declining a bid for a third term as attorney general.
2014
- See also: Delaware attorney general election, 2014
Though eligible for re-election as attorney general the 2014 elections, Biden opted not to pursue a third term in light of plans to run for governor in 2016.
"After careful consideration, I have concluded that it is not right to ask for your support in 2014, knowing that my focus would be divided between doing my job as Attorney General while at the same time running as a candidate for Governor," Biden wrote in an April 17 statement posted to his campaign website.[5]
2010
- See also: Delaware Attorney General election, 2010
- 2010 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary and General Election
- Beau Biden ran unopposed in both these contests
2006
- 2006 Race for Attorney General - Democratic Primary
- Beau Biden ran unopposed in this contest
| 2006 Race for Attorney General - General Election[12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party |  Beau Biden
|
52.6% | |
| Republican Party | Ferris Wharton | 47.4% | |
| Total Votes | 253,214 | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Biden resided in Wilmington, Delaware with his wife, Hallie, and their two children, Natalie and Hunter. He was a practicing Roman Catholic.[13]
See also
- Attorney General of Delaware
- Attorney General
- Joe Biden
- Delaware Attorney General election, 2010
- Delaware state executive offices
- Delaware state executive officials
External links
- Official Delaware Attorney General website
- Beau Biden for Delaware Attorney General Campaign website
- Project Vote Smart - Beau Biden biography
- Campaign contributions: 2010, 2008, 2006
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Beau Biden, "Biography of Beau Biden," accessed February 3, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Beau Biden, Vice President Joe Biden’s Son, Dies at 46," May 30, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 delawareonline, "Beau Biden, son of vice president, dies of brain cancer," May 30, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Beau Biden for Attorney General official website, "Splash page," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ NBC.com, "VP Biden's Son to Run for Delaware Governor," April 17, 2014
- ↑ RealClearPolitics, "Is Beau Biden Democrats' Next Emerging Star?" November 9, 2012
- ↑ Governing, "The 2013-2014 Attorneys General Races: Who's Not Vulnerable?" March 21, 2013
- ↑ Reuters, "Aide named to replace Biden in Senate" 24 Nov. 2008
- ↑ Office of the Delaware Attorney General, "Attorney General Biography," accessed August 8, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Delaware Attorney General's Office, "Biography" accessed October 3, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ State of Delaware: Commissioner of Elections - 2006 General Election Results
- ↑ Attorney General of Delaware, "AG bio," accessed February 3, 2012 (dead link) (dead link)
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Carl Danberg (D) |
Delaware Attorney General 2007–2015 |
Succeeded by Matthew Denn (D) |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
