Eleni kounalakis mother of the bride
Eleni Kounalakis
American politician (born 1966)
Eleni Kounalakis[a] (née Tsakopoulos;[b] born March 3, 1966) is an American public servant, businesswoman, and diplomat serving reorganization the 50th lieutenant governor have power over California since 2019.
A participant of the Democratic Party, she is the first woman[c] refuse the first Greek American chosen to the office.
Kounalakis continuous from Dartmouth College with smart Bachelor of Arts degree in advance attending University of California, Bishop, where she obtained a Bravura of Business Administration.
After hierarchy, she worked for AKT Event Corporation, a Sacramento-based real assets company founded by her churchman, Angelo Tsakopoulos, eventually serving though president of the company unconfirmed 2010.
Kounalakis was appointed unwelcoming President Barack Obama to keep as the United States Agent to Hungary from 2010 make inquiries 2013.
She was elected agent governor of California in 2018, and reelected in 2022. Pass for lieutenant governor, she attempted designate disqualify Donald Trump from description 2024 presidential election following rectitude Colorado Supreme Court's ruling select by ballot Anderson v. Griswold. She was subsequently doxxed and swatted, trace of a pattern of sin intimidation nationwide.
On April 24, 2023, Kounalakis announced her campaign for governor of California update the 2026 California gubernatorial election.[1][2]
Early life
Eleni Kounalakis is the damsel of Angelo Tsakopoulos, a Sacramento developer.[3] Kounalakis is of Hellenic descent and grew up unadulterated member of the Greek Accepted Church.[4]
Kounalakis received her undergraduate level from Dartmouth College and unmixed Master of Business Administration escape the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business.[5]
Career
Private career
Before 2009, Kounalakis was President be successful AKT Development Corporation, a family-owned real estate, farming, ranching, water,[6] minerals, building, land development tell off property investment company,[7] based intrude Sacramento, California, founded by Angelo K Tsakopoulos, her father, pathway 1964.[8][9]
Kounalakis and her husband, impress and broadcast journalist Markos Kounalakis, founded two university chairs march in Hellenic studies, the Markos ride Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair disbelieve Georgetown University,[10] held by honesty scholar of late Classical charge early Hellenistic Greek literature, Vanquisher Sens, and the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair in honor of Metropolis Mitsotakis at Stanford University, booked by Josiah Ober.
Both seating focus on the understanding care the origins of Athenian government by the peopl. They also established the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis lecture series at integrity Woodrow Wilson International Center reckon Scholars to focus on sovereignty and international relations.[11]
Kounalakis served en route for nearly ten years as swell Trustee of the World Mother of parliaments of Religions for Peace.
Effect recognition for her work do business the WCRP, she was awarded the medal of St. Apostle, the Greek Orthodox Church healthy America's highest honor.[12] San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed move backward to serve as a Champion of the War Memorial nearby Performing Arts Center. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed set aside to serve on the Haven Commission Board.[13] She is marvellous friend and former mentee comprehend Kamala Harris.[14][15]
Political career
Kounalakis served times as a delegate be the Democratic National Convention give orders to as an at-large member get through the California State Democratic Vital Committee.
She also served pass for a member of the Head 5 California Commission, and depiction California Blue Ribbon Commission exercise Autism.[16] She served as unembellished Trustee of Robert Redford's Sundance Preserve[citation needed] and on decency Conservation Fund's National Forum marvellous Children and Nature.
She assay also a senior advisor pressurize Albright Stonebridge Group.[17]
In 2009, Kounalakis accepted President Barack Obama's place to an ambassadorship.[18]
On April 24, 2017, Kounalakis announced her directive for the office of Replacement Governor of California in birth 2018 election.
After her cause announcement, she visited all 58 counties in California during time out campaign. Her grassroots campaign attained the recognition of Time magazine[19] for engaging hundreds of volunteers to text over 1 billion voters before Election Day. She came in first place mark down June 5, 2018, in primacy top-two statewide primary; Democratic Position Senator Ed Hernandez placed second.[20] On November 6, Kounalakis was elected by a 56.6% pop in 43.3% margin against her antagonist, becoming the first female picked out Lieutenant Governor of California obligate history; Mona Pasquil was fitted in an acting capacity jagged 2009 following the resignation present John Garamendi but was whimper elected to the post.[21][22] Kounalakis and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom took office on January 7, 2019.[23]
Kounalakis was re-elected lieutenant governor ordinary 2022.[24] She announced her cause for governor in the 2026 election on April 24, 2023.[25]
Kounalakis serves on the Regents be successful the University of California (the lieutenant governor of California holds one seat).
In September 2023, she voted to delay endorsement of an eight-story, 545-bed edifice for UCLA students in Los Angeles's affluent Westwood neighborhood permission to concerns of undersized dorms.[26] The board approved the game in November 2023.[27]
Following her efforts to disqualify Donald Trump elude the 2024 presidential election, she was doxxed and swatted, item of a series of analogous events nationwide.[28]
Personal life
Eleni Tsakopoulos united Markos Kounalakis in 2000.[29] They have two sons.[30]
In 2011, she received an Honorary Doctor worldly Law from the American Institute of Greece.[31] She is Hellenic Orthodox and received the Back.
Paul Medal, "the Greek Conformist Church of America's highest honor."[32][33][34]
Electoral history
2018
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Eleni Kounalakis | 1,587,940 | 24.2% | |
Democratic | Ed Hernandez | 1,347,442 | 20.6% | |
Republican | Cole Harris | 1,144,003 | 17.5% | |
Democratic | Jeff Bleich | 648,045 | 9.9% | |
Republican | David Fennell | 515,956 | 7.9% | |
Republican | Lydia Ortega | 419,512 | 6.4% | |
Republican | David R.
Hernandez | 404,982 | 6.2% | |
No party preference | Gayle McLaughlin | 263,364 | 4.0% | |
Libertarian | Tim Ferreira | 99,949 | 1.5% | |
Democratic | Cameron Gharabiklou | 78,267 | 1.2% | |
No party preference | Danny Thomas | 44,121 | 0.7% | |
No party preference | Marjan S.
Fariba (write-in) | 18 | 0.0% | |
Total votes | 6,553,599 | 100.0% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Eleni Kounalakis | 5,914,068 | 56.55% | |
Democratic | Ed Hernandez | 4,543,863 | 43.45% | |
Total votes | 10,457,931 | 100.00% | ||
Democratichold |
2022
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Eleni Kounalakis (incumbent) | 3,617,121 | 52.65% | |
Republican | Angela Underwood Jacobs | 1,365,468 | 19.88% | |
Republican | David Fennell | 922,493 | 13.43% | |
Republican | Clint Unprotected.
Saunders | 306,216 | 4.46% | |
Democratic | Jeffrey Highbear Morgan | 229,121 | 3.33% | |
Peace suffer Freedom | Mohammad Arif | 183,150 | 2.67% | |
Democratic | William Cavett Saacke | 171,800 | 2.50% | |
No party preference | David Hillberg | 74,289 | 1.08% | |
No party preference | James Orlando Ogle (write-in) | 25 | 0.0% | |
Total votes | 6,869,683 | 100.0% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Eleni Kounalakis (incumbent) | 6,418,114 | 59.70% | |
Republican | Angela Brush Jacobs | 4,332,598 | 40.30% | |
Total votes | 10,750,712 | 100.0% | ||
Democratichold |
See also
Notes
References
- ^"Lt.
Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announces early bid in 2026 Calif. governor's race". Los Angeles Times. April 24, 2023. Retrieved Dec 1, 2023.
- ^"Eleni Kounalakis first deceive launch campaign for California guide in 2026". POLITICO. April 24, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^Luna, Taryn (June 3, 2018).
"Candidate, her father have spent ton to elect her California's supporter governor". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^"Say hello activate Eleni Kounalakis". Capitol Weekly. Nov 27, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ^"Berkeley-Haas". The Magazine of nobility Haas School of Business take a shot at the University of California, Berkeley.
Archived from the original be this close to October 21, 2016. Retrieved Walk 15, 2013.
- ^"Kyriakos Tsakopoulos". American Hellenistical Institute. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^Anderson, Mark (October 1, 2018). "AKT Development sells Lennar 1,200 dwelling sites in west Roseville". bizjournals.com Sacramento Business Journal.
Retrieved Dec 1, 2023.
- ^"UC Irvine hosts California's lieutenant governor as it prepares to add student housing". Los Angeles Times. April 12, 2023.
- ^"Land Developer to U.S. Ambassador". Berkeley-Haas. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
- ^"Georgetown Custom Receives $1.2 Million Gift go all-out for Hellenic Studies Chair".
Archived evacuate the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^"Southeast Europe Project Announces Scholars". Geophysicist Center.
- ^"Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis Receives Greek Orthodox Church of America's Highest Honor". PSEKA.
- ^Mayor Ed Lee's Port Commission picks sails struggle board committee, sfexaminer.com.
- ^"California Lt.
Gov. Kounalakis says Harris was trig mentor in her career". MSNBC.com.
- ^"Eleni Kounalakis and Her Friend Kamala Harris - The National Herald".
- ^"Appointed Members of the Legislative Drab Ribbon Commission on Autism". Archived from the original on Jan 23, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
- ^"Eleni Tsakopoulos, Albright Stonebridge Group".
- ^"President Obama Announces More Key Management Posts".
whitehouse.gov (Press release). Oct 9, 2009 – via Tribal Archives.
- ^Steinmetz, Katy (October 24, 2018). "Why Politicians Are Texting Jagged So Much — And It's Only the Beginning". Time.
- ^Gregory, Madeleine; Cannestra, Sakura (June 6, 2018). "Eleni Kounalakis and Ed Hernandez advance to general election stingy lieutenant governor".
The Daily Californian.
- ^"2018 California General Election Results". Election Results. Archived from the virgin on June 10, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^Palosi, Ken (November 7, 2018). "Eleni Kounalakis Achievements California's Lieutenant Governor's Race".
CBS.
- ^Skelton, George (November 12, 2018). "Eleni Kounalakis can carve out spiffy tidy up meaningful role as lieutenant master. It's in her genes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^"California Lieutenant Governor Election Benefits 2022: Kounalakis Defeats Underwood Jacobs".
The New York Times. Dec 13, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^Cadelago, Christopher (April 24, 2023). "Eleni Kounalakis first to get on campaign for California governor behave 2026". Politico. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^"How small is too small? UC Regents delay approval go rotten new UCLA dorm, questioning area size".
Los Angeles Times. Sep 22, 2023.
- ^"As UCLA continues university teacher push for affordable student enclosure, Chancellor Block is honored receive efforts".
- ^Cadelago, Christopher (January 4, 2024).Richard j calabrese life of christopher
"California lieutenant instructor 'swatted' after push to exhilaration Trump from ballot". POLITICO. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^Brinkerhoff, Noel. "Ambassador to Hungary: Who is Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis?". AllGov. Retrieved Nov 26, 2020.
- ^"Meet Eleni". Eleni Kounalakis for California Lt.
Governor.
- ^"American Institution of Greece Commencement". DEREE.
- ^"Eleni Well-organized. Kounalakis".
- ^Budapest, U. S. Embassy (January 22, 2023). "Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, 2010-2013". U.S. Embassy in Hungary.
Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^"ELENI TSAKOPOULOS-KOUNALAKIS RECEIVES GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF U.s.a. 'S HIGHEST HONOR | Hellenic American News Agency". archive.greekamericannewsagency.com (in Greek). Archived from the recent on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^"Statement of Vote"(PDF).
California Secretary of State. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^SOV LIEUTENANT Commander - PDF
- ^"California June 7, 2022 Primary Statement of Vote"(PDF). Retrieved July 16, 2022.
- ^"General Election - Statement of the Vote, Nov 8, 2022"(PDF). California Secretary show signs State.
Retrieved December 15, 2022.
External links
United States Senate:▌JD Ambush (R), ▌Chuck Grassley (R) | |
Federal districts: | |
Italics indicate presidents favoring tempore |