Carol Aichele
Encyclopedia
Carol Aichele is an American
politician and teacher. She currently serves as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
.
in Rosemont
, and served on the Board of Directors of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
. She was also a member of the Republican State Committee
.
, including future State Representative
Duane Milne
, and succeeded retiring Republican
incumbent Joseph Carpenter.
She briefly ran for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor
in 2010, but withdrew from the race several months before the election.
died from pulmonary fibrosis
at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
. Thompson, a longtime political force, had been re-elected to his 19th District
Senate seat in 2004
without opposition. Aichele received the nomination of the county Republican Party for the May special election, and squared-off against her fellow County Commissioner Andy Dinniman
. In what was considered a stunning upset, Dinniman defeated Aichele by twelve percentage points to become the first Democrat to represent Chester County
in the State Senate since 1890.
announced his intention to nominate Aichele for the position of Secretary of the Commonwealth in January of 2011. Aichele resigned from the Board of Commissioners later that month, and served as Acting Secretary until her nomination was unanimously approved by the State Senate in April.
. The couple has three children, Steve, Kate and Tom.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and teacher. She currently serves as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania administers the Pennsylvania Department of State of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania...
.
Teaching career and early political involvement
Aichele worked as a part-time teacher at the Agnes Irwin SchoolAgnes Irwin School
The Agnes Irwin School is an all-girls', non-sectarian, day school for students in grades PreK-12. The School has been a leader in girls' education since 1869, when it was founded by Miss Agnes Irwin of Philadelphia. Agnes Irwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, later became the...
in Rosemont
Rosemont, Pennsylvania
Rosemont is a community in Pennsylvania on the Pennsylvania Main Line lying partly in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania and partly in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania.Part of the geographic area is served by the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, ZIP code...
, and served on the Board of Directors of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is a school district based in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
. She was also a member of the Republican State Committee
Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania is based in Harrisburg in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with the Republican Party of the United States.-Founding:...
.
County Controller
Aichele successfully ran for the office of County Controller in 1997. Aichele defeated two other candidates in the primaryPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, including future State Representative
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
Duane Milne
Duane Milne
Duane Milne is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 167th legislative district. He was first elected in 2006....
, and succeeded retiring Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Joseph Carpenter.
County Commissioner
After serving two terms as County Controller, Aichle sought and was elected to a seat on the County Board of Commissioners in November of 2003. She was re-elected four years later.She briefly ran for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
in 2010, but withdrew from the race several months before the election.
State Senate special election
In 2006, State Senator Bob ThompsonRobert J. Thompson
Robert J. Thompson was a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.-Early life:A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Thompson earned a degree in journalism from Penn State University in 1959. He then worked as a photographer for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, published in-house...
died from pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".-Symptoms:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are mainly:...
at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is a hospital affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System located in the University City section of West Philadelphia. The hospital was founded at its current location in 1874 by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,...
. Thompson, a longtime political force, had been re-elected to his 19th District
Pennsylvania Senate, District 19
Pennsylvania's 19th Senatorial district includes parts of Chester And Montgomery Counties.The district is currently represented by Democrat Andrew Dinniman.Chester County* Charlestown Township* Downingtown* East Bradford Township* East Caln Township...
Senate seat in 2004
Pennsylvania Senate elections, 2004
Elections for the Pennsylvania State Senate were held on November 2, 2004, with even-numbered districts being contested. State Senators are elected for four-year terms, with half of the Senate seats up for a vote every two years. The term of office for those elected in 2004 will run from January 4,...
without opposition. Aichele received the nomination of the county Republican Party for the May special election, and squared-off against her fellow County Commissioner Andy Dinniman
Andy Dinniman
Andrew E. "Andy" Dinniman is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 19th District since June 2006.-Education and early life:...
. In what was considered a stunning upset, Dinniman defeated Aichele by twelve percentage points to become the first Democrat to represent Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
in the State Senate since 1890.
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Incoming Governor Tom CorbettTom Corbett
Thomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
announced his intention to nominate Aichele for the position of Secretary of the Commonwealth in January of 2011. Aichele resigned from the Board of Commissioners later that month, and served as Acting Secretary until her nomination was unanimously approved by the State Senate in April.
Personal life
Her husband, Stephen, is an attorney, and currently serves alongside her in the gubernatorial cabinet as the Governor's General CounselPennsylvania Office of General Counsel
Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel is a cabinet-level agency in Pennsylvania providing legal services to all agencies, boards, and commissions of the Government of Pennsylvania. It is governed by the Commonwealth Attorneys Act of 1980.-External links:*...
. The couple has three children, Steve, Kate and Tom.