Van Hilleary
Encyclopedia
William Vanderpool Hilleary, usually known as Van Hilleary (born June 20, 1959) is a Republican
politician from Tennessee
.
, the seat of Rhea County
, and raised in nearby Spring City
, where his family operated a textile manufacturing
concern. He graduated from the University of Tennessee
in 1981. He participated in the Air Force
ROTC program at the University of Tennessee and served on active duty from 1982 to 1984 and has been a member of the Air Force Reserve since that time. Hilleary graduated from the Cumberland School of Law
of Samford University
in Birmingham, Alabama
in 1990. He served two volunteer tours of duty during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. While in the Gulf War
, Hilleary flew 24 missions as a navigator on C-130 aircraft.
, he entered a race for the Tennessee State Senate in 1992. His opponent was Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
, younger sister and political confidante of the late former governor of Tennessee Frank G. Clement
. While Hilleary was defeated, he ran such a competitive race that he was recruited to enter the Republican primary
in 1994 for the Fourth Congressional
District. This seat was coming open as the incumbent, six-term Democrat Jim Cooper
, was running for the United States Senate
. Hilleary easily won the Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Jeff Whorley, a former aide to Cooper, in the general election. It was the first serious effort the Republicans had made in the district since its creation after the 1980 census. Hilleary won by a shocking 14-point margin. Even allowing for the massive Republican tide that swept through the state that year, Hilleary's convincing win came as something of a surprise. On paper, the 4th District was and still is one of the few districts in the country that is not safe for either party. It stretched from the Virginia
border in East Tennessee
to the Mississippi
border in Middle Tennessee
. Prior to Cooper's election in 1982, much of the district's eastern portion hadn't been represented by a Democrat since before the Civil War
.
Hilleary had a very conservative
voting record and was very popular in conservative circles within his party. For instance, Hilleary was strongly opposed to any form of a state income tax
, which was a major issue in the state legislature at the time. In each of his three subsequent Congressional races, Hilleary won with an increasing margin. Although the 4th is a marginal district on paper, its configuration makes it very difficult to unseat an incumbent in a normal election year. The district spills across five television markets (the Tri-Cities
, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Huntsville, Alabama
) and two time zones. Frequently, advertising budgets in the 4th rival those for statewide races. Hilleary also became known over a large portion of the state, making important associations with leading Republican activists. Hilleary was unusual for a politician of this period in his steadfast refusal to accept campaign contributions from political action committee
s (PAC's).
nomination in 2002, withstanding a challenge from the party's moderate
wing made by Jim Henry
, former minority leader
in the Tennessee House of Representatives
and former mayor
of Kingston
. Henry's race was largely supported and financed by members of the inner circle of unpopular outgoing GOP governor
Don Sundquist
, a fact resented by many grassroots
activists, and Hilleary defeated him by a wide margin.
Hilleary's opponent in the general election
was Phil Bredesen
, a multimillionaire former mayor of Nashville. At first, Bredesen agreed to be bound by a relatively new Tennessee state law
limiting the amount of money one could contribute to one's own campaign for elective office. However, the state attorney general
subsequently issued an opinion that such a law was unconstitutional
and hence unenforceable, as the United States Supreme Court had previously ruled a similar federal
law with regard to federal campaigns. Faced with huge and potentially overwhelming resources against him, Hilleary reversed his previous position on PACs and began to actively solicit donations from them.
One of the major issues of the race was TennCare
, the huge state-supported managed care program that had supplanted Medicaid
in Tennessee. Hilleary displayed a high level of knowledge about this issue in a debate between the two, despite the fact that Bredesen had made most of his fortune as a managed health care executive. However, polling seemed to indicate that one of the major factors with public support of Bredesen was his knowledge of this issue. Bredesen was also a moderate
Democrat; Republican charges against "ultra-liberal
Democrats" could not be made to stick to him with any real degree of success. Another problem for Hilleary was that Bredesen showed himself able to raise support in East Tennessee
(Hilleary's home region) far more readily than could previous Democratic candidates, especially considering that Bredesen was from Nashville. In addition, questions were raised regarding Hilleary's performance as a member of the House Budget Committee.
Hilleary nonetheless received over 48% of the vote. Bredesen defeated him largely by doing far better than expected in heavily Republican East Tennessee. For instance, Bredesen carried Knox County
, the largest county in East Tennessee, by a few hundred votes; in contrast, George W. Bush
won Knox County two years later by over 40,000 votes.
, just outside Nashville. He now lives there primarily on weekends and through the week is employed as a consultant
in Washington, D.C.
According to a disclosure of personal finances from 2004 and part of 2005, as required by his 2006 Senate candidacy, Hilleary made $300,000 in salary in 2004 from Washington lobbying firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
, and more than $150,000 in salary from the firm through August 12, 2005.
One of his clients was the Lumbee
Indian Tribe of North Carolina
, which is seeking federal status from Congress and $77 million in funding for education, health care and economic development that would come with recognition. The tribe was recognized in 1956, but was not awarded the same monetary benefits given to other American Indian
groups. Another client was Pennsylvania House
Speaker John M. Perzel
. Other clients listed by Hilleary included the American Academy of Ophthalmology
, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
, Balfour Ventures, Federal-Mogul Corporation, L-3 Communications
, SMS Holdings Corp. and VPI Technologies.
Full financial disclosure for 2005 was expected on June 24, 2006, 10 days prior to the 2006 primary. (Link to news article has expired)
seat then held by Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist
, who did not run for re-election because he had promised not to serve more than two terms when first elected in 1994.
Despite over 80% name recognition, Hilleary placed a distant third with a mere 17% of the vote in the primary, behind Ed Bryant
, who received 34% and winner Bob Corker
, who won with a 48% plurality. Surprisingly, Hilleary lost 13 of the 22 counties in his own district. Hilleary endorsed Corker not long after he conceded the race.http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_4892535,00.html
|+ : Results 1994–2000
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1994
|
| |Jeff Whorley
| align="right" |60,489
| |42%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |81,539
| |57%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
| align="right" |1,944
| align="right" |1%
| |*
|-
|1996
|
| |Mark Stewart
| align="right" |73,331
| |41%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |103,091
| |58%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
| align="right" |1,075
| align="right" |1%
| |*
|-
|1998
|
| |
| align="right" |42,627
| |40%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |62,829
| |60%
|
|
|
|
|
| |*
|-
|2000
|
| |
| align="right" |67,165
| |33%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |133,622
| |66%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
| align="right" |2,418
| align="right" |1%
| |*
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...
politician from Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Early life and career
Hilleary was born in Dayton, TennesseeDayton, Tennessee
Dayton is a city in Rhea County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,180 at the 2000 census. The Dayton, TN, Urban Cluster, which includes developed areas adjacent to the city and extends south to Graysville, Tennessee, had 9,050 people in 2000...
, the seat of Rhea County
Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 28,400. Its county seat is Dayton.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and raised in nearby Spring City
Spring City, Tennessee
Spring City is a town in Rhea County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,025 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spring City is located at ....
, where his family operated a textile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
concern. He graduated from the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in 1981. He participated in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
ROTC program at the University of Tennessee and served on active duty from 1982 to 1984 and has been a member of the Air Force Reserve since that time. Hilleary graduated from the Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient...
of Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
in 1990. He served two volunteer tours of duty during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. While in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Hilleary flew 24 missions as a navigator on C-130 aircraft.
U.S. House of Representatives
Following his return from the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, he entered a race for the Tennessee State Senate in 1992. His opponent was Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
Anna Belle Clement O'Brien
Anna Belle Clement O'Brien was a Tennessee politician, nicknamed "the first lady of Tennessee politics." She served as the governor's chief of staff from 1963 to 1967, was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 89th General Assembly, from 1975 to 1977, and a Tennessee State...
, younger sister and political confidante of the late former governor of Tennessee Frank G. Clement
Frank G. Clement
Frank Goad Clement served as Governor of Tennessee from 1953 to 1959, and again from 1963 to 1967.-Early life:...
. While Hilleary was defeated, he ran such a competitive race that he was recruited to enter the Republican primary
Primary 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....
in 1994 for the Fourth Congressional
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
District. This seat was coming open as the incumbent, six-term Democrat Jim Cooper
Jim Cooper
James Hayes Shofner "Jim" Cooper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Blue Dog Coalition. He previously represented from 1983 to 1995....
, was running for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Hilleary easily won the Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Jeff Whorley, a former aide to Cooper, in the general election. It was the first serious effort the Republicans had made in the district since its creation after the 1980 census. Hilleary won by a shocking 14-point margin. Even allowing for the massive Republican tide that swept through the state that year, Hilleary's convincing win came as something of a surprise. On paper, the 4th District was and still is one of the few districts in the country that is not safe for either party. It stretched from the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
border in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
to the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
border in Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
. Prior to Cooper's election in 1982, much of the district's eastern portion hadn't been represented by a Democrat since before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Hilleary had a very conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
voting record and was very popular in conservative circles within his party. For instance, Hilleary was strongly opposed to any form of a state income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, which was a major issue in the state legislature at the time. In each of his three subsequent Congressional races, Hilleary won with an increasing margin. Although the 4th is a marginal district on paper, its configuration makes it very difficult to unseat an incumbent in a normal election year. The district spills across five television markets (the Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville and Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
) and two time zones. Frequently, advertising budgets in the 4th rival those for statewide races. Hilleary also became known over a large portion of the state, making important associations with leading Republican activists. Hilleary was unusual for a politician of this period in his steadfast refusal to accept campaign contributions from political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
s (PAC's).
2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election
Hilleary was considered a logical choice for the Republican gubernatorialGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
nomination in 2002, withstanding a challenge from the party's moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
wing made by Jim Henry
Jim Henry (politician)
James M. Henry , generally known as Jim Henry, was minority leader in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1981 to 1986, and a 2002 candidate for the Republican Party nomination for governor of Tennessee, losing the primary election to U.S...
, former minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
and former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Kingston
Kingston, Tennessee
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Roane County, Tennessee, United States, and is adjacent to Watts Bar Lake. Kingston, with a population of 5,264 at the 2000 United States census, is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. Henry's race was largely supported and financed by members of the inner circle of unpopular outgoing GOP governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Don Sundquist
Don Sundquist
Donald Kenneth Sundquist is a former governor and congressman from Tennessee. A Republican, he served as the 47th Governor of Tennessee from 1995 to 2003...
, a fact resented by many grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
activists, and Hilleary defeated him by a wide margin.
Hilleary's opponent in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
was Phil Bredesen
Phil Bredesen
Philip Norman "Phil" Bredesen Jr. was the 48th Governor of Tennessee, serving from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected Governor in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006. He previously served as the fourth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County from 1991 to...
, a multimillionaire former mayor of Nashville. At first, Bredesen agreed to be bound by a relatively new Tennessee state law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
limiting the amount of money one could contribute to one's own campaign for elective office. However, the state attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
subsequently issued an opinion that such a law was unconstitutional
Constitutionality
Constitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
and hence unenforceable, as the United States Supreme Court had previously ruled a similar federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
law with regard to federal campaigns. Faced with huge and potentially overwhelming resources against him, Hilleary reversed his previous position on PACs and began to actively solicit donations from them.
One of the major issues of the race was TennCare
TennCare
TennCare is the U.S. state of Tennessee’s health care insurance program. It is designed to expand health insurance to the uninsured through the state’s Medicaid program by utilizing managed care to reduce the costs of health care...
, the huge state-supported managed care program that had supplanted Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
in Tennessee. Hilleary displayed a high level of knowledge about this issue in a debate between the two, despite the fact that Bredesen had made most of his fortune as a managed health care executive. However, polling seemed to indicate that one of the major factors with public support of Bredesen was his knowledge of this issue. Bredesen was also a moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
Democrat; Republican charges against "ultra-liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
Democrats" could not be made to stick to him with any real degree of success. Another problem for Hilleary was that Bredesen showed himself able to raise support in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
(Hilleary's home region) far more readily than could previous Democratic candidates, especially considering that Bredesen was from Nashville. In addition, questions were raised regarding Hilleary's performance as a member of the House Budget Committee.
Hilleary nonetheless received over 48% of the vote. Bredesen defeated him largely by doing far better than expected in heavily Republican East Tennessee. For instance, Bredesen carried Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
, the largest county in East Tennessee, by a few hundred votes; in contrast, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won Knox County two years later by over 40,000 votes.
Consultant
Shortly after the November 2004 election, Hilleary moved his family to MurfreesboroMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, just outside Nashville. He now lives there primarily on weekends and through the week is employed as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
According to a disclosure of personal finances from 2004 and part of 2005, as required by his 2006 Senate candidacy, Hilleary made $300,000 in salary in 2004 from Washington lobbying firm Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP was an international law firm with nearly 800 lawyers and other professionals in the United States and Europe, serving the needs of many of the world’s best-known businesses, non-profits and individuals. The firm was founded in Chicago in 1906 and as of May 2010...
, and more than $150,000 in salary from the firm through August 12, 2005.
One of his clients was the Lumbee
Lumbee
The Lumbee belong to a state recognized Native American tribe in North Carolina. The Lumbee are concentrated in Robeson County and named for the primary waterway traversing the county...
Indian Tribe of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, which is seeking federal status from Congress and $77 million in funding for education, health care and economic development that would come with recognition. The tribe was recognized in 1956, but was not awarded the same monetary benefits given to other American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
groups. Another client was Pennsylvania House
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....
Speaker John M. Perzel
John M. Perzel
John Michael Perzel is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. Perzel represented 172nd Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1978 until 2010. From April 2003 to January 2007, he served as House Speaker...
. Other clients listed by Hilleary included the American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the largest national membership medical association of ophthalmologists–medical doctors specializing in eye care and surgery including medical, surgical and optical care. More than 90 percent of practicing U.S. Eye M.D.s are Academy members, and the...
, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
, Balfour Ventures, Federal-Mogul Corporation, L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. is a company that supplies command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training devices and services, instrumentation, space, and navigation products. Its customers include...
, SMS Holdings Corp. and VPI Technologies.
Full financial disclosure for 2005 was expected on June 24, 2006, 10 days prior to the 2006 primary. (Link to news article has expired)
2006 Senate campaign
Hilleary was a candidate for the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat then held by Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist
Bill Frist
William Harrison "Bill" Frist, Sr. is an American physician, businessman, and politician. He began his career as an heir and major stockholder to the for-profit hospital chain of Hospital Corporation of America. Frist later served two terms as a Republican United States Senator representing...
, who did not run for re-election because he had promised not to serve more than two terms when first elected in 1994.
Despite over 80% name recognition, Hilleary placed a distant third with a mere 17% of the vote in the primary, behind Ed Bryant
Ed Bryant
Edward Glenn Bryant, usually known as Ed Bryant, , American politician, is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee . Born in Jackson, Tennessee, he earned his B.A. in 1970 and J.D. in 1972, both from the University of Mississippi. As a student he was...
, who received 34% and winner Bob Corker
Bob Corker
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
, who won with a 48% plurality. Surprisingly, Hilleary lost 13 of the 22 counties in his own district. Hilleary endorsed Corker not long after he conceded the race.http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/politics/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_4892535,00.html
Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"|+ : Results 1994–2000
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1994
|
| |Jeff Whorley
| align="right" |60,489
| |42%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |81,539
| |57%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
| align="right" |1,944
| align="right" |1%
| |*
|-
|1996
|
| |Mark Stewart
Mark Stewart
Mark Stewart is the name of:*Mark Stewart , British musician, founding member and vocalist of The Pop Group*Mark Stewart , New York City based multi-instrumentalist who has worked as a guitarist e.g...
| align="right" |73,331
| |41%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |103,091
| |58%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
| align="right" |1,075
| align="right" |1%
| |*
|-
|1998
|
| |
| align="right" |42,627
| |40%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |62,829
| |60%
|
|
|
|
|
| |*
|-
|2000
|
| |
| align="right" |67,165
| |33%
|
| |Van Hilleary
| align="right" |133,622
| |66%
|
| |J. Patrick Lyons
| |Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
| align="right" |2,418
| align="right" |1%
| |*