Bill Cobey
Encyclopedia
William Wilfred Cobey, Jr. (born May 13, 1939) is a former one-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives
from North Carolina
.
Cobey was born in Washington, D.C.
and grew up in the suburb of Hyattsville, Maryland
. His father, William W. Cobey
, was the athletic director for the University of Maryland
from 1956 to 1969. He is a graduate of Emory University
, where he received a B.A.
in chemistry
. Cobey also earned an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
and an M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh
.
Cobey originally worked as a bank administrative assistant and then as a chemical salesman. In 1968, he became an athletic administrator. He was athletic director
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
from 1976 to 1980. In the early 1980s, he was the president of his own corporation, Cobey & Associates.
In 1980, Cobey was an unsuccessful candidate for North Carolina Lieutenant Governor. Cobey was elected to represent the fourth district of North Carolina
in the U.S. Congress in 1984. However, he was defeated in a bid for re-election in 1986 by David Price
. After serving in Congress, Cobey joined the administration of Governor Jim Martin
, first as Deputy Secretary of Transportation and then as Secretary of the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources. Since 1997, he has worked with local governments in North Carolina, helping them to compete for and receive grants from the federal government.
Cobey served two terms (1999-2003) as Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party
. Under Cobey's leadership, the state Party established a sound financial base for the first time in its history, purchased a new headquarters building, recruited candidates and engineered Republican victories in 2000 and 2002. The statewide get out the vote
effort in both 2000 and 2002 were by far the largest and most effective in the history of the state Party.
Cobey was one of the leading candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination to challenge Governor Mike Easley
in the 2004 election
. In July 2003, Cobey received the endorsement of former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms
in the Republican primary contest. However, in the July 2004 Republican primary, Bill Cobey was defeated in the primary with 26.7% of the vote (97,461 votes), placing third, behind nominee Patrick Ballantine (30.3% and 110,726 votes) and Richard Vinroot
(29.9% and 109,217 votes).
In 2007-2008, Cobey directed the North Carolina campaign of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
. Cobey resides in Chapel Hill with his wife, Nancy. They have a daughter, son, and four grandchildren.
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...
from 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...
.
Cobey was born 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....
and grew up in the suburb of Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville, Maryland
Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,557 at the 2000 census.- History :The city was named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt. He purchased his first parcel of land in the area in March 1845...
. His father, William W. Cobey
William W. Cobey
William Wilfred Cobey was an American university administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Maryland from 1956 to 1969....
, was the athletic director for the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1956 to 1969. He is a graduate of Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, where he received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. Cobey also earned an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and an M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Cobey originally worked as a bank administrative assistant and then as a chemical salesman. In 1968, he became an athletic administrator. He was athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
from 1976 to 1980. In the early 1980s, he was the president of his own corporation, Cobey & Associates.
In 1980, Cobey was an unsuccessful candidate for North Carolina Lieutenant Governor. Cobey was elected to represent the fourth district of North Carolina
North Carolina's 4th congressional district
The Fourth Congressional district of North Carolina is located in the central region of the state and contains most of the area commonly known as The Triangle. It includes all of Durham and Orange counties, part of Wake County and a small section of Chatham County...
in the U.S. Congress in 1984. However, he was defeated in a bid for re-election in 1986 by David Price
David Price (American politician)
David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
. After serving in Congress, Cobey joined the administration of Governor Jim Martin
James G. Martin
James Grubbs "Jim" Martin is the 70th Governor of the state of North Carolina. He served from 1985 to 1993. He was the second Republican elected to the office after Reconstruction, and the fifth overall. He is also the only Republican to serve two full terms as governor.-Early Life &...
, first as Deputy Secretary of Transportation and then as Secretary of the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources. Since 1997, he has worked with local governments in North Carolina, helping them to compete for and receive grants from the federal government.
Cobey served two terms (1999-2003) as Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party
North Carolina Republican Party
The North Carolina Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in North Carolina. Robin Hayes was elected Chairman of the party on January 15, 2011, to serve the five months left in the unexpired term of Tom Fetzer....
. Under Cobey's leadership, the state Party established a sound financial base for the first time in its history, purchased a new headquarters building, recruited candidates and engineered Republican victories in 2000 and 2002. The statewide get out the vote
Get out the vote
"Get out the vote" are terms used to describe two categories of political activity, both aimed at increasing the number of votes cast in one or more elections.- Non-partisan contexts :...
effort in both 2000 and 2002 were by far the largest and most effective in the history of the state Party.
Cobey was one of the leading candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination to challenge Governor Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
in the 2004 election
North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2004
The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 2004 was held on 2 November 2004. The general election was fought between the and the Democrat incumbent Mike Easley and the Republican nominee Patrick J. Ballantine. Easley won by 52% to 46%, winning his second term as...
. In July 2003, Cobey received the endorsement of former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. was a five-term Republican United States Senator from North Carolina who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 2001...
in the Republican primary contest. However, in the July 2004 Republican primary, Bill Cobey was defeated in the primary with 26.7% of the vote (97,461 votes), placing third, behind nominee Patrick Ballantine (30.3% and 110,726 votes) and Richard Vinroot
Richard Vinroot
Richard A. Vinroot is a Republican political figure and attorney from Charlotte, North Carolina. He served as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Charlotte from 1991–1995, and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of North Carolina in 1996, 2000, and 2004.-Early life:The son of a Swedish immigrant, Richard...
(29.9% and 109,217 votes).
In 2007-2008, Cobey directed the North Carolina campaign of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
. Cobey resides in Chapel Hill with his wife, Nancy. They have a daughter, son, and four grandchildren.