David Cuddy
Encyclopedia
David Warren Cuddy is a businessman and
Republican Party
politician from the U.S. state
of Alaska
.
Dave Cuddy was born in Anchorage, Alaska
, where he has spent most of his life. He was named after his uncle, who died in World War II
in 1944. He graduated from West Anchorage High School
in 1970, and received a B.A.
in economics
from Duke University
in 1974.
Cuddy joined the business operated by his family, First National Bank of Anchorage (now called First National Bank Alaska
) in 1972, working his way up from teller
to loan officer
, and eventually vice-president at the time he left the bank.
Cuddy was elected to a single term in the Alaska House of Representatives
in 1980. A combination of redistricting
and pressure from Dick Randolph
to defect to the Libertarian Party
played heavily in his decision not to run for re-election.
In 1996 and 2008, Cuddy unsuccessfully challenged Ted Stevens
in the Alaska Republican U.S. Senate primary.
Cuddy currently lists his occupation as an independent film producer
. In 2001, he worked for a California-based entertainment firm as a business consultant to independent filmmakers, and left them in 2003. While acting as executive producer on the film Light in the Forest, he met Austin-based screenwriter Bonnie Orr, and in 2007 he began construction of a film studio in Austin, Texas
.
Republican Party
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 the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
Dave Cuddy was born in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, where he has spent most of his life. He was named after his uncle, who died in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1944. He graduated from West Anchorage High School
West Anchorage High School
West Anchorage High School is a public high school in Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska and part of the Anchorage School District.-History:The school was established as Anchorage High School in 1953, during a boom period in Anchorage...
in 1970, and 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 economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in 1974.
Cuddy joined the business operated by his family, First National Bank of Anchorage (now called First National Bank Alaska
First National Bank Alaska
First National Bank Alaska is an American bank founded in 1922 by Winfield Ervin, Sr., as First National Bank of Anchorage. The first branch stood on the corner of Fourth and G in Anchorage, Alaska.-History:...
) in 1972, working his way up from teller
Bank teller
A teller is an employee of a bank who deals directly with most customers. In some places, this employee is known as a cashier. Most teller jobs require cash handling experience and a high school diploma. Most banks provide on the job training....
to loan officer
Loan officer
A loan officer is a person who serves as an intermediary between lending institutions and borrowers. They solicit loans, represent creditors to borrowers, and represent borrowers to creditors....
, and eventually vice-president at the time he left the bank.
Cuddy was elected to a single term in the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
in 1980. A combination of redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
and pressure from Dick Randolph
Dick Randolph
Richard L. "Dick" Randolph is a longtime insurance agency owner in Fairbanks, Alaska who is best known as the first person to be elected to partisan office under the banner of the Libertarian Party with his election to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1978. He was re-elected in 1980...
to defect to the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
played heavily in his decision not to run for re-election.
In 1996 and 2008, Cuddy unsuccessfully challenged Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
in the Alaska Republican U.S. Senate primary.
Cuddy currently lists his occupation as an independent film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. In 2001, he worked for a California-based entertainment firm as a business consultant to independent filmmakers, and left them in 2003. While acting as executive producer on the film Light in the Forest, he met Austin-based screenwriter Bonnie Orr, and in 2007 he began construction of a film studio in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
See also
- United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996United States Senate election in Alaska, 1996The 1996 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens won re-election to a sixth term.-Results:...
- United States Senate election in Alaska, 2008United States Senate election in Alaska, 2008The 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Ted Stevens ran for re-election. It was one of the ten Senate races that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, predicted as...
External links
- Dave Cuddy for U.S. Senate, official campaign website
- Cuddy proposes Stevens rematch Sean Cockerham, Anchorage Daily NewsAnchorage Daily NewsThe Anchorage Daily News is a daily newspaper based in Anchorage, Alaska, in the United States. It is often referred to colloquially as either "the Daily News" or "the ADN"...
, December 22, 2007 - Stevens Draws GOP Challenger for His Senate Seat Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Politics, December 26, 2007