Don McLeary
Encyclopedia
Don McLeary is an American politician who was a member of the Tennessee Senate
representing the 27th district, which is composed of Madison, Gibson, and Carroll
counties.
at Knoxville
, working to obtain Bachelor of Science
and Master of Science
degrees. He currently works as an investment executive and has served on the boards of both the American Cancer Society
and the American Heart Association
.
From 1986 to 1996, Don McLeary was the head football coach for the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is the third winningest coach in UT Martin history, leading UT Martin to a shared Gulf South Conference Championship and the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. He was inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2006.
to the Tennessee General Assembly
for a four year term over Republican incumbent Bobby Carter. On February 3, 2006, he held a press conference announcing the switch of his party affiliation to the Republican Party
.
Don McLeary served as the vice chair of the Senate Education Committee. He was also a member of the Senate Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee and the Senate Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee.
In the 2006 general election, Don McLeary was defeated by 477 votes in a huge upset by Democratic opponent Lowe Finney
. In 2010, McLeary lost to Finney again, receiving 24,563 votes to Finney's 25,774.
.
After holding a town hall meeting, McLeary proposed legislation that would direct the Tennessee Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to develop a proposal to create an insurance pool to provide full coverage to residential and commercial property owners that are unable to obtain insurance coverage following widespread cancellation after a natural disaster. The bill, passed in April 2004, was co-sponsored by Roscoe Dixon in the state senate and by Johnny Shaw and Jimmy A. Eldridge in the House.
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
representing the 27th district, which is composed of Madison, Gibson, and Carroll
Carroll County, Tennessee
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 28,522. Its county seat is Huntingdon. It was named for Governor William Carroll.-Geography:According to the U.S...
counties.
Education and career
Don McLeary attended the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
at Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, working to obtain Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degrees. He currently works as an investment executive and has served on the boards of both the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
and the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
.
From 1986 to 1996, Don McLeary was the head football coach for the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is the third winningest coach in UT Martin history, leading UT Martin to a shared Gulf South Conference Championship and the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. He was inducted into the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2006.
State senate
Don McLeary won the 2002 general election as a DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
for a four year term over Republican incumbent Bobby Carter. On February 3, 2006, he held a press conference announcing the switch of his party affiliation to the 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...
.
Don McLeary served as the vice chair of the Senate Education Committee. He was also a member of the Senate Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee and the Senate Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee.
In the 2006 general election, Don McLeary was defeated by 477 votes in a huge upset by Democratic opponent Lowe Finney
Lowe Finney
Lowe Finney is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Tennessee Senate for the 27th district, which is composed of Madison, Gibson, and Carroll counties.-Education and career:...
. In 2010, McLeary lost to Finney again, receiving 24,563 votes to Finney's 25,774.
Political views
McLeary was one of 29 state senators that voted to place a proposal amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage on the November 2006 gubernatorial election ballot. He was also one of 24 state senators to favor putting on the ballot a proposal to remove any guarantees to the right to an abortion from the state constitution. The proposal later failed to pass a panel in Tennessee House of RepresentativesTennessee 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:...
.
After holding a town hall meeting, McLeary proposed legislation that would direct the Tennessee Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to develop a proposal to create an insurance pool to provide full coverage to residential and commercial property owners that are unable to obtain insurance coverage following widespread cancellation after a natural disaster. The bill, passed in April 2004, was co-sponsored by Roscoe Dixon in the state senate and by Johnny Shaw and Jimmy A. Eldridge in the House.