View source for Albert Wynn

{{Short description|American politician (born 1951)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2021}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Albert Wynn
| image               = Albert Wynn.jpg
| state               = [[Maryland]]
| district            = {{ushr|MD|4|4th}}
| term_start          = January 3, 1993
| term_end            = May 31, 2008
| predecessor         = Constituency established
| successor           = [[Donna Edwards]]
| state_senate2       = Maryland
| district2           = [[Maryland Legislative District 25|25th]]
| term_start2         = January 14, 1987
| term_end2           = January 13, 1993
| predecessor2        = Mike Donovan
| successor2          = Beatrice Tignor
| state_delegate3     = Maryland
| district3           = 25th
| term_start3         = January 12, 1983
| term_end3           = January 14, 1987
| birth_name          = Albert Russell Wynn
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1951|9|10}}
| birth_place         = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Jessie Wynn|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Gaines Clore|end=died}}
| education           = [[University of Pittsburgh]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Howard University]]<br>[[Georgetown University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])
}}
'''Albert Russell Wynn''' (born September 10, 1951) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of the [[United States House of Representatives]], representing the [[Maryland's 4th congressional district|4th district]] of [[Maryland]] from 1993 to 2008. On February 13, 2008, Wynn was defeated in the [[Democratic primary]] by [[Donna Edwards]], and resigned his office effective May 31, 2008.

==Early life and education==
Wynn was born in [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania]]. He was educated at the [[University of Pittsburgh]], [[Howard University]], and [[Georgetown University Law Center]]. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, Wynn was initiated as a member of the Beta Epsilon chapter of [[Kappa Alpha Psi]] fraternity.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

Soon after graduating, Wynn became director of the Prince George's County Consumer Protection Commission.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Collection: Albert R. Wynn papers {{!}} Archival Collections|url=https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1304|access-date=2020-08-31|website=archives.lib.umd.edu}}</ref> In 1982, he founded his own law firm. He then spent a decade in the [[Maryland General Assembly]], serving in the [[Maryland House of Delegates|state house]] from 1983 to 1987 and in the [[Maryland Senate|state senate]] from 1987 to 1993.<ref>{{cite web |title=Senate, Legislative District 25 |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc2600/sc2685/senate/html/legis25sen.html |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=September 20, 2023}}</ref>

==Career==
Wynn entered the Democratic primary for the 4th District in 1992. The 4th had been reconfigured as a black-majority district after the [[1990 United States census|1990 Census]], and the previous incumbent, three-term Democrat [[Tom McMillen]], had been drawn out of the district. Wynn won a crowded seven-way primary by 1,300 votes, all but assuring him of election in the heavily Democratic district. He won the general election in November with 75 percent of the vote and was reelected seven times, never dropping below 75 percent of the vote.

Wynn was a member of the [[House Energy and Commerce Committee]], where he chaired the Subcommittee on the Environment and Hazardous Materials.<ref name=":0" /> Wynn placed a high priority on economic issues. Wynn also supported the energy bill promoted by Vice President and former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney.{{citation needed |date=March 2021}}

[[Image:Albert Wynn speaking at podium.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Congressman Wynn pledges his support for Prince George's Hospital Center.]]

During the [[105th Congress]], Wynn sponsored legislation passed to improve federal contracting opportunities for small and minority businesses. He has twice received the [[Small Business Administration]] ''Administrator's Leadership Award'' for his efforts on behalf of small businesses.

His 2000 re-election race made headlines, when the Congressman's estranged wife, Jessie Wynn, served as the campaign manager for his Republican opponent, John B. Kimble. In radio spots for Kimble's campaign, Mrs. Wynn stated "Albert Wynn does not respect [[Black people|black]] women. He left me for the [[White people|white]] woman."

During the [[107th United States Congress|107th Congress]], Wynn was one of only four of 36 [[Congressional Black Caucus]] members who voted on October 10, 2002 for the [[Iraq resolution|joint resolution]] authorizing the [[Iraq War]]. The other three Congressional Black Caucus members who voted for the resolution authorizing the Iraq War were [[William J. Jefferson|Bill Jefferson]] of [[Louisiana]], [[Sanford Bishop]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and [[Harold Ford, Jr.]] of [[Tennessee]]. <!--<ref>{{cite web |date=2002-10-10 |title=Final vote results for roll call 455 |publisher=[[Clerk of the United States House of Representatives]] |url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml}}</ref>
  --><ref>{{cite web |date=2002-10-16 |title=H.J.RES.114 To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq |publisher=[[THOMAS]] |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HJ00114: |access-date=2008-02-12 |archive-date=2016-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408040128/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HJ00114: |url-status=dead }}</ref><!--
  --><ref>{{cite news |author1=Penn, Ivan |author2=Koening, Sarah |date=2002-10-22 |title=Democrats split in vote on war resolution |work=[[The Sun (Baltimore)|The Sun]] |page=2.B |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/218636551.html?dids=218636551:218636551&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+22%2C+2002&author=Ivan+Penn+and+Sarah+Koenig&pub=The+Sun |access-date=2017-07-05 |archive-date=2012-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008005548/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/218636551.html?dids=218636551:218636551&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+22,+2002&author=Ivan+Penn+and+Sarah+Koenig&pub=The+Sun |url-status=dead }}</ref> Wynn also served on the Congressional Black Caucus' Political Action Committee and its Minority Business Task Force.<ref name=":0" />

Wynn has issued statements of support for integrating [[illegal aliens]] into society, so long as strong border security provisions are included. He spoke at the [[Washington, D.C.]] Immigration Rally in April 2006, condemning [[H. R. 4437]] and other bills that aim to deport all illegal immigrants. On Wynn's official website, he says "Now that they are in this country, we owe them respect and fair treatment."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://wynn.house.gov/display2.cfm?id=11737&type=Hot%20Topics |title=The Online Office of Congressman Albert R. Wynn – Home<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2006-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427235931/http://www.wynn.house.gov/display2.cfm?id=11737&type=Hot%20Topics |archive-date=2006-04-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===2006 congressional elections===
{{main|Maryland congressional elections, 2006}}
In 2006, he was challenged in the Democratic primary by community activist [[Donna Edwards]], most recently executive director of the [[Arca Foundation]]. Edwards, who had clerked for Wynn in the 1980s while he served in the state legislature, criticized Wynn for his votes to support the Iraq war, repeal of the estate tax, support of the [[Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005]], and of the Bush Administration's energy bill, arguing that he was too conservative and too closely allied with Republicans. While Wynn was initially heavily favored, Edwards showed surprising strength. Two weeks before the primary, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' endorsed Edwards.

The primary was held on September 12, and when all the votes had been counted, Wynn defeated Edwards by 49.7 percent to 46.4 percent — by 2,725 votes out of more than 82,000 cast. George McDermott, a little-known candidate, took 3.9 percent. The final tally of the primary was unclear for nearly two weeks because of widespread voting problems on new electronic voting machines in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/09/prolonged_vote_count_in_md_4_e.html |title=CQPolitics.com - Prolonged Vote Count in Md. 4 Ends with Victory for Wynn |access-date=2008-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061027152806/http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/09/prolonged_vote_count_in_md_4_e.html |archive-date=2006-10-27 }}</ref>

===2008 congressional elections===
{{main|Maryland congressional elections, 2008}}
Edwards sought a rematch in 2008. This time, Edwards won the backing of the influential [[MoveOn.org]].<ref>[https://pol.moveon.org/give/jan08.html?id=11883-6723865-gv18WX&t=2 MoveOn.org Political Action: Democracy in Action<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20081101113613/https://pol.moveon.org/give/jan08.html?id=11883-6723865-gv18WX&t=2 |date=2008-11-01 }}</ref> Edwards also had the support of many progressive community organizations, and many influential [[netroots]] organizations such as [[Daily Kos]] and [[OpenLeft]].

In the primary, Edwards routed Wynn, 60 percent to 36 percent.<ref name=2008primary>{{cite news |title=Local Elections 2008: Maryland: U.S. House, District 4 Results |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2008-03-27 |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/votersguide/2008/md/races/md-us-house-of-representatives-district-4/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215011935/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/votersguide/2008/md/races/md-us-house-of-representatives-district-4/ |archive-date=2008-02-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Resignation ===

On March 27, 2008, Wynn announced his resignation from Congress effective in June.<ref name=expires/>

Edwards was elected in a special election to finish out the rest of Wynn's term, defeating anti-war Republican primary winner Peter James in the general election in November 2008.<ref name=2008primary/><ref>{{cite news |title=Rare Dual Losses in Md. Put Incumbents on Notice |first=Rosalind S. |last=Helderman |author2=Wan, William |author3=Wiggins, Ovetta |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2008-02-14 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021301594.html |page=A01 }}</ref>

===Post-congressional career===

He became a partner of [[Dickstein Shapiro]], a large [[lobbying]] firm whose clients include the tobacco, entertainment, energy, and software industries as well as the [[Teamsters]].<ref name=expires>{{cite news |title=Wynn Decides to Leave Congress 6 Months Before His Term Expires |first=Rosalind S. |last=Helderman |author2=Birnbaum, Jeffrey H |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2008-03-28 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/27/AR2008032702136.html |page=B01 }}</ref> Because House rules prohibit former members from lobbying current members of Congress for one year after departing, Wynn began lobbying Congress in June 2009 instead of in January 2010 due to his early resignation.<ref name=expires/>

==Election history==
{{s-start}}
!Year
!Office
!Election
!
!Subject
!Party
!Votes
!%
!
!Opponent
!Party
!Votes
!%
!
!Opponent
!Party
!Votes
!%
|-
|[[1992 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|1992]]
|[[United States House of Representatives, Maryland District 4|Congress, 4th district]]
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|136,902
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|75.14
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Michelle Dyson
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|45,166
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|24.79
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[1994 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|1994]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|93,148
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|75.03
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Michelle Dyson
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|30,999
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|24.97
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[1996 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|1996]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|142,094
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|85.19
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|John B. Kimble
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|24,700
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|14.81
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[1998 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|1998]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|129,139
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|85.72
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|John B. Kimble
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|21,518
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|14.28
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[2000 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|2000]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|172,624
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|87.2
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|John B. Kimble
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|24,973
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|12.61
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[2002 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|2002]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|131,644
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|78.57
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|John B. Kimble
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|34,890
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|20.82
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[2004 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|2004]]
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|196,809
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|75.16
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|John McKinnis
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|52,907
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|20.2
|
|{{Party shading/Green}}|Theresa Dudley
|{{Party shading/Green}}|[[Green Party (United States)|Green]]
|{{Party shading/Green}}|11,885
|{{Party shading/Green}}|4.54
|-
|[[2006 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|2006]]
|Congress, 4th district
|Primary
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|40,857
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|49.7
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Donna Edwards]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|38,126
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.4
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|George McDermott
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|3,200
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|3.9
|-
|2006
|Congress, 4th district
|General
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''Al Wynn'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|141,897
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|80.67
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Michael Moshe Starkman
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|32,792
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|18.64
|
|colspan=4|
|-
|[[2008 United States House of Representatives elections#Maryland|2008]]
|Congress, 4th district
|Primary
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Al Wynn
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|48,885
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.9
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[Donna Edwards]]'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|78,008
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|58.9
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Others
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|5,641
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|4.2
{{s-end}}

==See also==
*[[List of African-American United States representatives]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{CongLinks | congbio=w000784 | votesmart= | fec=H2MD05361 | congress= }}<!-- Links formerly displayed via the {{CongLinks}} template:
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00001849 Financial information (federal office)] at [[Center for Responsive Politics|OpenSecrets.org]]
* [http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Albert_Wynn.htm Issue positions and quotes] at [[On the Issues]]
* -->
* {{C-SPAN|26672}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[C. Thomas McMillen]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Maryland|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Maryland's 4th congressional district]]|years=1993–2008}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Donna Edwards]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Marty Meehan]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jeff Duncan (politician)|Jeff Duncan]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-end}}

{{USCongRep-start |congresses=103rd–110th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[United States congressional delegations from Maryland|Maryland]]}}
{{USCongRep/MD/103}}
{{USCongRep/MD/104}}
{{USCongRep/MD/105}}
{{USCongRep/MD/106}}
{{USCongRep/MD/107}}
{{USCongRep/MD/108}}
{{USCongRep/MD/109}}
{{USCongRep/MD/110}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wynn, Albert}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Maryland General Assembly]]
[[Category:21st-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:African-American United States representatives]]
[[Category:African-American state legislators in Maryland]]
[[Category:Baptists from Maryland]]
[[Category:Democratic Party Maryland state senators]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland]]
[[Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni]]
[[Category:Howard University alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of Congress who became lobbyists]]
[[Category:People from Mitchellville, Maryland]]
[[Category:Politicians from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:The Graduate School of Political Management faculty]]
[[Category:University of Pittsburgh alumni]]