Kate Obenshain (born November 14, 1968) is an American journalist and politician. She is a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

political commentator, who formerly served as Vice President of the

Young America's Foundation Young America's Foundation (YAF) is a conservative youth organization founded in 1969. In 2018, the ''Los Angeles Times'' called YAF "one of the most preeminent, influential and controversial forces in the nation's conservative youth movement. ...

. She regularly appears as a guest on the Fox News Channel.

Education/career

Obenshain is a graduate of the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

where she was editor of the campus conservative newspaper, ''The Virginia Advocate''.

Political experience

From 1995 to 2000, Obenshain served as an appointee of Governors

George Allen George Allen may refer to: Politics and law * George E. Allen (1896–1973), American political operative and one-time head coach of the Cumberland University football team * George Allen (Australian politician) (1800–1877), Mayor of Sydney and ...

and Jim Gilmore on the

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is the Commonwealth's coordinating body for higher education. SCHEV was established by the Governor and General Assembly in 1956. Its mission, which is outlined in the Code of Virginia§2 ...

, implementing each governor's vision for budgetary reform and program accountability. She also served as the first woman chairman of the

Republican Party of Virginia The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) is the Virginia chapter of the Republican Party. It is based at the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond. History The party was established in 1854 by opponents of slavery and secession in the commonwe ...

from 2004 to 2006. She stepped down from that post on November 15, 2006, following the 2006 midterm elections to serve as Senator George Allen's Chief of Staff for the remainder of his term in the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

following the Senator's loss As state GOP chair, she garnered national attention for her active opposition against tax increases and the expanding role of government at the state and national levels. During her tenure, she was referred to by ''

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the only major daily newspaper in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger between ...

'' as one of the rising stars in the GOP.

Speaking on college campuses

Obenshain is a campus speaker for both the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute and Young America's Foundation. She has spoken on college campuses for eighteen years on such topics as "The New Face of Feminism: It’s Wearing Lipstick," "Our Descent into Liberalism," and "America’s Noble Heritage: Hope from the Founding Fathers." Kate speaks across the nation on a wide variety of issues including life, national security, education, economic policy, political correctness on campus, and the changing role of women in public policy.

Family and personal life

Obenshain is the daughter of former party chair and 1978 U.S. Senate candidate

Richard D. Obenshain Richard Dudley Obenshain (October 31, 1935 – August 2, 1978) was an American politician and attorney. Obenshain had served as the chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, and was nominated in 1978 to run as the Republican nominee for the U ...

. Her brother,

Mark Obenshain Mark Dudley Obenshain (born June 11, 1962) is an American Attorney at law, attorney and politician. He is currently serving as a member of the Senate of Virginia from Harrisonburg, Virginia, Harrisonburg. He is a member of the Republican Party of ...

, is a member of the

Virginia State Senate The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virg ...

. She is a Virginia native and currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. She filed for divorce from her former husband Phillip in 2006.

Other achievements

Obenshain serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute. She is a co-founder of James 1:27 Foundation, a conservative non-profit organization. Obenshain has been featured in the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Great American Conservative Women Calendars. Her work is featured in the book ''Great American Conservative Women''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Obenshain, Kate 1969 births Living people 21st-century American women American women journalists Politicians from Richmond, Virginia Politicians from Winchester, Virginia Republican Party of Virginia chairs University of Virginia alumni Virginia Republicans Women in Virginia politics Journalists from Virginia Political chiefs of staff United States congressional aides