Biography
Natalie Tennant was the secretary of state of West Virginia from 2009 - 2017 and was the 2014 Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia. The seat was open after incumbent Democrat Jay Rockefeller announced his retirement. Tennant lost in the general election to U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito.
Tennant was born on December 25, 1967, and raised in Fairview, West Virginia. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in corporate and organizational communication from West Virginia University. At WVU, Tennant was the first woman to represent the university as the Mountaineers' mascot.
Prior to her election as secretary of state, Tennant was a television reporter and co-owner of Wells Media Group, a video production and media training company she operated with her husband, Democratic State Senator Erik Wells. She took office as West Virginia's secretary of state in 2009. In 2011, Tennant ran for governor in a special gubernatorial election but lost in the primary. in 2020 Tennant ran for secretary of state but lost.
Sources:
Ballotpedia (n.d.). "Natalie Tennant" Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 9, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Natalie_Tennant
Natalie Tennant for Secretary of State (n.d.). Natalie Tennant for Secretary of State. Retrieved September 9, 2022. https://www.natalietennant.com/