Gayle Conelly Manchin is the wife of the Democratic Senator everyone is talking about
By Kayla Kibbe — Written on Oct 05, 2018
Senator Joe Manchin just became the latest key figure in the ongoing Kavanaugh saga. Manchin, 71, is one of four senators whose vote determines whether Brett Kavanaugh will be elected to the supreme court. The West Virginia Senator is the only Democratic senator in the group, which also includes Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jeff Flake (R-Arizona). Manchin, along with two of the other key Senators, voted to advance the nomination to a final Senate floor vote.
Manchin has served as West Virginia State Senator since 2010. He launched his political career in 1982 as state legislator, a role he held until 1996. He then served as Secretary of Sate from 2000 to 2004 before beginning his tenure as the 34th governor of West Virgnia in 2005, ending his term in 2010.
The successful businessman and politician also has a big family, including three children and ten grandchildren. So who is Joe Manchin's wife? While all eyes are on Manchin, read on for everything you need to know about his wife, Gayle Conelly.
1. She is the former West Virginia Secretary of Education and the Arts
Conelly held the position from January 2017 through March 2018. As Secretary, Conelly oversaw a collection of six state agencies, including West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the West Virginia Library Commission, the Division of Culture and History, Volunteer West Virginia, the State Center for Professional Development, and the Division of Rehabilitation Services.
2. She was on the West Virginia Board of Education
She was a member of the board from 2007 through 2015, serving as president for two years between 2013 and 2014.
3. Former First Lady
Conelly was the First Lady of West Virginia throughout her husband's tenure as governor from 2005 through 2010. During this time, she also served as the chairperson of the West Virginia Citizen’s Council on Children and Families and Governor’s Healthy Lifestyles Coalition, co-chair of the Governor’s 21st Century Jobs Cabinet and the Intellectual Infrastructure of Vision Shared, and a member of the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service.
4. She's a West Virginia native
Like her husband, Conelly was born in West Virginia. She grew up in the city of Beckley, and later earned her undergraduate degree in language arts and education from West Virginia State University. She went on to receive a Master's degree in literacy education from the same school.
5. She and Manchin have been married since 1967
6. They have three children
Between daughters Heather and Brooke and son Joseph IV, the couple are also grandparents to ten grandchildren.
7. Heather Bresch controversies
The couple's eldest daughter, Heather Bresch, is the first woman to run a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, serving as CEO of Mylan since 2012. In 2007 Bresch was the center of controversy when reports surfaced alleging that the then-newly-appointed Mylan COO had received an MBA from West Virginia University despite incomplete graduation requirements. More recently, Bresch came under fire in 2016 for Mylan's inflated EpiPen prices.
Kayla Kibbe is a writer wrapping up her final semester at Connecticut College where she is an English major with a concentration in creative writing. She covers trending celebrity and entertainment news, love and relationships, and astrology.