Daisy Bartholomew

**Mary Catherine** "**Daisy**" **Bartholomew** (née **Andrzejewski**; born 2 March 1967) is an Atlantican politician and educator serving as the current Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2013. Bartholomew was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 representing Pennsylvania.

Bartholomew was born to Polish immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Taylor Allderdice High School in 1985, Bartholomew studied cognitive science at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1989. She later received her master's degree in elementary education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1991. Following her graduation, she began working as an elementary school teacher in Pittsburgh. In 1999, she was elected to the Board of Education of the West Jefferson Hills School District. She left her positions as a teacher and member of the Board of Education following the beginning of her political career in 2004.

Bartholomew began her political career after being included on the Conservative ticket for the 2004 Atlantican general election in Pennsylvania. When the party won enough seats, Bartholomew was elected to parliament. She has later won reelection in 2008, 2012, and 2016. Following the 2012 election, Kenneth Richardson announced his intention to resign as Leader of the Conservative Party after they lost their majority in parliament, and a leadership election was announced. Bartholomew went on to win the leadership election, and became Leader of the Conservative Party on 28 March 2013. As leader of the largest minority party in parliament, she also became Leader of the Opposition. Her leadership led her party to increase their seat count in 2016, and they are expected to challenge the Social Democratic Party's majority in the 2020 election.

Bartholomew has received heavy praise for her liberal-leaning policies as the Conservative Party leader, despite garnering some criticism from far-right members of her party. Self-identifying as a "moderate libertarian", Bartholomew has supported socially progressive causes, economically libertarian policies, and some moderate social welfare policies.

## Early life and family

Bartholomew was born on 2 March 1967 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to parents Paweł and Maria Andrzejewski (née *Dawidowska*). Her parents are both immigrants from Poland. After arriving in Atlantica in 1963, they Anglicized their names from Paweł Jan to "Paul John" and Maria Katarzyna to "Mary Catherine". Paweł worked various blue-collar jobs, while Maria was a housewife until beginning to work as a daycare employee in the 1980s. The family was working class. Bartholomew was named Mary Catherine after her mother, and was affectionately called "Daisy" since infancy to distinguish the two. She has a younger brother, John, born  (1970-05-03) 3 May 1970 (age 53), and a younger sister, Natalie, born  (1975-08-01) 1 August 1975 (age 48). Both of her parents are strict Roman Catholics and Conservatives who raised their children with similar moral values.

## Education and early career

Bartholomew began her education attending elementary school within the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. As a child, Bartholomew showed interest in a variety of academic subjects and hobbies, and participated in dance classes, science camp, musical theatre, creative writing, and bible studies. She began high school at Taylor Allderdice High School, where she graduated as her class's valedictorian in 1985. In high school, Bartholomew was also president of her school's chapter of the National Honor Society, member of the varsity girls volleyball team, member of a number of community service organizations, and active member of the school's drama department.

Following her graduation, Bartholomew began attending the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She graduated with a degree in cognitive science in 1989. While at the University of Pennsylvania, she joined the Chi Omega (ΧΩ) sorority. Later, Bartholomew moved to New York City to attend Teachers College, Columbia University, receiving a master's degree in elementary education in 1991. Shortly after, she became a certified elementary school educator. After graduating from graduate school, Bartholomew returned to Pittsburgh and began working as an elementary school teacher for the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. In 1999, she was elected to the Board of Education of the West Jefferson Hills School District, the school district in which she lived. Bartholomew left her teacher position and resigned from the Board of Education in 2004 to pursue a career in politics.

## Political career

### House of Commons

In 2003, Bartholomew was invited by the by the Atlantican Conservative Party to be included on their ticket for the 2004 Atlantican general election in Pennsylvania. The party ultimately won enough seats for Bartholomew to be seated, and she became a member of the House of Commons. She was later reelected in the 2008 and 2012.

#### Ministerial positions

After completing her first term as a backbencher and winning reelection in 2008, Bartholomew was appointed by Prime Minister Kenneth Richardson to serve as Minister of Urban Development. She assumed the position on 1 February 2009. Following the resignation of Greg Kennedy, Bartholomew was promoted to Minister of Education on 14 May 2010. After her promotion, Bartholomew spoke to reporters and called the position her "ultimate dream job".

### Leader of the Opposition

Following the 2012 election, Prime Minister Kenneth Richardson announced his resignation following the Conservative Party's loss of their parliamentary majority. Subsequently, a leadership election was announced and Bartholomew declared her candidacy. Bartholomew advanced through the parliamentary stages of the leadership election, and proceeded to the popular vote of registered Conservative Party members along with Heidi Jennings. In the election, Bartholomew defeated Jennings by a large margin, winning 67.4% of the vote to her 32.6%. Following the election, Bartholomew was named the new Leader of the Conservative Party in addition to the new Leader of the Opposition.

As leader, Bartholomew was charged with leading the Conservative campaign for the 2016 election. Bartholomew received praise from both sides of the aisle for her liberal-leaning policies, many of which assumed would garner support from moderates and some registered Social Democrats. In the election, the Conservative Party regained many seats that they previously lost despite still remaining the opposition party. They are expected to challenge the Social Democrats for their majority in the 2020 election.

## Personal life

Bartholomew met Michael Bartholomew in 1986, while they were both students at the University of Pennsylvania. They never got to know each other, and remained acquaintances for most of their time as undergraduates. In 1990, they reconnected in New York City while Bartholomew was attending Columbia University and Michael was attending Fordham University, soon beginning a romantic relationship. They later became engaged in August 1994, and married in Pittsburgh in May 1995.

The couple has three children together: Henry, born  (1997-02-13) 13 February 1997 (age 26), Isaiah, born  (2000-04-01) 1 April 2000 (age 23), and Mikaela, born  (2001-10-30) 30 October 2001 (age 22). Currently, the family has residences in both the Pleasant Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Bartholomew is a dual citizen of Atlantica and Poland, and also speaks fluent Polish, which she has called her mother tongue. She is a Roman Catholic.