Anne Whitestone

**Anne Marie Whitestone** (née **Livingston**; born March 22, 1965) is an American politician and educator serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Virginia since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018, and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th district from 2011 to 2014.

Whitestone was born in Palm Beach, Florida, and spent her early life between Washington, D.C. and New York City. After graduating from Phillips Academy Andover in 1983, Whitestone began studying sociology at Yale University. She received her bachelor's degree in 1987, and later began a doctoral program at the University of Chicago, receiving a master's degree and doctorate in sociology in 1993. Afterwards, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at George Washington University, later beginning her teaching career there. She became a tenured professor of sociology in 2000, and later became the head of the sociology department in 2005. Whitestone left her career as a professor in 2011, in order to begin a political career.

Whitestone began her political career in 2010, being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 8th district. She served for one-and-a-half-terms, before announcing her candidacy for Governor of Virginia in 2013. She went on to win the Democratic nomination, and later won the general election. At the end of her single term in office, Whitestone announced her candidacy for United States Senate in 2017. She won the Democratic nomination and later won the general election, being sworn in to the Senate on January 3, 2019.

## Early life and family

Whitestone was born on March 22, 1965 in Palm Beach, Florida to parents John Livingston (born 1934) and Elizabeth Kennedy Livingston (born 1936). Her father is a New York-born real estate developer and venture capitalist, while her mother is a Connecticut-born socialite and homemaker. Whitestone spent the bulk of her youth living in New York City, growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. In 1978, the family moved to the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when her father began pursuing a career as a political lobbyist. They returned to New York City in 1980, when he left his lobbying firm to continue his previous work. Whitestone grew up as an only child in an Episcopalian family, although she was not raised particularly religious. She is of English ancestry, with some of her family arriving on the Mayflower.

## Education and early career

Whitestone attended private schooling growing up. She began her education in 1971, attending Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, a private coeducational PK–12 school in Manhattan. After moving to Washington, D.C. in 1978, Whitestone attended Sidwell Friends School for a year. Whitestone began high school in 1979, and moved to Andover, Massachusetts to study as a boarding student at Philips Academy Andover, an exclusive 9–12 boarding high school. At Andover, Whitestone was on the school dance team and an honors student. She graduated from high school in 1983.

After finishing her high school education, Whitestone moved to New Haven, Connecticut to attend Yale University. She graduated from Yale in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. While at Yale, Whitestone joined the Pi Beta Phi (ΠΒΦ) sorority. After graduating from Yale, Whitestone moved to Chicago, Illinois to attend the University of Chicago, studying a doctoral program in sociology. She received her master's degree and doctorate in sociology in 1993, focusing on gender studies. After graduating, Whitestone moved to Washington, D.C. to begin work as a postdoctoral fellow at George Washington University. She began teaching classes in 1995, later becoming a tenured professor of sociology in 2000. In 2005, Whitestone was promoted to head of the department of sociology at George Washington University. She left her job as a professor in 2011, in order to pursue a career in politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Anne Whitestone.*

## Personal life

Beginning her position at George Washington University in 1993, Whitestone and her husband moved into a three-bedroom townhouse in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of D.C., valued at $2.7 million. In 2002, they moved to an eight-bedroom house in Alexandria, Virginia, valued at $4.8 million. After filing for divorce in 2004, she remained in their Alexandria home, while her ex-husband later moved to Chicago.

After being sworn in as Governor of Virginia in 2014, Whitestone moved into the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Virginia. After completing her term as Governor, she returned to her Alexandria home in 2018.

### Relationships

Whitestone began dating sociologist Gordon Whitestone in 1990, meeting while they were both doctoral students at the University of Chicago. Gordon completed his doctoral studies in 1991, and they continued their relationship long-distance while Anne completed her studies in Chicago and Gordon worked as a researcher in Washington, D.C. They became engaged in 1992, and married the following year, the same year Anne completed her studies. They had one child together: Margaret "Maggie", born  (1996-05-17) May 17, 1996 (age 27).

Anne filed for divorce from Gordon in 2004, and the divorce was finalized the following year. Their child, Maggie, remained primarily in Anne's custody. Whitestone began a relationship with real estate developer Daniel James shortly after her divorce. They married in 2010, and he moved into her Alexandria home. Whitestone filed for divorce from James in 2015, citing physical and emotional abuse. Their divorce was finalized the following year, and Whitestone subsequently also was granted a restraining order against him.