Leah G. Cole Allen (born October 15, 1988)[1] is an American politician who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in the 2022 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.

Leah Cole Allen
Allen in 2013
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 12th Essex district
In office
May 1, 2013 – September 28, 2015
Preceded byJoyce Spiliotis
Succeeded byThomas Walsh
Personal details
Born (1988-10-15) October 15, 1988 (age 36)
Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyRepublican

State representative

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Allen was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2013. A first time candidate, she defeated Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne 35% to 34% in a special election to fill the 12th Essex District seat that had been vacant since the death of Joyce Spiliotis the previous November.[2] She was reelected in 2014 and remained in the House until September 28, 2015, when she resigned to focus on her nursing career.[3]

2022 election

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Allen lost her nursing job at Beverly Hospital for not complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.[4] Allen then entered the 2022 election for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts as the running mate of Geoff Diehl.[5] She defeated Kate Campanale in the primary election to win the Republican nomination.[6] Allen and Diehl lost the general election to Democrats Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll.[7]

Personal life

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She was born in Lynn, Massachusetts.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Kashinsky, Lisa (March 31, 2022). "Diehl Finds His Equalizer". Politico. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  2. ^ Ogan, Terri; Dostis, Melanie (April 3, 2013). "GOP newcomer, 24, Leah Cole, and longtime politician Wayne Matewsky capture state representative seats in Peabody and Everett". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. ^ Swift, Adam (September 21, 2015). "Rep. Cole Stepping Down From House Seat". Peabody Patch. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  4. ^ Norton, Michael P. (May 14, 2022). "Allen: 'My beloved Beverly Hospital let me go'". The Salem News. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  5. ^ Joyce, Tom. "Leah Cole Allen Weighs In On Bid For Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts". NewBostonPost. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  6. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (September 7, 2022). "Leah Cole Allen wins GOP nod for lieutenant governor". WBUR. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Democrats sweep Mass. Midterms".
  8. ^ "Geoff Diehl & Leah Allen". Geoff Diehl & Leah Allen. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from the 12th Essex district

2013–2015
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
2022
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