Kaine’s Wife Steps Down as Virginia Education Secretary

Anne Holton has a long history in Virginia politics

Sen.-elect Tim Kaine and his wife Anne Holton walk to a freshmen luncheon on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol in 2012. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Sen.-elect Tim Kaine and his wife Anne Holton walk to a freshmen luncheon on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol in 2012. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Posted July 26, 2016 at 3:46pm

Anne Holton, wife of Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Kaine, resigned Tuesday as Virginia’s education secretary.  

Holton made the decision to step down after Hillary Clinton chose Kaine to be her running mate , according to WRIC-TV in Richmond . She’s held the position since January 2014.  

“Over the past two years, we have worked together to achieve significant accomplishments, including substantial investments in K-12 and higher education, innovative SOL reform, and life-changing work in some of Virginia’s most challenged school divisions,” Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said of Holton in a statement.  

WRIC also reported that McAuliffe appointed Deputy Secretary of Education Dietra Trent to replace Holton, effective immediately.  

Holton’s father, Republican Abner Linwood Holton Jr., was Virginia governor from 1970-74.  

Kaine was governor from 2006-10, making her the second daughter of a Virginia governor to become the state’s first lady, following Martha Jefferson Randolph. She was the first first lady to live in the executive mansion both as a child and as a first lady.  

She and Kaine, now a Virginia senator, met at Harvard Law School — they both earned their degrees in 1983 and were married the next year. They have three children, Nat, who is a Marine, Woody and Annella.


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