Karen Handel is an American businesswoman and politician, and a member of the Republican Party. She has served in a variety of roles, including chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Georgia Secretary of State and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Handel faced controversy during her tenure at the charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure and resigned in 2012 after pushing to cut funding for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood. She later became the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Georgia in 2017, but lost her seat to Democrat Lucy McBath in 2018 and 2020.
Wiki/Biography
Karen Christine Walker was born in Washington, DC, USA on Wednesday, April 18, 1962 (she is 61 years old as of 2023), under the astrological sign of Aries. She grew up in Upper Marlborough, Maryland. In May 1980, she completed high school at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlborough. She subsequently attended Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland, and the University of Maryland University College in Adelphi, Maryland. However, she did not complete her degree.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′3″
Hair color: brown
Eye color: amber
family
Parents and siblings
Little is known about her family. She has a sister named Jennifer.
husband and children
In November 1992, she married Steve Handel, CEO of “Textgov LLC”, an electronic media advertising representation company.
Karen Handel and her husband
religion
Karen Handel followed Christianity.
Profession
After completing her formal education, she began working at Hallmark Cards. She later served as deputy chief of staff to Marilyn Quayle, the wife of Vice President Dan Quayle. In this role, she focuses on promoting breast cancer awareness and research. Karen Handel became Fulton County Commission Chair in 2003 and served until 2006. She later served as Georgia Secretary of State from 2007 to 2010. During her tenure, she faced controversy for purging electoral rolls, leading to accusations of voter suppression. In 2010, Hendel ran for governor of Georgia but lost in the Republican primary.
Karen Handel during political campaign
Karen Handel then worked at Susan G. Komen’s The Cure, where her stance on Planned Parenthood funding sparked controversy and eventually resigned. Handel entered national politics, winning a special election for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District in 2017 but losing to Democrat Lucy McBath in 2018. In subsequent elections, including 2020, she continued to face challenges but remained committed to conservative causes. Handel has aligned himself with Republicans on a variety of issues, including opposing abortion, supporting gun rights and supporting limited government intervention on climate change matters.
post political career
After losing his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Hendel became president and CEO of Carroll Tomorrow. The organization is dedicated to economic development in Carroll County, a county of about 120,000 people just west of metro Atlanta.
Favorites
- Song: “A String of Pearls” by Glenn Miller
Facts/Trivia
- She was deeply religious, she said, often traveling two hours to attend sermons at Milner’s Rock Springs church.
- She does not support LGBTQ people.
- Karen Handel is a die-hard fan of the American football team, the Indianapolis Colts.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education