Peña, Federico, 1947-

Frederico Fabian Peña was born in 1947 in Laredo, Texas. He earned his B.A. in 1969 and his J.D. in 1972, both from the University of Texas. After a short stint working as a legal aid attorney in El Paso, Peña moved to Denver, Colorado, where he was admitted to the bar and again worked in legal aid before becoming a staff attorney for the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 1979, Peña won a seat in the Colorado state House of Representatives and within four years had become the body's minority Speaker. In 1983, he ran a successful campaign to become the mayor of Denver, defeating the fourteen-year incumbent and becoming the first Latin American mayor of the city. Peña secured reelection in 1988, but in 1991 he decided not to run again, choosing instead to establish an investment company. In 1992, President-elect Bill Clinton tapped Peña -- who had advised Clinton on transportation issues during the presidential campaign -- to become secretary of transportation, a post Peña held from 1993 to 1997.

<p>Federico Fabian Peña was born and raised in South Texas. By age fifty-two he had logged a distinguished political career as a Colorado state legislative leader, Denver's mayor, and the head of two major federal agencies as a member of President Bill Clinton's cabinet.</p>

<p>Born in 1947 in Laredo, Texas, as one of six children, Federico Peña was raised in an upper-middle-class Hispanic family. His father, a Texas A&M University graduate, was a successful cotton broker. Peña's ancestors had helped in the founding of Laredo, and several held elective posts during the Civil War. His lineage, therefore, was one of both economic and political participation and success.</p>

<p>Peña's early schooling was in English-speaking Catholic schools in Brownsville, Texas, he was a top performer in both academics and athletics. Federico went on to the University of Texas in Austin for his bachelor of science and law degrees (1969 and 1972, respectively). In 1973 he moved to Denver where he worked with the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund and as a private attorney, focusing primarily on civil rights cases and voting issues.</p>

<p>Federico was born in Laredo, Texas in 1947. He went to law school at the University of Texas Law School and worked as a lawyer for many years in El Paso, Texas. In 1973, he moved to Denver.</p>

<p>Federico worked for the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund. He worked very hard and was successful. This helped him get elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. In 1983, he decided to run for the mayor of Denver. His opponent, William H. McNichols, Jr., had been the mayor for fourteen years and was favored to win. But the underdog Federico won! He became the first Hispanic mayor of Denver.</p>

<p>Federico had a lot of energy and ambition. He started many new projects as mayor. He funded the building of the Denver International Airport, a beautiful library in downtown, a large convention center, and a new baseball team for Denver, the Colorado Rockies. Federico was also interested in art and saving historic buildings. He created thirty-three historic districts and designated 350 individual landmarks. The people of Denver liked the work that Federico was doing for them and the city and reelected him to a second term as mayor in 1987. Federico decided not to run for a third term in 1992; he had other ambitions.</p>

<p>Federico Fabian Peña (born March 15, 1947) is an American attorney who was the United States Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 1997 and United States Secretary of Energy from 1997 to 1998, during the presidency of Bill Clinton.</p>

<p>Born in Laredo, Texas, Peña earned a Bachelor of Arts (1969) and Juris Doctor (1972) from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law, respectively.</p>

<p>Moving to Colorado, where he became a practicing attorney, Peña was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1979, where he rose to become Minority Leader.</p>

<p><b>RACES</b>
<ul>
<li> 03/12/1997 US Secretary of Energy Won 99.00% (+98.00%)</li>
<li> 01/21/1993 US Secretary of Transportation Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li> 06/16/1987 Denver Mayor - Runoff Won 50.97% (+1.94%)</li>
<li> 05/19/1987 Denver Mayor Won 37.27% (+0.00%)</li>
<li> 06/21/1983 Denver Mayor - Runoff Won 51.44% (+2.87%)</li>
<li> 05/17/1983 Denver Mayor Won 36.28% (+5.40%)</li>
<li> 11/04/1980 CO State House 05 Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li> 11/07/1978 CO State House 05 Won 78.51% (+57.01%)</li>
<li> 09/12/1978 CO State House 05 - D Primary Won 75.30% (+50.60%)</li>
</ul>
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