Tom Ridge Biography, Wiki
Tom Ridge (full name: Thomas Joseph Ridge) is an American politician, writer, Vietnam War veteran and the first US Secretary of Homeland Security under the Bush administration. He is also the former Republican governor of Pennsylvania. A lifelong member of the Republican Party, Ridge returned to the spotlight on September 27, 2020, when he publicly endorsed Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, over Donald Trump. In the 2020 election, Ridge will be voting for the Democratic president for the first time.
The Tom Ridge Era
Born August 26, 1945 in Manhall, Pennsylvania, United States. There is a ridge 75 years old.
Height of Tom Ridge
He is a relatively tall man. The height of the ridge is 6 feet 2 inches (Approximately 1.88 m).
Tom Ridge Family
Ridge was born to mother Laura (née Sudymack) and father Thomas Regis Ridge in Munhall, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Valley. He was born the eldest of three children. Ridge’s father was a merchant and a Navy veteran. his paternal great-grandparents were immigrants from Great Britain, and his maternal grandparents were Ruthenian immigrants from Czechoslovakia (present-day Slovakia).
Wife of Tom Ridge
He has been married to his lovely wife Michelle Ridge since 1979. Ridge’s wife is the former executive director of the Erie County Library System. They are the proud parents of two children: Leslie and Tommy Ridge.
Health of Tom Ridge
During the Vietnam War, Ridge served six months as a staff sergeant with Bravo Company beginning in November 1969. His service ended in May 1970 when he ruptured his appendix. He also had an ear infection as a child, exacerbated by his military deployment, which left him with a hearing aid in his left ear. He lived a generally healthy life until he suffered a heart attack in 2017.
The Education of Tom Ridge
Ridge attended St Andrews Primary School and Cathedral Preparatory School, where he excelled both academically and in sport. He attended Harvard College, paying his tuition through construction work. Ridge also played baseball and football while at Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. He then entered Dickinson Law School and studied for a year, but in 1968 he was drafted into the US Army.
Governor Tom Ridge
Ridge ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 1994 despite not being well known outside of northwestern Pennsylvania. However, he won the election because he was a Republican supporter. Ridge ran for re-election again in 1998, winning the race with 57 percent of the vote, the highest ever for a Republican governor of Pennsylvania.
During his tenure as governor, Ridge signed numerous death sentences, including two for African-American civil rights activist Mumia Abu-Jamal. He resigned as governor in 2001 to become director of homeland security after the 9/11 attacks.
Tom Ridge National Guard
Ridge resigned as governor of Pennsylvania in 2001 to become director of homeland security after the 9/11 attacks. President George W. Bush sought to create the Department of Homeland Security, which came into existence in January 2003 and after the passage of the National Security Act of 2002. Ridge became the first Secretary of Homeland Security, serving from 2003 to 2005. He resigned. message dated 30 November 2004 stating that:
“After more than 22 consecutive years of public service, it is time to give personal and family matters a higher priority.”
Tom Ridge Trump
Ridge has been a lifelong Republican but has been fiercely critical of President Donald Trump. He has been particularly vocal about Trump’s grievances against mail-in voting, saying it leads to widespread voter fraud. In a Twitter war of words, Donald Trump once called Ridge a “failed RINO,” adding that he “enjoys watching pathetic Never Trumpers get bent!”. On September 27, 2020, Ridge publicly endorsed Joe Biden for POTUS in the 2020 election.
Endorsed by Tom Ridge | Tom Ridge Joe Biden
Ridge has made several endorsements throughout his political career. He endorsed Mitt Thomney in 2012. However, what stood out was Ridge’s public statement on September 27, 2020, endorsing Joe Biden for president. Ridge is a lifelong Republican, but supports the Democratic presidential candidate. The 2020 election will be the first time Ridge will vote for a Democratic candidate for POTUS. Former aides in the Trump administration Miles Taylor and Olivia Troy also support Biden. In his own words, Ridge released a statement that read:
“I will cast my vote for Joe Biden on November 3. This will be my first vote for a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. But this isn’t the first time I’ve said no to Donald Trump. I urge my fellow Pennsylvanians to join me.”
Tom Ridge Environmental Center
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is named after former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. It is a 65,000-square-foot (6,039 m2) center on the grounds of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, including exhibits highlighting local and regional flora and fauna. It also preserves the area’s human history and culture, a large-screen movie theater, a visitor center, a gift shop, a cafe, and a 75-foot (23 m) observation tower overlooking Lake Erie.
Tom Ridge’s heart attack
He is generally healthy most of his life. However, on November 16, 2017, Ridge was hospitalized in critical condition in Texas after suffering cardiac arrest. He has since recovered.
Tom Ridge Net Worth
Ridge was in public service for more than two decades before retiring to private business. No doubt he has amassed a good fortune over the years. Ridge has an estimated net worth of 17 million dollars.
