Christine Todd Whitman

American politician and author (born 1946)

Christine Todd Whitman is a former Republican governor of New Jersey who made history as the state’s first and only female governor. She later served as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President George W. Bush. In 2022, Whitman joined forces with Andrew Yang to create the centrist Forward Party.

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About the Christine Todd Whitman

Christine Temple Whitmanis an American politician and author who served as the 50th governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001 and as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. As of 2024, Whitman is the only woman to have served as governor of New Jersey.

Born in New York City to a Republican political family, Whitman graduated from Wheaton College in 1968 and began her political career in the Nixon administration’s Office of Economic Opportunity. After coming within three percentage points of unseating U.S. Senator Bill Bradley in 1990, she ran for governor of New Jersey, defeating Democratic incumbent Jim Florio. A self-described Rockefeller Republican, Whitman defeated Democrat Jim McGreevey to win re-election in 1997. She remained governor until stepping down in 2001 to become Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, where she served until 2003. During her tenure at the EPA, Whitman was noted for having assured the public that the air in lower Manhattan was safe to breathe following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; she apologized in 2016 for having made this statement.

In 2022, Whitman joined former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang to form the Forward Party, a centrist third party.

Frequently Asked Questions

Christine Todd Whitman is an American politician and author who served as the 50th governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001 and as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003.

Christine Todd Whitman is the only woman to have served as governor of New Jersey. She was a Rockefeller Republican who defeated the Democratic incumbent Jim Florio to become governor and was re-elected in 1997.

During her time as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Whitman was noted for assuring the public that the air in lower Manhattan was safe to breathe following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She later apologized in 2016 for making this statement.

In 2022, Christine Todd Whitman joined former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang to form the Forward Party, a centrist third party.

Christine Todd Whitman was born in New York City to a Republican political family. She graduated from Wheaton College in 1968 and began her political career in the Nixon administration’s Office of Economic Opportunity.

Whitman ran for the U.S. Senate in 1990, coming within three percentage points of unseating incumbent Bill Bradley. She then ran for governor of New Jersey, defeating the Democratic incumbent Jim Florio and winning re-election in 1997.