Leadership History of the Rutanian Democratic Alliance

Below is a brief summary of the political career of each leader of the Rutanian Democratic Alliance as it appears in the Rutanian Hansard.

Katherine “Kate” Jane Holland
Kate Holland first became active in politics while at university. She was a National Executive Committee member of the National Union of Students. She co-convened the NUS Anti-Racism/Anti-Fascism Campaign. She was elected to the House in 4293 and was appointed to the front bench as the party’s spokesman for Infrastructure and Transport under Olivia Woodward.

In the interim period before the official foundation of the Democratic Alliance, Holland became a key figure within the party and was selected unanimously to serve as its first leader.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Elected Party Leader on January 1, 4311.
 * Born May 13, 4268
 * Married to Chance Gabrielson. Mother to Ella.

Michael Stuart Fisch
Michael Fisch was elected to the House immediately after graduating from business school. He contested the deputy leadership in 4304. He placed third, behind Peter Abigail and Piers Paulus. His support helped secure Abigail’s win over Paulus. As a reward, Fisch was named to the front bench as the party’s spokesman for Internal Affairs.

After the foundation of the Democratic Alliance, Fisch was elected Deputy Leader.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Elected Party Deputy Leader on January 1, 4311.
 * Born February 2, 4267
 * Married to Amelia Holt. Father to Alyssa.

Mary Phillipa Delano
Mary Delano had formerly been a physics teacher and head of science at Mayberry Charteris School but left the post to concentrate on campaigning before the 4293 elections.

She was appointed to cabinet in 4311 as Minister for Food and Agriculture, just months after having been elevated to the front bench.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Food and Agriculture spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Ministerial service: Appointed Minister for Food and Agriculture on April 3, 4311.
 * Born August 2, 4267
 * Married to James Bone. Mother to Jack, Terrence, and Penny.

Benjamin “Ben” Adam Stephens
Ben Stephens was elected to the House while still a student at university. He worked during the day and completed his education by taking classes at night. Following his graduation, he was appointed to the front bench as Food and Agriculture spokesman. He remained in that position until the foundation of the Democratic Alliance in 4311, where he served as the party’s Trade and Industry spokesman. He joined cabinet as Minister for Trade and Industry in April 4311.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4297. Reelected to the House in November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Trade and Industry spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Ministerial service: Appointed Minister for Trade and Industry on April 3, 4311.
 * Born March 24, 4277
 * Married to Reginald Grace.

Peter David Abigail
Peter Abigail was a prominent rugby player until he ended his athletic career to enter politics in 4293. An outside candidate for the deputy leadership in 4304, Abigail was able to rally support and ultimately claim the position on the fourth ballot.

After the foundation of the Democratic Alliance, Abigail resigned as deputy leader of the National Coalition Party and was named Defence spokesman.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Defence spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born April 26, 4263
 * Married to Maria Paige. Father to Kathryn.

Justin Bryant Bonhomme
Prior to standing for the House, Justin Bonhomme was a management consultant with Trend and Windsor. At the time of his election, was a director of Policy Exchange, a centre-right policy body.

He gave up his business career to focus on developing policy for the National Coalition Party and later the Democratic Alliance. Bonhomme was a leading figure within the centre-right of the party.

After the DA was founded, Bonhomme moved to the front bench as the party’s spokesman for Science and Technology.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Science and Technology spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born August 4, 4260
 * Married to Lucinda Thorne. Father to Danita, Palmer, Nathan, Edmund, and Daniel.

Dominic Timothy Coachman
Dominic Coachman was a well-known lawyer prior to his election to the House in 4293. He was called to the Bar in 4275 and is a specialist in occupational safety and health law.

In April 4294, Coachman was named by Prime Minister Adam Pollard to serve as Richard Gillard’s Deputy Minister for Environment and Tourism. He held that post for more than four years.

After the foundation of the DA, Coachman was finally elevated to the front bench as the party’s spokesman for the Environment and Tourism. He was nearly appointed to cabinet in a widely speculated reshuffle, although the reshuffle was narrowly avoided after the governing parties were able to resolve their differences.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Environment and Tourism spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born May 24, 4251
 * Married to Vivetta Sweet. Father to Annalise and Davena.

Luke Euan Curtis
Luke Curtis served in the military prior to entering politics. He was elected to the House in 4293. He sat quietly on the backbenches until shortly before the November 4297 elections. Curtis took particular interest in getting veterans more involved in the party.

Following Adam Pollard’s resignation, Curtis was narrowly elected leader over Jack Goldie. Curtis was viewed as a compromise candidate.

Curtis resigned as leader following the 4301 general elections in which the party lost nearly half its seats in the House. Under Richard Gillard and Olivia Woodward, Curtis sat on the backbenches.

He helped found the Democratic Alliance in the winter of 4310. As a reward for his contribution to both the NCP and the DA, Curtis was selected to serve as Party President.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Party President on January 1, 4311.
 * Born November 30, 4254
 * Married to Rachel Martel. Father to Otto, Rosalind, and Hunter.

Niamh Evelyn Field

 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Education and Culture spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born August 15, 4263

Hannah Mary Kerr
Hannah Kerr worked as a reporter for a year before her election to the House in 4293. In 4304, Kerr was named to the front bench as the party’s spokesman for the Environment and Tourism.

She almost contested the leadership of the Democratic Alliance but withdrew in favor of Kate Holland in 4311.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Party Vice President on January 1, 4311.
 * Born June 1, 4270
 * Married to Cynthia Johns.

Freya Josepha Kirk

 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Whip on January 1, 4311.
 * Born March 18, 4258
 * Married to Michael Kirk. Mother to Freddie, Paul, Christabella, and Julianna.

Jessica Eustacia Lord

 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Health and Social Services spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born March 26, 4258
 * Married to Brandt Sessions. Mother to Tamsin, Dirk, and Kaitlin.

Nicholas “Nick” Michael McCarr
Nick McCarr began working for the National Coalition Party as a Political Research Officer and was the Economics and Welfare Policy Officer in the run-up to the 4293 elections.

After his election, McCarr worked to build up the party’s regional offices. He was appointed Environment spokesman in 4300 as part of a massive front bench reshuffle. Following the 4301 elections, McCarr was appointed Whip.

McCarr was named Internal Affairs spokesman for the Democratic Alliance in 4311.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Internal Affairs spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born October 14, 4262
 * Married to Sarah Miles. Father to Dalton and Roger.

Rachel Louisa McDonald
Rachel McDonald worked as a pediatrician prior to her election to the House. Luke Curtis named her to the front bench in 4300. After Olivia Woodward became leader, McDonald was moved to the Justice brief.

McDonald served in the Finance brief in Kate Holland’s Democratic Alliance. While not officially recognized as a minister, Rachel McDonald led the ministry after Piers Paulus resigned, until the formation of a new government.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Finance spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born October 6, 4258
 * Married to Tobin Forrest. Mother to Russell, Genevieve, and Faye.

Richard “Rab” Simon Montgomery
After graduating from university, Rab Montgomery worked for four years as a management consultant, and then became a language teacher abroad. On his return to Rutania, Montgomery tried his hand at a number of different entrepreneurial business ventures. He later founded a successful public relations firm.

He was elected to the House in 4293 and contested the leadership in 4298. He surprisingly topped the third ballot, only to be defeated on the fourth. Following his defeat, he was appointed the party’s spokesman for Defence.

He again ran for the leadership following Richard Gillard's resignation in 4304. He tied with Olivia Woodward on the third ballot but ultimately changed his vote to support her on the fourth ballot. His vote allowed Woodward to win the position.

Montgomery helped found the Democratic Alliance with Olivia Woodward towards the end of 4310. He immediately withdrew his name from consideration from the leadership and helped create the party’s platform. He was later named Foreign Affairs spokesman.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Foreign Affairs spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born November 1, 4248
 * Married to Nadine Robbins. Father to Terrence, Hugo, and Ramsey.

Darren Paul Seder
Darren Seder was elected to the House shortly after he graduated from university. He contested the leadership election in 4304 and placed last. Olivia Woodward, however, named him Party Vice President. As Party Vice President, Seder took on a significant role in restructuring the party’s policies and platform.

Under Kate Holland, Seder moved to the Justice brief.
 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Justice spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born January 21, 4270
 * Married to Ian Stevenson. Father to Lila.

Christopher “Chris” Laurence Stano

 * Parliamentary service: Elected to the House of Representatives in November 4293. Reelected to the House in November 4297, November 4301, November 4302, November 4306, and November 4310.
 * Party service: Appointed Infrastructure and Transport spokesman on January 1, 4311.
 * Born June 5, 4263
 * Married to Sarah Thacker. Father to Josh.