Ron de Lugo
Encyclopedia
Ron de Lugo was the first Delegate
from the United States Virgin Islands
to the United States House of Representatives
. His fathers parents were Puerto Ricans his grandfather owned a hardware store and gun dealership in Charlotte Amale, St. Thomas. His parents though living in New Jersey at the time he was born had also lived in the Virgin Islands as civil servants. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey
, and attended the Colegio San José
, Puerto Rico
. He served in the United States Army
, serving as a program director and announcer for the Armed Forces Radio Service. He worked at WSTA radio
, St. Thomas, and at WIVI radio, St. Croix
. He was a Virgin Islands territorial Senator, a Democratic National Committee
man, the administrator for St. Croix, the representative of the Virgin Islands to Washington, D.C.
, and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
s in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968.
De Lugo was elected as a Democrat
Delegate
to the United States House of Representatives, serving from January 3, 1973 to January 3, 1979.
De Lugo chose not to seek re-election to the U.S. House in 1978 in order to pursue a bid for Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. A Democrat, De Lugo challenged incumbent Governor Juan Francisco Luis
in the 1978 gubernatorial election. He chose Eric E. Dawson, a Senator in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands
, as his running mate for lieutenant governor
. Governor Juan Luis defeated de Lugo in the gubernatorial general election on November 7, 1978. Gov. Luis and Lt. Henry Millin
won 10,978 votes, or 59.2% of the total vote. De Lugo and Dawson placed second, garnering 7,568 votes, or 40.8%. Luis won all three of the U.S. Virgin Islands' main islands in the election.
He was not a candidate for reelection in 1978, but was an unsuccessful candidate for election as Governor of the Virgin Islands. He was elected to the House again, serving from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1995. He is a resident of Saint Croix.
The Ron de Lugo Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on St. Thomas
is named for him.
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
from the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. His fathers parents were Puerto Ricans his grandfather owned a hardware store and gun dealership in Charlotte Amale, St. Thomas. His parents though living in New Jersey at the time he was born had also lived in the Virgin Islands as civil servants. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, and attended the Colegio San José
Colegio San José
Colegio San José is a college-preparatory catholic school for boys in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. It is a fully accredited Catholic college preparatory school for young men, grades 7 to 12, which develops capable, responsible and sensitive Christian leaders, committed to the service of God and neighbor...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving as a program director and announcer for the Armed Forces Radio Service. He worked at WSTA radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, St. Thomas, and at WIVI radio, St. Croix
Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Formerly the Danish West Indies, they were sold to the United States by Denmark in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of...
. He was a Virgin Islands territorial Senator, a Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
man, the administrator for St. Croix, the representative of the Virgin Islands to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
s in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968.
De Lugo was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Delegate
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
to the United States House of Representatives, serving from January 3, 1973 to January 3, 1979.
De Lugo chose not to seek re-election to the U.S. House in 1978 in order to pursue a bid for Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. A Democrat, De Lugo challenged incumbent Governor Juan Francisco Luis
Juan Francisco Luis
Juan Francisco Luis was a U.S. Virgin Island politician who served as the third elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the territory's 23rd Governor overall. Luis assumed the governorship on January 2, 1978, succeeding Governor Cyril King, who died in office...
in the 1978 gubernatorial election. He chose Eric E. Dawson, a Senator in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands
Legislature of the Virgin Islands
The Legislature of the Virgin Islands is the territorial legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. The legislative branch of the unincorporated U.S. territory is unicameral, with a single house consisting of 15 senators, elected to two-year terms without term limits. The territorial...
, as his running mate for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
. Governor Juan Luis defeated de Lugo in the gubernatorial general election on November 7, 1978. Gov. Luis and Lt. Henry Millin
Henry Millin
Henry A. Millin was an U.S. Virgin Islander banker and politician. Millin served as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1978 until 1983.-Early life:...
won 10,978 votes, or 59.2% of the total vote. De Lugo and Dawson placed second, garnering 7,568 votes, or 40.8%. Luis won all three of the U.S. Virgin Islands' main islands in the election.
He was not a candidate for reelection in 1978, but was an unsuccessful candidate for election as Governor of the Virgin Islands. He was elected to the House again, serving from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1995. He is a resident of Saint Croix.
The Ron de Lugo Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
is named for him.