Giles Perkins, architect of the Senate's Jones victory in Alabama, dies at age 51



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  Senator Doug Jones and his wife Louise Jones greet their supporters. "Title =" Senator Doug Jones and his wife Louise Jones greet their supporters. "/> </source></source></source></source></picture>
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                  Senator Doug Jones described Giles Perkins by comparing him to Yoda, the wise master of the Jedi in" Star Wars "movies. | Justin Sullivan / Getty Images </p>
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<p>  Giles Perkins, Former Senator Doug Jones & # 39; (D Campaign President during his magnificent special election victory in 2017, died Sunday night after fighting pancreatic cancer </p>
<p>  Perkins, 51, died peacefully at home in Birmingham, surrounded by his family and close friends, including the senator. [19659005] Continuation of the story below </p>
<p>  Perkins was one of the main forces behind the Jones campaign in the Senate of the United States. Alabama last year, helping to get Jones through a second cause to a national cause and overthrowing the first Republican seat of Trump administration Perkins and his colleague Jones Councilor Doug T Ce are the ones who convinced Jones to show up Special Events of 2017. </p>
<p>  "I think Giles was <i> the architect of </i>," Jones said Monday. "We had so many people who contributed, but if there was an architect who would oversee the project, it would definitely be Giles." </p>
<p>  Perkins was undergoing chemotherapy in Jones' historic victory over Republican Roy Moore in 2017. Jones describes his friend. playing a soothing and disciplined role in the campaign, comparing it to Yoda, the wise master of the Jedi in the "Star Wars" movies. The campaign aimed to justify decades of Perkins' efforts to elect Southern Democrats during a difficult period for the party. After Jones' victory, Perkins helped other Democrats into tough races in the South, giving advice to campaigns including the 2018 Senate effort of Mike Espy in Mississippi. </p>
<p>  "He knew what you had to do to get voters from the South," said former chairman of the National Democratic Committee, Howard Dean, who had known Perkins for years. "In many ways, the election of Doug Jones is a great tribute to Giles." </p>
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Perkins was born in Lufkin, Texas, and grew up in a family involved in local politics and law. A fourth-generation lawyer, he graduated from Southern Methodist University, graduating from Washington and Lee University, where he was also president of the student body.

Perkins built his adult life in Birmingham, Alabama. He married Hillery Head, CEO of Ram Tool and Supply, and raised three children while working in state democratic politics, rooted in the desire to fight racial inequality and segregation.

Perkins served as re-election campaign director for Richard Arrington Jr. First black mayor of Birmingham in 1995, he was executive director of the Alabama Democratic Party from 1997 to 1999. He advised elected officials to the state, including two governors.

Perkins was also a candidate for a mandate, without success. for Attorney General in 2010 – with Jones as Campaign Director

Joe Trippi, a Democratic consultant who collaborated with Perkins for Jones' campaign, recalls asking Perkins one evening how he managed to be on every call and each campaign. strategy meeting to fight against cancer. Chemotherapy would be enough to hit most people, Trippi said.

"I will never forget him because he looked at me and said it was because he wanted to show his children how to live," he said. Trippi remembers. his voice was breaking. "And helping Jones get elected was the best way to do it."

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