Meet James Carville's wife, Mary Matalin, who made bipartisan marriage look cool
I'd rather be married to someone who's passionate and I disagree with than be married with no passion.
The quote above is about James Carville's wife. It was made by the Democratic Party strategist, and it sums up his marriage to Republican Party consultant Mary Matalin—a top political consultant, editor, and author.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mary Matalin is an American political consultant primarily known for her work with the Republican Party.
- She has notably served in three national administrations under presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush.
- James Carville and Mary Matalin got married in 1993, a year after they began their romance while working on opposing camps during the 1992 US presidential campaign.
- In 2016, Matalin changed her affiliation from Republican to Libertarian and is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump.
Profile summary
Full name | Mary 'Jo' Matalin Carville |
Common name | Mary Matalin |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 19 August 1953 |
Age | 72 years as of 2025 |
Zodiac sign | Leo |
Place of birth | Calumet City, Illinois, United States |
Residence | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christian |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Brown |
Father | Steven George Matalin |
Mother | Eileen Emerson Matalin |
Siblings | 3 |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Chester James Carville Jr. |
Children | 2 |
High school education | Thornton Fractional North High School |
Higher education | Western Illinois University, Hofstra University |
Profession | Political consultant, author, media personality |
Net worth | $6 million |
Meet James Carville's wife, the Republican pillar in a bipartisan home
Mary Jo (James) Matalin was born on 19 August 1953 in Calumet City, Illinois, United States, to Eileen Emerson and Steven George Matalin. Her father, Steven Matalin, was a United States Air Force veteran in the Korean War and later worked for Capital Engineering.
Her mother, Eileen Matalin, owned and operated the Don Roberts School of Hair Design in Highland.
Mary has two biological siblings, Irene M. O'Brien and Steven M. Matalin and four stepbrothers: Mike, Tony (Erica), Scott (Wendy), and Adam Parks Riccardi.
Source: Original
A look at Mary Matalan's background
Born on 19 August 1953, the American political strategist is 72 years old as of 2025. Her zodiac sign is Leo.
Mary Matalin attended Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City, Illinois, where she graduated in 1971. She enrolled in Western Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in political science and graduated in 1978.
After graduating, she immersed herself in politics, joining the re-election campaign for Illinois Lt. Governor David O’Neal. She later attended Hofstra University School of Law but dropped out to return to political work.
Mary Matalin's long career in conservative politics
Matalin began her political career while in college, taking part in local campaigns for famous and influential leaders in Illinois and later in state and national campaigns. Here is a summary of her career in politics and media.
From campaign strategist to the White House
Source: UGC
In 1980, Matalin joined Illinois Lt. Governor David O'Neal's re-election campaign. She later joined the Reagan Revolution campaign in Washington, D.C., where she served in the Republican National Committee. Mary Matalin's civil service also included being an adviser and assistant to President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
In 1984, she led the campaign for one of the oldest American presidents, Ronald Reagan. In 1992, she served as deputy campaign manager for political operations for all 50 states in President George H.W. Bush's re-election campaign.
She simply described her general election strategy as 'to win' in an interview with Campaigns & Elections. Here are some major campaigns she has been a part of, according to the Notable Names Database (NNDB):
Campaign | Leader | Year |
Presidential | Ronald Reagan | 1984 |
Presidential | George H.W. Bush | 1988 |
Presidential | George H.W. Bush | 1992 |
Presidential | George W. Bush | 2000 |
Presidential | George W. Bush | 2004 |
Senate re-election | George Allen | 2006 |
Presidential | Fred Thompson | 2008 |
Presidential | John McCain | 2008 |
Private consultancy and advisory work
Source: Twitter
She has served on various boards, including the Tulane University President’s Council, the Academy of the Sacred Heart, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the Louisiana Nature Conservancy, and Loyola University New Orleans. Matalin and her husband co-chaired the 2013 NFL Super Bowl host committee.
Becoming a popular conservative voice on the radio and TV
Following her civil service, James Carville's wife, Mary Matalin, established a significant career in media and publishing, with various contributions to print. In 2005, she was appointed editor-in-chief of Threshold Editions, a conservative imprint at Simon & Schuster.
She has written two books: All's Fair: Love, War, and Running for President and Letters to My Daughters. Here are some of the shows the political consultant, who was listed as one of the 100 Most Important Talk Show Hosts in America in 1996, 1997, and 1998, has hosted or appeared in as a guest, as per IMDb.
Talk show/TV show | Role | Period |
Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid | Self | 2024 |
9/11 | Self | 2021 |
The Adjustment Bureau | Self | 2011 |
Backfire: How to Destroy a Presidential Candidate | Self | 2016 |
Race for the White House | Self | 2016 |
Both Sides Now w/ Huffington & Matalin (radio) | Self | 2010–2011 |
ABC News Republican Debate, New Hampshire | Commentator | 2012 |
Feeding the Beast: The 24-Hour News Revolution | Self | 2004 |
The Mary Matalin Show (radio) | Host | 1990s–2025 |
Equal Time | Host | 1993–1999 |
Brokaw Reports: 58 Days | Self | 1992 |
Crossfire | Co-host | 1982–2014 |
The interparty marriage: What happened to Mary Matalin and James Carville?
Source: Twitter
Mary and James Carville's love story was brought to life in The War Room and Return to the War Room, which chronicled Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and its key players. At the time, Matalin was the deputy director for George H.W. Bush’s re-election campaign, while Carville was a key strategist for his opponent, Bill Clinton.
The couple first met on 8 January 1991. In an interview with CBS News, she recounted their initial meeting.
It wasn't really a date. I don't know what we were -- it was something. It was vodka and French fries; that's all I remember. And I was struck, stayed struck, and am struck.
The couple has been married since 25 November 1993 in a private civil marriage ceremony at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. The ceremony was accompanied by a 10-minute Mardi Gras parade turned wedding parade that made its way through four blocks of French Quarter streets.
Family life: Mary Matalin's daughters
James and the American talk show host have two daughters named Matalin Mary 'Matty' Carville and Emerson 'Emma' Normand Carville. Here are details of their lives.
Source: Facebook
1. Matalin Mary Carville
Matty Carville is a former New Orleans City Hall worker turned doula. She got married on 6 November 2021 at the Matalin-Carville family farm in Virginia. She has one child, only known as Maddy.
2. Emerson Normand Carville
The youngest Carville daughter, Emerson Normand Carville, attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. She also went to Louisiana State University.
FAQs
- What is Mary Matalin known for? She is an American political strategist and consultant, well known for her work with the Republican Party.
- What books has Mary Matalin written? James Carville's wife has written two books: All's Fair: Love, War, and Running for President and Letters to My Daughters.
- Where do James Carville and Mary Matalin live? The couple have called New Orleans home since 2008.
- Are James Carville and Mary Matalin married? The couple has been married since 25 November 1993 to date.
- How old are Mary Matalin's daughters? Born in 1995 and 1998, Matalin Mary and Emerson Normand Carville are 30 and 27 years old.
- How old are James Carville and Mary Matalin? The political commentators are 81 and 72 years of age as of 2025.
- Is Mary Matalin a Trump supporter? She supported President Trump's campaign for president and famously said, "I'm a never Hillary, and I'm a provisional Trump."
James Carville's wife, Mary Matalin, is a renowned political consultant, adviser, media personality, and author. Her involvement in American politics has contributed to the election of presidents such as Ronald Reagan and both Bush leaders. She has two adult children, Matalin Mary and Emerson Normand Carville.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
