Joe Hoeffel

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Joe Hoeffel

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 13th district
In office 1999 - 2005
Preceded by	Jon D. Fox
Succeeded by	Allyson Schwartz

Born	September 3, 1950 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Francesca Hoeffel

Joseph M. "Joe" Hoeffel (pronounced "Huffle") (born September 3, 1950) is a Democratic U.S. politician from the state of Pennsylvania.

Hoeffel was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He attended Boston University and received his Juris Doctor degree from Temple University. He has been married for 26 years to Francesca Hoeffel, and they have two children. In a little-known footnote to history, Hoeffel's grandfather, also named Joseph M. "Joe" Hoeffel, served as coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1921, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on October 28, 2001 [1].

[edit] Political career

Hoeffel served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1977 through 1985. He gave up his seat in a bid for the 13th Congressional District in 1984. Representative Lawrence Coughlin defeated him in both 1984 and in 1986. After several years out of politics, Hoeffel won a seat on the Montgomery County Commission in 1991.

In 1996, Hoeffel made another run at Congress taking on freshman Congressman Jon D. Fox. That year Fox hung onto his seat by an 84-vote margin. However, in 1998, in his fourth attempt, Hoeffel broke through. Hobbled by a tough Republican primary and the fallout from the impeachment of President Clinton, Fox could not hang on a second time. Hoeffel won by more than 5,000 votes.

In Congress, Hoeffel was a member of two House committees: the International Relations and the Transportation and Infrastructure.

On July 20, 2004, Hoeffel became the third sitting US Congressman in one week, following Charles Rangel and Bobby Rush, to be arrested for trespassing while protesting alleged human rights violations in front of the Sudanese Embassy. US Senator Arlen Specter, Hoeffel's Republican opponent in the 2004 US Senate race, criticized the arrest as a publicity stunt.

Rather than holding onto his seat, Hoeffel decided in 2004 to run for the US Senate against Arlen Specter. In the election held on November 2, 2004, Hoeffel lost by more than ten points to Specter, 53% - 42%, and only carried four counties.

Hoeffel is a member of the Dean Dozen, a group of candidates for local and national office (although numerically far more than twelve, but grouped in twelves) endorsed by former presidential candidate Howard Dean and his Democracy for America organization.

He is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network.

[edit] Future plans

Many speculated that Hoeffel would attempt to run against U.S. Senator Rick Santorum in 2006. However, Congressman Hoeffel endorsed Bob Casey Jr. in that race.

Hoeffel announced that he would run for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006 against incumbent Catherine Baker Knoll. He made his official announcement on March 7, 2006, but then announced he had dropped out of the race a day later on March 8th. Governor Ed Rendell convinced Hoeffel that the Democratic ticket needed the geographic balance that Knoll (from Allegheny County) had to offer. [2] The Democratic Committees of Bucks and Chester Counties had overwhelmingly voted to endorse him over Knoll. [3]

In July 2006, Governor Ed Rendell named Congressman Hoeffel the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development. Secretary Hoeffel will oversee the International Commerce Office of the DCED.

As of February 14th, 2007, The Times Herald reports that Joe Hoeffel will resign his post as Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and run again as a Democrat for Montgomery County Commissioner with Ruth Damsker in 2007. [4]