Kenny Hulshof

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Kenny Hulshof
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Harold Volkmer
Born	May 22, 1958 (1958-05-22) (age 50) Sikeston, Missouri
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Renee Hulshof
Religion	Roman Catholic

Kenneth C. "Kenny" Hulshof (born May 22, 1958) is a politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, currently representing Missouri's 9th congressional district (map) in the United States House of Representatives.

[edit] Biography

Hulshof was born in Sikeston, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri. Hulshof earned his J.D. from the University of Mississippi Law School. Prior to serving in Congress, Hulshof worked in the public defender's office and as a special prosecutor for the Missouri attorney general's office. As a special prosecutor, Hulshof was detailed to capital cases, a matter he has highlighted in his campaigns.

Hulshof sought the Republican nomination for Boone County Prosecuting Attorney in 1990, but was defeated in the primary by Kevin Crane. In 1994 the Ninth District Republican Committee selected Hulshof to replace Missouri University political science professor Rick Hardy as the GOP's candidate for Congress (Hardy withdrew shortly after winning the primary due to exhaustion). Despite a late start in the race, Hulshof captured 45% of the vote and nearly beat the incumbent, Democrat Harold Volkmer.

Hulshof immediately began preparing to challenge Volkmer again in 1996. Hulshof had to first win the Republican primary against Harry Eggleston. Hulshof won the primary by 168 out of 38,000 votes cast. During the general election, Volkmer attacked Hulshof as being a puppet of Newt Gingrich and Hulshof said that Volkmer voted twenty times to raise taxes in twenty years. Hulshof won the election by a 49%-47% margin, and has been easily re-elected in every election since. Hulshof made known his desire to run for Governor of Missouri in 2004, but in the end withdrew in favor of then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt, who won.

Hulshof's voting record in the House is fairly conservative; among other issues, he has voted against abortion rights and same-sex marriage, while supporting the death penalty and the Patriot Act. [1]

Hulshof is Roman Catholic, and is active in the St. Thomas More Newman Center on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Missouri-Columbia.

In 2005, Hulshof joined the all-Congressional band the Second Amendments, to play for U.S. troops stationed overseas during the period between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Hulshof played the drums.

There had been rumors in Washington and back in Hulshof's district in Missouri that he might leave US Congress to become the University of Missouri president.[2] Hulshof ended up confirming the rumors after his candidacy became common knowledge. However, the University of Missouri Board of Curators ended up voting to offer the position to another University of Missouri graduate, who ultimately turned down the offer. The Board has since then started over their search but as of September 2007, they were yet to complete the task.

With recent news that Missouri Governor Matt Blunt will not be seeking re-election in 2008, Hulshof announced on January 29 that he would run for Governor. Hulshof will likely face off against State Treasurer Sarah Steelman in the Republican primary.

[edit] Committee Assignments

• Ways and Means Committee
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Trade
• Board of Directors of the MU Farmhouse Foundation

[edit] Electoral History

[edit] 1998

[edit] 2000

[edit] 2002

[edit] 2004

[edit] 2006

[edit] References

1. ^ 1998 Election Results
2. ^ 2000 Election Results
3. ^ 2002 Election Results
4. ^ 2004 Election Results
5. ^ 2006 Election Results

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congressman Kenny Hulshof official site
• Kenny Hulshof for Governor official campaign website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia