| Jim Barcia | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 31st district |
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| In office January 2003 – January 2011 |
|
| Succeeded by | Mike Green |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | February 25, 1952 Bay City, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Victoria |
| Profession | public administration |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
James Allan (Jim) Barcia is a Democratic politician from Michigan. He has served successively in the Michigan House of Representatives, the Michigan Senate, the United States House of Representatives and then again the Michigan Senate, from which he was forced out in January 2011 by term limits.[1][2]
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Barcia was born in Bay City, Michigan. He graduated from Bay City Central High School. He received a B.A. from Saginaw Valley State College in 1974. He was staff assistant to United States Senator Philip A. Hart of Michigan in 1971. Barcia also was a community service coordinator for the Michigan Blood Center, between 1974 and 1975, and he was and administrative assistant to Michigan state representative Donald J. Albosta, from 1975 to 1976.
Barcia was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, from 1977 to 1983. He left the House after being elected to the Michigan Senate, where he served until he resigned in 1993 to enter the United States House of Representatives.
Barcia was elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 5th congressional district to the 103rd Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1993 to January 3, 2003. He was a moderate Democrat who opposed abortion and gun control. He had a lifetime rating of 54 from the American Conservative Union--the highest of any Democrat from Michigan at the time.
After the United States 2000 Census, Barcia's district was dismantled by the Republican-controlled state legislature. Most of his district's territory was shifted to the 10th District, but his home in Bay City was merged with the neighboring 9th District of fellow Democrat Dale Kildee. The new district retained Barcia's district number (the 5th), but was geographically more Kildee's district. Under the circumstances, Barcia opted to run for his old seat in the State Senate and won.
On April 23, 2004, he was indicted on federal campaign finance law violations relating to the failed 2002 congressional bid of then-Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga. The charges against Barcia were dropped in July 2005, after being found to be completely without merit.
On October 10, 2002, Jim Barcia was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.
With Kildee announcing his retirement on July 2011, Barcia is considering running for his congressional seat in 2012.[3]
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul B. Henry |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th congressional district 1993–2003 |
Succeeded by Dale Kildee |