John Salazar | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 3rd district |
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In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2011 |
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Preceded by | Scott McInnis |
Succeeded by | Scott Tipton |
Personal details | |
Born | July 21, 1953 Alamosa, Colorado |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Mary Lou Salazar[1] |
Children | Esteban Salazar Miguel Salazar Jesus Salazar[1] |
Residence | Manassa, Colorado |
Alma mater | Adams State College (B.S.) |
Occupation | rancher |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Military service | |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1973-1976[1] |
John Tony Salazar (born July 21, 1953) is the former Congressman for Colorado's 3rd congressional district, serving from 2005 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Following his service in Congress, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the Cabinet of Governor John Hickenlooper in 2011. [2]
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Salazar was born in Alamosa, Colorado.
Salazar served in the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1976, and is a farmer and rancher.[1] His formal education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Adams State College in 1981. Salazar was the owner of an internet company, Spudseed.com, which marketed potatoes, as well as serving as a director of Monte Vista Production Credit Union and Agro Engineering, Inc.[3]
Salazar served on several Colorado public bodies including the Governor's Economic Development Advisory Board, the Rio Grande Water Conservation District and the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Forum.[3] He also served on the Colorado Agricultural Commission from 1999 to 2002 before being elected to the Colorado House of Representatives from 2003 until 2004.
Salazar is concerned with water rights in particular.[4] He has said his top priority on Capitol Hill will be ensuring that water derived from the snow melt of Colorado's Western Slope will stay in his district instead of being sent to California or Nevada.
Though a Democrat, he has conservative leanings — he opposes expanding gun control and supports permanent repeal of the inheritance tax and lower taxes.[4] He also supports allowing Americans to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. He belongs to the Blue Dog Democrats,[5] leading him to oppose measures such as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the American Clean Energy and Security Act in 2009.[6][7] He voted in favor of the Stupak Amendment restricting federal funding of elective abortions. He however voted for the Senate version of the health care bill lacking the Stupak Amendment language.[8]
As a veteran, a son of a veteran, and father of a child serving in the Colorado National Guard as of 2004, Salazar has also been vocal against cuts to veterans' benefits. Salazar introduced the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, designed to protect the integrity of medals, to the House of Representatives, which he has cited as his best achievement in politics.[1]
Salazar was considered for the post of Secretary of Agriculture by Barack Obama but Tom Vilsack was chosen instead.[9][10]
Salazar was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2004.[3] His election to succeed retiring Republican Scott McInnis was one of the most contested House elections of the year.[3] Salazar defeated Greg Walcher who had attacked Salazar as being soft on illegal immigration,[3][11] while Salazar criticised Walcher for his previous support of a failed 2003 referendum which he said would have diverted water from the district, an important issue in western Colorado.[11][12] In a year when Republicans made gains, John Salazar was only one of three Democratic pick-up seats in the House of Representatives.[13]
John Salazar was re-elected in 2006 after his first term in Congress defeating Republican Scott Tipton.[14] John Salazar raised almost three times as much money as Tipton and won over 60% of the vote, including more Republican areas of the district.[15] Salazar had campaigned as a moderate, middle of the road candidate, with the opinion polls having showed him ahead in the election.[15]
Salazar won in 2008 with a similar margin as 2006 defeating rancher and county commissioner Wayne Wolf.[16] Salazar had a massive fundraising advantage over Wolf who only had about $16,000 for the campaign.[16]
Salazar was defeated for re-election by Republican Scott Tipton. Tipton had unsuccessfully challenged Salazar in 2006. Libertarian Gregory Gilman and Independent Jake Segrest were also on the ballot; Independents John W. Hargis, Sr. and James Fritz qualified as write-in candidates.
Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||||
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2004 | John Salazar | 153,500 | 50.9% | Greg Walcher | 141,376 | 46.9% | Jim Krug | Independent | 6,770 | 2.2% | * | ||||||||
2006 | John Salazar | 146,488 | 61.6% | Scott Tipton | 86,930 | 36.5% | Bert Sargent | Libertarian | 4,417 | 1.9% | Bruce Lohmiller | Green (Write-in) | 23 | 0.01% | |||||
2008 | John Salazar | 196,214 | 61.4% | Wayne Wolf | 123,346 | 38.6% | |||||||||||||
2010 | John Salazar | 118,048 | 45.8% | Scott Tipton | 129,257 | 50.1% |
Salazar is married to Mary Lou Salazar and has three children: Esteban, Miguel and Jesus. They live in Manassa, Colorado.
Salazar's younger brother, Ken Salazar, is a former United States Senator from Colorado and the current Secretary of the Interior.
List of Hispanic Americans in the United States Congress
United States House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by Scott McInnis |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 3rd congressional district 2005-2011 |
Succeeded by Scott Tipton |