| Thaddeus McCotter | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Joe Knollenberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thaddeus George McCotter August 22, 1965 Livonia, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Rita McCotter (1992–present) |
| Children | George (1993), Timothy (1995), Emilia (1997) |
| Residence | Livonia, Michigan |
| Alma mater | University of Detroit |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Religion | Christian (Roman Catholicism) |
Thaddeus George "Thad" McCotter (born August 22, 1965) is the U.S. Representative to Michigan's 11th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. From July 2 to September 21, 2011, he was an official candidate for the Republican nomination for president in the 2012 election.
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McCotter was born in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School, Redford in 1983. His mother, Georgia Joan McCotter, was the City Clerk of Livonia.[1] He received a B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1987 and a J.D. from the same school in 1990.
McCotter had a private law practice before being elected to the Wayne County Commission in 1992. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that new taxes win the approval of two-thirds of the Commission and 60% of voters in order to be passed.
McCotter was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1998. As a State Senator, he helped apportion the U.S. Congressional district from which he was elected in 2002.
Shortly before the midterm elections in November 2006, McCotter made a $250,000 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. After the elections, when the Republicans had become the minority party in the House of Representatives, McCotter sought the Chairmanship of the House Republican Policy Committee. The other Republican seeking the post was Congressman Darrell Issa of southern California. In late 2006, McCotter was selected by the House Republican Caucus to head the Republican Policy Committee.
McCotter is a member of both the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and the conservative Republican Study Committee.
In May 2007, McCotter, along with 55 other Republicans, voted for a bill, written by House Democrats, aimed at stopping energy price gouging. This was done against the wishes of House Minority Leader John Boehner, who labeled the bill "as pointless political pandering".[2]
McCotter has been an avid supporter of the United States' involvement in both the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. In his 2011 book Seize Freedom!, he wrote that the two wars "were never separate wars; they have always been battle theaters in the War for Freedom."[3]
On September 22, 2008, McCotter became the first Republican in the House of Representatives to oppose the $700 billion Paulson bailout plan, calling it "American socialism." A week later, he and 132 other Republicans voted against the bill.
At the end of July 2009 McCotter introduced a bill to allow pet owners a $3500 tax deduction for pet care costs.[4] The bill, called the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act, was criticized by Howard Gleckman of the Tax Policy Center as "the poster puppy for all that is wrong with the tax code."[5]
McCotter has supported a variety of union-friendly measures such as collective bargaining agreements for government jobs and card check.[6]
McCotter was elected in November 2002 to the 108th Congress.
He was re-elected in the 2004 Congressional elections.
McCotter did not have a primary opponent for the 2006 Republican primary. His opponent in the November 2006 general election was Democrat Tony Trupiano, a progressive radio talk show host from Dearborn Heights. McCotter, Trupiano, Libertarian Party nominee John Tatar, and U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Charles Tackett, met for the only time for a taped League of Women Voters forum in mid-October. In radio and direct mail advertisements, McCotter criticized Trupiano's position on illegal immigration. McCotter won re-election with 55 per cent of the vote.
In November 2008, McCotter defeated Democrat Joseph Larkin, Green Party candidate Erik Shelley, and Libertarian John Tatar. McCotter won 51 percent of the vote to Larkin's 45 percent.
In November 2010, McCotter easilly defeated Democrat Natalie Mosher. McCotter won 59 percent of the vote to Mosher's 39 percent.
In April 2011, McCotter was the only member of Michigan's 15-member congressional delegation who did not confirm he was running for re-election.[7] He indicated interest in running against incumbent Senator Debbie Stabenow for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan up for election in 2012, but in May 2011, he announced that he would not campaign for the position.[8] After ending his bid for President, McCotter announced that he would seek the seat once more.
In May 2011, McCotter confirmed that he was considering a run for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in 2012.[9][10] By late June, sources indicated that McCotter would enter the race.[11]
On June 23, 2011, a McCotter representative bid $18,000 for a site at the Ames Straw Poll Auction in Iowa.[12]
On July 1, 2011, McCotter announced that he had filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as a Republican candidate for President.[13]
On July 2, 2011, McCotter formally announced his candidacy at a rock music festival in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, outside of Detroit.[14][15][16]
Throughout his campaign, many commentators suggested that McCotter's lack of recognition nationwide would hamper his chances of winning the nomination, and McCotter received less than one percent in opinion polls. On September 22, 2011, McCotter announced he was ending his campaign for the presidential nomination, suggesting that his not having access to presidential debates hindered his campaign. McCotter stated that he would endorse Mitt Romney.[17] McCotter called his termination of his campaign "death by media" and stated he may run again for his congressional district in 2012. [18]
McCotter is a practicing Catholic.[19] He is married to the former Rita Michel, a nurse. They have three children.
McCotter was once in a band called the New Flying Squirrels.[20]
In December 2005, McCotter joined with several other Congressmen to form the "Second Amendments," a bipartisan rock and country band set to play for United States troops stationed overseas over the holiday season. He plays lead guitar. In June 2006, the band played for President Bush's Picnic on the White House lawn, where Bush was quoted calling McCotter "that rock and roll dude." [21]
McCotter is a frequent guest on the late-night Fox News Channel television show Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.
McCotter is also a regular guest on Dennis Miller's radio show, where the comedian-host refers to him as "young Thad" and "T-Mac" and frequently comments that he "likes the cut of [his] jib."
In June 2011, McCotter appeared on the Fox News Channel show Huckabee, where he performed in a musical number with his guitar.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joe Knollenberg |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th congressional district 2003–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by John Kline R-Minnesota |
United States Representatives by seniority 213th |
Succeeded by Mike Michaud D-Maine |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Adam Putnam Florida |
Chairman of House Republican Policy Committee 2007–2011 |
Succeeded by Tom Price Georgia |
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