| Tim Holden | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 17th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | George Gekas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 5, 1957 St. Clair, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Gwen Holden |
| Residence | St. Clair, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Bloomsburg University |
| Occupation | real estate/insurance agent |
Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden (born March 5, 1957) is the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district, serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Holden graduated from St. Clair Area High School in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, in 1975. In 1980, he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He became a licensed real estate agent, and later an insurance broker in 1983. He has worked as a probation officer and as Sergeant-at-Arms for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and was the sheriff of Schuylkill County.
Holden is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.[2] His priorities are jobs and the economy, reducing out of control healthcare costs, protecting seniors, rural infrastructure and the Second Amendment. He supports hard-working people, from factory workers to small-business owners, and is against trade deals that export American jobs. He believes in protecting and creating good-paying jobs, reasonable tax cuts, and is a long time advocate for fiscal responsibility and balancing the federal budget.[2][3] He is ranked as one of the top 15 most conservative Democrats in the House by the National Journal. He voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In March 2010, Holden voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,[4] saying it was "Robbing Peter to pay Paul".[5]
Holden represented the 6th District from 1993 until 2003, and following redistricting he has represented the 17th District.
In 1992, Holden was first elected to Congress from the 6th District, based in Reading and including Berks and Schuylkill counties. The district was populated mostly by Reagan Democrats who were still willing to vote Republican in most elections (it voted for George H. W. Bush in 1992, Bob Dole in 1996 and George W. Bush in 2000), but Holden was reelected four times without serious opposition.
Pennsylvania lost two districts after the 2000 United States Census. The Republican-controlled General Assembly dismantled the 6th, splitting its territory among three other districts. The legislature considered placing Holden's home in Schuylkill County in the 11th District, a heavily Democratic area in northeastern Pennsylvania. This would have forced a primary matchup with Paul Kanjorski, an eight-term Democrat who was slightly more liberal than Holden. Eventually, it moved Holden's home to the Republican-leaning Harrisburg-based 17th District, represented by 10-term Republican George Gekas.[6] On paper, the redrawn 17th appeared to so heavily favor Gekas that it appeared unwinnable for a Democrat, even one as conservative as Holden. To some, it was a blatant gerrymander intended to force Holden into retirement. Gekas retained 60% of his former territory, and George W. Bush had carried the newly drawn district with 57% of the vote in 2000.[7] However, to the surprise of many observers, Holden did not retire, instead opting to run in a district that was 65% new to him (a small corner from the even more Republican 9th District was moved to the 17th). Gekas was forced into his first real campaign ever. Holden managed to gain endorsements from much of Gekas' old base, much to Gekas' surprise. Even Gekas' hometown paper, The Patriot-News, endorsed Holden, saying that the 17th was not the same district that elected Gekas in 1982. Gekas got another rude surprise when Holden visited African American neighborhoods such as Uptown and Allison Hill after finding out that Gekas had never set foot in these neighborhoods in his congressional career. He asked the residents of these neighborhoods not to vote for a congressman who didn't bother to visit them. In November 2002, in one of the biggest upsets in recent political history, Holden narrowly defeated Gekas.
In 2004, Holden ran for re-election against Republican lawyer Scott Paterno, son of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno,.[8] Paterno was actively supported by influential Republicans, and President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney came to the district several times to support him. Nevertheless, Holden won re-election by a comfortable margin even as Bush easily carried the district.
Holden faced Republican Matthew Wertz, an Afghanistan War veteran, in the 2006. However, Wertz dropped out of the race before the general election citing personal reasons and Holden went on to easily win re-election with 65% of the total vote.[9]
In 2008, he faced Republican Toni Gilhooley, a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper and 25 year veteran of the force, whom he defeated with 64% of the vote (one percent less than the previous election).
Holden was challenged by Republican nominee, State Senator Dave Argall.[10] Unlike other Democrats in Eastern Pennsylvania like Chris Carney and Patrick Murphy, Holden won re-election, and did so with a 12 point margin, defeating Argall 56% to 44%.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gus Yatron |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district 1993–2003 |
Succeeded by Jim Gerlach |
| Preceded by George Gekas |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district 2003– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Maurice Hinchey D-New York |
United States Representatives by seniority 80th |
Succeeded by Eddie Bernice Johnson D-Texas |
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