Jim Bridenstine

Jim Bridenstine
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 1st district
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by John Sullivan
Personal details
Born James Frederick Bridenstine
(1975-06-15) June 15, 1975
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Michelle Ivory Bridenstine
Children Walker
Sarah
Alma mater Rice University
Cornell University
Religion Southern Baptist
Website House website
Official website
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Navy
Years of service Active: 1998–2007
Reserve: 2007–present
Rank Lieutenant Commander

James Frederick "Jim" Bridenstine (born June 15, 1975) is an American politician who has been the United States Representative for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district, based in Tulsa,[1][2] since 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life, education, and military service

Bridenstine was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is a Jenks High School graduate,[3] a graduate of Rice University with three majors, and has an MBA from Cornell University.[4] He is a former executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium and is a Naval Aviator in the U.S. Navy Reserve where he flies the E-2C Hawkeye in Central and South America in support of the War on Drugs.[5] Bridenstine is an Eagle Scout and received several military awards, including the Air Medal. As of 2013 Bridenstine was a State of Oklahoma record holder in 200 meter swimming (freestyle, relay).[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

2012 election

In the Republican primary election on June 26, 2012, Bridenstine defeated five-term incumbent U.S. Congressman John Sullivan 54% to 46%. Although he identified with the tea party and was perceived as running to Sullivan's right, Bridenstine's actual policy statements differed little from those of Sullivan.[7][8] [9] [10] In the November 2012 general election, he defeated Democratic nominee John Olson 63%–32%, and won all five counties in the district.[11] Bridenstine had effectively clinched a seat in Congress by ousting Sullivan in the Republican primary. The 1st is a heavily Republican district with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+16, and has been in Republican hands since 1987.

Committee assignments

As of February 2013, Bridenstine has the following committee assignments:

Legislation

Bridenstine introduced the Weather Forecasting Improvement Act of 2013 (H.R. 2413; 113th Congress) into the House on June 18, 2013.[12] Bridenstine introduced the bill in response to several 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes.[13] Bridenstine said that "my state has seen all too many times the destructive power of tornadoes and severe weather. In the wake of the latest outbreak in May that cost 48 lives, it is painfully clear that we must do more."[13] Bridenstine claimed 30 times more money was being spent on climate change research than on weather forecasting and warning, a claim that is not true.[14]

In 2013, Bridenstine sponsored an amendment to the annual defense appropriations bill, which would have required Department of Defense reports on the strategic importance of natural gas interests in the Caspian Sea area, and the value of building a gas pipeline out of the region.[15] This came after a visit to Baku upon invitation of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic.[16] Of 10 members of Congress he was the only one who disclosed the value of the trip (more than $14,100).[17]

Campaign financing

In the 2014 election cycle, Bridenstine´s top 3 campaign contributors were Northrop Grumman, Latshaw Drilling, American Optometric Association, Citizens United and the Every Republican is Crucial Political Action Committee.[18] He received $29,000 from donors associated with the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians and the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan (AFAZ), per an analysis of the Center for Responsive Politics.[18]

Cruz campaign

Bridenstine is one of three co-chairs of the Veterans Coalition supporting Ted Cruz for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential campaign. He is joined in "Vets for Ted" by former U.S. Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire and Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell. Bill Connor is national director of the coalition.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Republican Jim Bridenstine to challenge incumbent John Sullivan". Tulsa World. 2011-09-15. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  2. ↑ "Bridenstine announces bid for Congress". www.krmg.com. 2011-09-15. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  3. ↑ "GTR Newspapers | Find Local Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Union, and Owasso News, Sports, and Entertainment:Jim Bridenstine a Challenger for Dist. 1". Gtrnews.com. 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  4. ↑ "Jim Bridenstine". Restoring America Project. 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  5. ↑ "About Jim Bridenstine the Republican Patriot For U.S. Congress". Jimbridenstine.com. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  6. ↑ "Oklahoma Swimming Records" (PDF). teamunify.com. 2 May 2013. p. 14. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
  7. ↑ "Tea Party favorite Bridenstine defeats incumbent Sullivan in Oklahoma House race". Fox News. June 27, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Five-Term Oklahoma Congressman Sullivan Suffers Primary Defeat". KOTV. 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  9. ↑ Dan Phillips (2012-06-27). "Bridenstine Defeats Incumbent Sullivan In Primary". KTUL. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  10. ↑ SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press (2012-06-27). "Navy pilot upsets 5-term Oklahoma congressman". SFGate. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  11. ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=705054
  12. ↑ "H.R. 2413 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  13. 1 2 Kasperowicz, Pete (28 March 2014). "GOP: Predict storms, not climate change". The Hill. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  14. ↑ "Rep. Jim Bridenstine says U.S. spends 30 times as much on climate change research as on weather forecasting". Politifact.com. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  15. ↑ Jim Bridenstine congressional office (June 12, 2013). "Congressman Jim Bridenstine Supports Economic Freedom and Political Independence in Former Soviet Republics" (press release). Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  16. ↑ Scott Higham, Steven Rich, Alice Crites (13 March 2015). "10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government". Washington Post. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  17. ↑ James Bridenstine (13 June 2013). "Member post travel disclosure form" (PDF). US House Committee on Ethics. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  18. 1 2 "James Bridenstine top 20 Contributors, 2013-2014". The Center for Responsive Politics. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  19. ↑ "Sen. Cruz Names U.S. Sen. Bob Smith, Congressman Jim Bridenstine, and Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell Co-chairs of Vets for Ted; Bill Connor to Serve as National Director". tedcruz.org. Retrieved August 26, 2015.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Sullivan		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 1st congressional district
2013–present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Ami Bera
D-California 		United States Representatives by seniority
307th 		Succeeded by
Susan Brooks
R-Indiana
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