Jason Lewis (Minnesota politician)

Jason Lewis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded by John Kline
Personal details
Born Jason Mark Lewis
(1955-09-23) September 23, 1955
Waterloo, Iowa, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Alma mater University of Colorado at Denver
University of Northern Iowa
Website jasonlewis.house.gov

Jason Mark Lewis[1] (born September 23, 1955) is an American politician and Republican Party member currently serving as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 2nd congressional district. Prior to being elected, Lewis was a radio talk show host, political commentator, and writer. He hosted The Jason Lewis Show from 2009 through 2014.

Education

Lewis was born in 1955 in Waterloo, Iowa.[2] He has a master's degree in political science from the University of Colorado at Denver as well as a Bachelor of Arts in education/business from the University of Northern Iowa.[3]

Radio career

Lewis' show was syndicated nationally by the Premiere Radio Networks and the Genesis Communications Network. Before his show was nationally syndicated, Lewis broadcast locally for ten years on KSTP in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota, until Lewis moved to WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he spent three years. In 2006, Lewis moved back to Minnesota to the newly established KTLK-FM.[3]

On the February 17, 2009, episode of his show, Lewis announced that his show would be syndicated nationally, effective February 23, 2009. Since 2007, Lewis had been one of the most frequently used, and one of the most popular guest hosts of the Rush Limbaugh radio program, allowing him to reach a nationwide audience.[4]

On August 8, 2011, The Jason Lewis Show was picked up for national syndication by the Genesis Communications Network.[5] On the July 31, 2014, episode of his show, Lewis announced he was leaving his radio show to devote more time to a website he co-founded, galt.io.[6]

Writing

Lewis is the author of Power Divided is Power Checked: The Argument for States Rights from Bascom Hill Publishing.[7] In bonus commentary added to the audiobook version in 2016, Lewis drew parallels between the legalization of same-sex marriage and the abolition of slavery, stating that the federal government should not have a role in either.[8] In his 2011 book Power Divided is Power Checked, Lewis wrote that "slavery was mercifully conquered,"[9] though he cast doubt on the need to fight the Civil War—stating that Abraham Lincoln “exploited the issue” of slavery to justify the “War Between the States,”[10] and called for a constitutional amendment allowing “any state to peaceably leave the union.”[11][12]

Political campaigns

1990 U.S. House campaign

In 1990, Lewis ran for Congress in Colorado's 2nd congressional district. He was defeated by incumbent Democrat David Skaggs.[13] Lewis was mentioned as a possible candidate in 2014 against Senator Al Franken, but he did not run.[14]

2016 U.S. House campaign

In October 2015, Lewis filed paperwork to run for U.S. Congress in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district,[15] and was endorsed at the Minnesota Republican Party's convention on the 6th ballot on May 7, 2016.[16] He won the four-way Republican primary with 46% of the vote in August.[17]

The race was widely considered to be one of 2016's most competitive congressional elections.[11][17][18] Roll Call journalist Alex Roarty wrote that Lewis had not openly embraced Donald Trump, but that he has been "unafraid to embrace many of the presumptive presidential nominee’s trademarks: Tough talk, an aversion to political correctness, and a focus on border security."[10]

During the campaign, a number of Lewis's opinions from his radio and internet career were publicized by the news media, including comments he made about women and slavery.[17]

Lewis stated that "liberal reporters and typical politicians may not like the bluntness of the way I’ve framed some issues in my career as a voice in the conservative movement”[10] and that his comments were "taken out of context by his opponents and the media".[17]

On November 8, 2016, Lewis defeated Democrat Angie Craig and independent Paula Overby, and was thus elected to the United States House of Representatives.[19] Lewis, however, is not a resident of Minnesota's 2nd congressional district. He is a resident of Woodbury, MN, a nearby suburb located in Minnesota's 6th congressional district. [20]

Electoral history

1990 Second Congressional District of Colorado Elections
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic David Skaggs 105,248 60.67
Republican Jason Lewis 68,226 39.33

[21]

2016 Second Congressional District of Minnesota Elections
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Lewis 172,345 47.11
Democratic Angie Craig 164,621 45.0
Independence Paula Overby 28,508 7.79

[22]

Political positions

As of 5 April 2017, Lewis voted with his party in 98.6% of votes so far in the current session of Congress and voted in line with President Trump's position in 100% of votes.[23][24]

Abortion

Lewis opposes abortion.[25]

Environment

He opposes federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.[25] In February 2017, he voted to repeal the Stream Protection Rule, a regulation that required coal companies to restore streams and mined areas to their pre-development conditions. In February 2017, he voted in favor of repealing a rule that required energy companies to disclose payments to foreign governments.[24]

Health care

He favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).[25] He supported the March 2017 version of the American Health Care Act (the GOP's bill to repeal the ACA).[26] On May 4, 2017, he voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass the American Health Care Act.[27][28]

LGBT rights

In 2011, Lewis argued that prohibition of same-sex marriage was not a violation of equal rights, as gay individuals would be free to marry those of the opposite sex.[29] He has described the right of transgender students to choose which restrooms to use in public schools as an "abomination".[30]

References

  1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Marriage Index, 1958-2001 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007
  2. ↑ "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). Roll Call. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  3. 1 2 KTLK-FM official Jason Lewis biography
  4. ↑ Lambert, Brian (September 2, 2015). "'I wanted to make a political statement': a Q&A with former radio host Jason Lewis". MinnPost.
  5. ↑ "The Jason Lewis Show Joins the GCN Radio Network". Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "Radio host Jason Lewis quits show while on the air". Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  7. ↑ Lewis, Jason (2011). Power divided is power checked : the argument for states' rights. Minneapolis, MN: Bascom Hill Pub Group. ISBN 978-1-935098-50-8. OCLC 668197899.
  8. ↑ "Lewis' book offers provocative analysis on slavery and civil rights". Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  9. ↑ Brucato, Cyndy (February 23, 2016). "Provocateur-turned-politician Jason Lewis finding that past comments can haunt the present". MinnPost. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 Roarty, Alex (16 May 2016). "Mini Trumps Sound Like the Nominee". Roll Call. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  11. 1 2 COTTLE, MICHELLE (12 August 2016). "Meet Minnesota's Mini-Trump". The Atlantic. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  12. ↑ Brodkorb, Michael (22 February 2016). "Republican official says Jason Lewis' comments 'demonstrate ignorance'". Star Tribune. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Broadkorb, Michael (September 30, 2015). "GOP buzzing about possible Jason Lewis run for Congress". Star Tribune. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  14. ↑ Scheck, Tom (27 March 2013). "Franken hires a campaign manager". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "Jason Lewis files paperwork to run for Congress". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  16. ↑ "Jason Lewis wins 2nd District GOP endorsement over David Gerson – Twin Cities". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Pathé, Simone (9 August 2016). "Controversial Former Talk Radio Host Wins GOP Primary in Minnesota Battleground". Roll Call. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  18. ↑ Brodey, Sam (10 August 2016). "It's Jason Lewis vs. Angie Craig in what’s likely to be one of the most-watched congressional races in the country". Minn Post. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  19. ↑ Montgomery, David. "GOP’s Jason Lewis wins MN 2nd Congressional District; incumbent Democrats narrowly hold seats", TwinCites.com, November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Jason Lewis: 'No regrets' in life, 2nd District MN run for Congress". Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  21. ↑ 1990 Election Results for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives; retrieved November 9, 2016
  22. ↑ Results for Minnesota's 2nd congressional district; retrieved November 9, 2016
  23. ↑ Willis, Derek. "Represent". ProPublica. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  24. 1 2 Bycoffe, Aaron (2017-01-30). "Tracking Jason Lewis In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  25. 1 2 3 "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  26. ↑ The New York Times (2017-03-20). "How House Republicans Planned to Vote on the Obamacare Replacement". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  27. ↑ "How the House voted to pass the GOP health-care bill". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  28. ↑ "Health care vote puts pressure on dozens of vulnerable GOP reps". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  29. ↑ "Jason Lewis: Gays already have equal right to marry someone of opposite sex". MinnPost. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  30. ↑ "The UpTake - Jason Lewis Says Transgendered Students Using Bathroom Of Choice "An Abomination"". The UpTake. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Al Lawson
D-Florida		 United States Representatives by seniority
413th 		Succeeded by
Roger Marshall
R-Kansas
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