Larry Bucshon

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Larry Bucshon
Larry Bucshon, official portrait, 112th Congress.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Preceded by Brad Ellsworth
Personal details
Born Larry Dean Bucshon
(1962-05-31) May 31, 1962 (age 50)[1]
Taylorville, Illinois, U.S.[1]
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Kathryn Bucshon
Children Four children
Residence Newburgh, Indiana
Alma mater University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois Medical School at Chicago
Occupation Heart Surgeon
Religion Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Military service
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy Reserve
Years of service 1989-1998

Larry Dean Bucshon (pron.: /buːˈʃɔːn/) (born May 31, 1962) is an American politician and heart surgeon who has been the U.S. Representative for Indiana's 8th congressional district since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Contents

Early life, education, and early career [edit]

Bucshon was born on May 31, 1962 and raised in Kincaid, Illinois. His father, Ronald, was a coal miner, Navy serviceman, and lifelong Democrat while his mother, Barbara, was a nurse.[2]

Bucshon graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and got his medical degree from the University of Illinois Medical School at Chicago. Following medical school, Bucshon completed a residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he served as chief resident in surgery and remained there to complete a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery. He also received training at the Milwaukee Veterans Affairs Hospital.[2] During this time, he enlisted with the United States Navy Reserve, where he served for almost a decade.

Medical career [edit]

Bucshon specialized in cardiothoracic surgery and has performed hundreds of heart surgeries. From 1995 to 1998, he was in private medical practice in Wichita, Kansas.[2] Bucshon joined Ohio Valley HeartCare in 1998, where he served as the group's president. He was named St. Mary’s Medical Staff Physician of the Year in 2007. He also served as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Medical Director of the open heart recovery intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital.[3]

U.S. House of Representatives [edit]

Elections [edit]

2010
See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana, 2010#District 8

Bucshon faced Democratic nominee State Representative Trent Van Haaften in the race to fill the seat vacated by Congressman Brad Ellsworth, who was running for Senate.[3]

Bucshon received support from the National Republican Congressional Committee and was named a GOP Young Gun.[4] During the campaign, Bucshon was endorsed by several conservative interest groups and elected officials, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Congressional Action Committee, United State Chamber of Commerce, National Right to Life Committee, Indiana Right to Life, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Campaign for Working Families, House Minority Leader John Boehner, U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.[5] Bucshon received significant campaign contributions from medical groups.[6]

Bucshon defeated van Haaften by a margin of 21 points, winning all 18 counties in the district.[7]

2012

Bucshon again faced Kristi Risk in the 2012 Republican primary.[8] Buschon edged out Risk in the 2010 GOP primary, with 16,262 votes to Risk’s 14,273.[9]

In the general election, Bucshon defeated former state Rep. Dave Crooks.[10]

2014

The conservative Club for Growth has announced that it will target Bucshon for defeat in the 2014 Republican primary.[11]

Tenure [edit]

Taxes and spending

Bucshon supports lower corporate and individual taxes. He has called for freezing spending at 2008 levels, extending the Bush tax cuts for all income brackets, and reviewing all government programs for places to reduce spending.[2] He has stated that Republicans need to "first admit we were partially to blame for the increased government spending over the past decade."[2][12] Bucshon supports simplifying the personal and corporate tax codes.[13]

Bucshon voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011, which created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Bucshon also supported a balanced budget amendment that would require the federal government to spend no more than it collects in revenue each year. During his 2010 campaign, Bucshon said one of his campaign goals was to lower taxes for all Americans.[13]

Health care

Bucshon supports the repeal of the Affordable Health Care for America Act.[2] Bucshon supports reforms that that expand and reform high-risk pools and federal reinsurance programs and lower costs.[2] Bucshon wants to increase transparency in medical care costs.[12] Bucshon has called for cuts in health care programs.[14][15]

Gun laws

Bucshon, who describes himself as "an ardent supporter of protecting the Second Amendment", has supported several bills that loosen restrictions on gun ownership. Bucshon co-sponsored the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, which requires all states to honor concealed carry permits from other states within their borders, irrespective of their own gun laws. The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of America have both given Bucshon an “A” rating.[15]

Abortion

Bucshon is pro-life. During his time in Congress, he has supported bills that seek to establish a legal framework for challenging the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. He has said he believes that abortion should be legal in cases where the mother's life may be in danger. Bucshon co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, which declares that life begins at the moment of conception and is entitled to legal protection from that point forward.[15]

Social Security

Bucshon supports a comprehensive strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security for current and future beneficiaries.[2]

Energy

Bucshon describes himself as a "long term friend of coal."[16] He supports the Keystone XL pipeline project.[17]

Transportation

On November 2, 2011 the Evansville Courier & Press reported that Bucshon planned to introduce an amendment to the transportation funding bill that would allow governors to re-allocate federal transportation funding from designated programs to projects they designate as emergencies.[18]

Committee assignments [edit]

Personal life [edit]

Bucshon met his wife Kathryn, who is also a physician and a practicing anesthesiologist, during his medical residency. They now live in Newburgh,[19] Warrick County, Indiana with their four children. He is a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Evansville.[20]

Electoral history [edit]

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
2010 8th Congressional District of Indiana Elections[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Larry Bucshon 117,259 57.54
Democratic Trent Van Haaften 76,265 37.43
Libertarian John Cunningham 10,240 5.03

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Guide to the New Congress". CQ Roll Call. 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-11-24. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Langhorne, Thomas (2010-09-26). "2010 Vote: 8th District Profile of Larry Bucshon, Voters in the 8th District will choose between state lawmaker and heart surgeon". Evansville Courier Press. Retrieved 2010-10-07. 
  3. ^ a b "About". Bucshon for Congress. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  4. ^ "Candidates". GOP Young Guns. NRCC. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  5. ^ CQ Politics
  6. ^ Isenstadt, Alex (2010-10-06). "Doc groups helping their own". Politico. Retrieved 2010-10-07. 
  7. ^ a b "Election Results, United States Representative". Indiana Secretary of State. 2010-11-22. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 
  8. ^ "RISK SAYS FORMER CARDIOLOGIST, CONGRESSMAN BUCSHON CONTINUALLY DEMONSTRATES A CHANGE OF 'HEART' IN WASHINGTON". Kristi Risk for Congress. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  9. ^ Langhorne, Thomas (17 August 2011). "Bucshon to face GOP opponent Kristi Risk for 8th District seat". Evansville Courier Press. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  10. ^ Bradner, Eric (6 November 2012). "Bucshon wins re-election to 8th District seat in Indiana". Courier Journal. Retrieved 18 March 2013. 
  11. ^ Howey, Brian (18 March 2013). "HOWEY: Clowning around with Chocola and Mourdock". News and Tribune. Retrieved 18 March 2013. 
  12. ^ a b Foulkes, Arthur (2010-09-24). "8th District candidate meets with biz leaders". Terre Haute Tribune Star (Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.). Retrieved 2010-10-07. 
  13. ^ a b Gootee, Richard (2011-04-18). "Rep. Larry Bucshon addresses spending at town hall meeting". Evansville Courier Press. Retrieved 2011-04-19. 
  14. ^ Foulkes, Arthur. "Bucshon warns against ‘unsustainable’ health care programs." The Tribune-Star, 22 April 2011.
  15. ^ a b c url = http://www.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/120335/larry-bucshon
  16. ^ Barniak, Janice (24 November 2011). "New mine to create 330 new jobs". Princeton Daily Clarion. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  17. ^ "Congressman Larry Bucshon Comments on Keystone XL Pipeline Announcement". bucshon.house.gov. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  18. ^ Bradner, Eric (2 November 2011). "Bucshon proposal would allow access to federal dollars in transportation crisis". Evansville Courier Press. Retrieved 27 November 2011. 
  19. ^ Three Indiana U.S. House races could help determine control, Louisville Courier Journal
  20. ^ Vote Smart.

External links [edit]

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Brad Ellsworth		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 8th congressional district
January 3, 2011 – present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Mo Brooks
R-Alabama		 United States Representatives by seniority
282nd		 Succeeded by
John Carney
D-Delaware
Senators
Representatives
(ordered by district)
Other states'
delegations
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