Sue Wilkins Myrick

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Sue Myrick
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Alex McMillan
Born	August 1, 1941 (1941-08-01) (age 67) Tiffin, Ohio
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ed Myrick
Residence	Charlotte, North Carolina
Alma mater	HS diploma
Occupation	advertising executive
Religion	Evangelical Methodist

Sue Wilkins Myrick (born August 1, 1941) is a North Carolina congresswoman; she has represented North Carolina's 9th Congressional district (map) in the United States House of Representatives since 1995, the first Republican woman to represent North Carolina in the United States Congress. From 1987 to 1991, Myrick served as the first and so far only female mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was previously a member of Charlotte City Council from 1983 to 1985 and is the former president of an advertising and public relations firm. In 1992, she ran for US Senate, but lost in the primary to Lauch Faircloth.

[edit] Congressional career

In 1994, Myrick was elected to the House succeeding five-term incumbent Alex McMillan. Myrick is one of the most conservative members of the House. She chaired the Republican Study Committee, a group of House conservatives, in the 108th Congress.

Myrick was overwhelmingly elected to her sixth consecutive term in the 2004 Congressional elections, earning 70% of the popular vote and defeating Democrat Jack Flynn. Similarly, she defeated Democrat William Glass in 2006 with almost 67 percent of the vote.^[1]

Two Charlotte-area Democrats have announced challenges to Myrick in 2008: Harry Taylor and Ross Overby.^[2]

Myrick was one of the leading Republican opponents of an abortive 2006 sale of port operations at six major American ports along the East Coast to Dubai Ports World, a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates. In a February 22, 2006 letter to President Bush, Myrick wrote: "In regards to selling American ports to the United Arab Emirates, not just NO — but HELL NO!".^[3]

Some American Muslims have expressed anger against Myrick for describing the Islamic Society of North America as a group of "radical jihadists" in an open letter objecting to the United States Justice Department sending envoys to the Islamic Society's annual convention.^{[4] [5]}

In April, 2008, Myrick called on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to revoke former President Jimmy Carter's passport for defying U.S. policy and meeting with the leaders of the militant group Hamas, including the exiled Khaled Mashaal, on his visit to Syria.^[6]

Myrick voted against the $700 billion bailout package on 9/29/08. Myrick then voted in support of the subsequent Senate bailout package on 10/03/08.

Myrick with Jack Kemp, Phil English and Mike Turner (c. May 2004)

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection

[edit] Leadership positions and caucus memberships

• Deputy Whip
• Founder of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus
• Co-chair of the House Cancer Caucus

[edit] Seat history

The Charlotte-based district represented by Myrick has been continuously represented since 1943, when North Carolina gained a district as a result of the 1940 United States Census. It was formed as the 10th District in 1943, renumbered as the 8th District in 1963 and has been numbered as the 9th District since 1969. The district was one of North Carolina's first Republican areas, though it is not considered to be as heavily Republican as the neighboring 10th District, or even the 5th District. Republicans have represented the district since 1953.

The district has always included all or most of Charlotte. It currently includes more than half of Mecklenburg County, two-thirds of Union County and almost all of Gaston County. 63%% of the District's residents voted for George Bush in 2004.

* Joseph Ervin died in office and was succeeded by his brother Sam in a special election.

Source: Political Graveyard database of North Carolina congressmen

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sue Wilkins Myrick

• Representative Sue Myrick official U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia