Tom Graves
| Tom Graves | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 14th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 9th district |
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| In office June 14, 2010 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Nathan Deal |
| Succeeded by | Doug Collins |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 12th district |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – March 23, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Jeff Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Rick Jasperse |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 10th district |
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| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Tom E. Shanahan |
| Succeeded by | Ben Bridges |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 3, 1970 St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Julie Howard Graves |
| Children | JoAnn, John T. III, and Janey |
| Residence | Ranger, Georgia |
| Alma mater | University of Georgia |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
John Thomas "Tom" Graves, Jr. (born February 3, 1970) is the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district, serving since winning a special election for Georgia's 9th congressional district in 2010. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in the northern part of the state, including much of the north Georgia mountains. It runs along the border with Tennessee from Dade to Union counties, and extends southward to the fringes of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The 9th was a heavily Republican district; according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, it was the third most Republican district in the nation and the most Republican district in the Eastern Time Zone. Graves served in the Georgia House of Representatives. In 2012 he was elected to represent Georgia's new 14th district.
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Early life, education, and business career [edit]
Graves was born in St. Petersburg, Florida on February 3, 1970. He graduated from Cass High School of Cartersville, Georgia, and earned a B.B.A. from the University of Georgia. Graves was a business owner prior to being elected to public office.[1] He lives in Ranger, Georgia, southeast of Dalton.
Georgia House of Representatives [edit]
Elections [edit]
After redistricting, incumbent Democrat Tom E. Shanahan of Georgia's 10th House District decided to retire. Graves won the open seat with 60% of the vote.[2] After mid-decade redistricting, Graves decided to run for Georgia's 12th House District, vacated by Republican Jeff Lewis who decided to run in the 15th District. Graves won unopposed in 2004.[3] He won re-election unopposed in 2006[4] and 2008.[5]
Tenure [edit]
American Legislative Exchange Council honored Graves as the 2009 Entrepreneurial Legislator of the Year. In 2009, he was endorsed by the Atlanta Tea Party Patriots.[6]
Committee assignments [edit]
As State Representative Graves served on the Transportation, Ways and Means and Health and Human Services committee, and as Vice Chairman of the Motor Vehicles committee.
U.S. House of Representatives [edit]
Elections [edit]
- 2010
Graves finished first in the special election held on May 11, 2010 after Nathan Deal resigned from Congress to run for governor, and proceeded to a run-off which was held on June 8, 2010. He won the runoff against former State Senator Lee Hawkins.[7]
Graves faced Hawkins again in the July 20, 2010 Republican primary for the November general election. He came in first but fell short of the requisite 50% plus one majority in order to avoid a runoff and would once again face Hawkins in the primary runoff. This was the fourth time Graves faced Hawkins as an opponent in both the special and general primaries along with their respective runoffs. The 9th district is so heavily Republican that whoever won the runoff was all but assured of winning a full term. Graves won the primary runoff on August 10, 2010. He won the November 2, 2010 general election unopposed.
- 2012
After redistricting, Graves' home in Ranger was drawn into the newly created 14th district, which is basically the northwestern portion of the old 9th. Graves opted to run in the 14th[8] This district, like his old one, is heavily Republican, and Graves easily defeated a nominal Democratic challenger with 73 percent of the vote.
Tenure [edit]
Graves is pro-life and has voted to restrict abortion rights and access, including voting against federal funding for Planned Parenthood.[9] Graves is against any form of amnesty in regard to illegal immigration.[10] He is against withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.[11]
Committee assignments [edit]
Caucus memberships [edit]
Personal life [edit]
Graves and his wife Julie have three children and are active members of Belmont Baptist Church in Calhoun, Georgia.
In 2011, Graves and a business partner (state Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers) were accused of defaulting on a $2.2 million bank loan for a real estate investment. Attorneys for Graves argued that the bank had been at fault for loaning him money that they knew he couldn't repay, making the signed personal guarantees invalid. Graves and his partner were no longer involved with the company used to take out the loan after transferring ownership to another party in 2009.[12] The new owner (the hotel's former manager) agreed to purchase the company and its real estate and debt from Graves and Rogers for $10,000 but says they never actually required him to pay them anything.[13] The default on Graves' loan contributed significantly to the collapse of the Bartow County Bank (the small community bank which loaned the $2.2 million to Graves). The bank's collapse and liquidation cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation $69.5 million. According to Morgan Akin (the former bank chairman), he only approved the loan to Graves and Rodgers because, "They were well-respected members of the community, and we took that into account," and he never imagined such prominent political figures would default.[14] Furthermore, although Graves and Rogers claimed the new owner of the company only defaulted on the loan because the bank reneged on a promise to refinance, the bank countered that the loan was in default before the sale of their company and they invalidated their refinancing deal because they sold the company without informing the bank. In August 2011, the bank's dispute with Graves was settled out of court and no details of the settlement were disclosed.[15][16] Due to unpaid property taxes going back to 2009, the city may have to seize the property and spend over $100,000 to secure and eventually demolish it.[17]
References [edit]
- ^ "Biographical Directory: Graves, Tom". United States Congress. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=49518
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=141356
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=288565
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=464215
- ^ http://www.gravesforcongress.org/toms-bio
- ^ "Georgia Election Results June 8, 2010". Georgia Secretary of State. June 15, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ http://www.gravesforcongress.org/toms-bio
- ^ http://www.ontheissues.org/GA/Tom_Graves.htm
- ^ http://tomgraves.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=217587
- ^ http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/House/Georgia/Tom_Graves/Views/The_War_in_Afghanistan/
- ^ Jeremy Redmon and Aaron Gould Sheinin (August 11, 2011). "Attorney for Graves, Rogers: Bank is at fault". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ Andy Johns (21 August 2011). "Failed motel could cost taxpayers $100,000". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ "Former bank chair: Tich loan complications contributed to bank collapse". Calhoun Times. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ Jeremy Redmon; Aaron Gould Sheinin (11 August 2011). "Attorneys for Graves, Rogers, bank refuse to disclose settlement details". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ Rachel Goff (12 August 2011). "UPDATE: Lawsuit against Graves dismissed". The Calhoun Times. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ Elizabeth Crumbly (26 August 2011). "Calhoun may have to conduct tax sale of Oglethorpe property". Calhoun Times. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
External links [edit]
- Congressman Tom Graves official U.S. House site
- Tom Graves for Congress official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Profile at Ballotpedia
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Congressional profile at OpenCongress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets.org
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance (federal office) at LegiStorm.com
- Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Voting record at The Washington Post
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Collected news and commentary at The Washington Post
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Nathan Deal |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 9th congressional district June 14, 2010-January 3, 2013 |
Succeeded by Doug Collins |
| Preceded by New district |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 14th congressional district January 3, 2013 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Ted Deutch D-Florida |
United States Representatives by seniority 269th |
Succeeded by Tom Reed R-New York |
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