Tom Petri
| Tom Petri | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 6th district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 3, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Steiger |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 2nd district |
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| In office 1973–1979 |
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| Succeeded by | Don Hanaway |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 28, 1940 Marinette, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Neal Petri |
| Residence | Fond du Lac, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Harvard Law School |
| Occupation | attorney |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Thomas Evert Petri (born May 28, 1940) is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 6th congressional district, serving since 1979. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes most of the east-central part of the state.
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[edit] Early life, education, and early career
Born in Marinette, Wisconsin, he graduated from Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Petri then attended Harvard University, where he received his bachelors of arts and law degrees. He served as a volunteer with the Peace Corps.[1]
[edit] Wisconsin State Senate
Petri served in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1973 to 1979.[2] Petri was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1974, losing to incumbent Democrat Gaylord Nelson.[3]
[edit] U.S. House of Representatives
[edit] Elections
In 1979, he won a special election to finish the term of the late U.S. Congressman William A. Steiger, who had died shortly after being re-elected in 1978. He won the seat in his own right in 1980 and has been reelected 14 times. He has only won re-election with less than 64% once, in 1992. That year, he defeated State Representative Peg Lautenschlager 53% to 47%. He won ten of the district's thirteen counties. He lost Manitowoc, Brown, and Outagamie counties.[4] He has run unopposed in 1990, 1994, 2002, and 2006. He faced no major-party opposition in 1986 and 1998.
[edit] Tenure
Petri is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem-cell research, although he generally opposes abortion rights. Although he also has called for a moratorium on the death penalty, he has voted against other restrictions on it.[5] Petri is also associated with the liberal Republican conference The Tuesday Group and received a $10,000 contribution from The Tuesday Group in 2008 [6] as well as a $5,000 contribution so far in the current cycle [7].
Petri has been viewed as a political centrist as he frequently parts company with his party on major issues and has a steady track record of working with liberal Democrats to craft legislation.[8]
Petri's three largest contributors in the 2012 campaign cycle are labor unions [7], and Petri has often voted with labor unions on closely contested issues. Petri has repeatedly voted for Project Labor Agreements, [9] and twice cast a deciding vote to allow the use of PLAs in government contracts.[10][11][12] Petri also voted to permit the use of taxpayer funds to comply with the Davis-Bacon Act,[13] voted to use federal funds for collective bargaining by the Transportation Security Administration,[14] and voted in favor of $233 million dollars in taxpayer funding for the National Labor Relations Board.[15]
In 2005, Petri voted to fund the "bridge to nowhere,"[16] and voted to prevent the drilling for oil in ANWR.[17]
On November 2, 2005, Petri voted against the Online Freedom of Speech Act.[18]
In 2011, Petri sponsored an amendment to allow Michigan based Badger Ferry dump more than 500 tons of coal ash a year into Lake Michigan [19], after having received $14,751 in campaign donations from executives of Lake Michigan Carferry, [20][21] the owner of Badger Ferry.
Petri endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2008 GOP presidential primary.[22] Petri subsequently endorsed John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.
Petri was honored by U.S. English, Inc. in May 2008 for his votes and co-sponsorships of official English legislation in the 110th Congress.[23] Petri had previously sponsored legislation declaring English as an official language in 1999.[5]
In 2005, Petri introduced the Direct Loan Reward Act,[24] and in 2006 introduced the Student Aid Reward (STAR) Act.[25]
[edit] Committee assignments
[edit] Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Arts Caucus
[edit] Electoral history
| Year | Republican | Votes | % | Democratic | Votes | % | Third Party | Party | Votes | % | Third Party | Party | Votes | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Tom Petri | 71,715 | 50% | Gary R. Goyke | 70,492 | 50% | |||||||||||||
| 1980 | Tom Petri | 129,574 | 57% | Gary R. Goyke | 98,628 | 43% | |||||||||||||
| 1982 | Tom Petri | 111,348 | 65% | Gordon Loeher | 59,922 | 35% | |||||||||||||
| 1984 | Tom Petri | 170,271 | 76% | David Iaquinta | 54,266 | 24% | |||||||||||||
| 1986 | Tom Petri | 124,328 | 97% | No candidate | John Daggett | Independent | 4,268 | 3% | |||||||||||
| 1988 | Tom Petri | 165,923 | 74% | Joseph Garrett | 57,552 | 26% | |||||||||||||
| 1990 | Tom Petri | 111,036 | 100% | No candidate | |||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Tom Petri | 143,875 | 53% | Peggy Lautenschlager | 128,232 | 47% | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | Tom Petri | 119,384 | 99% | No candidate | Scattering | 603 | 1% | ||||||||||||
| 1996 | Tom Petri | 169,213 | 73% | Floyd Brenholt | 55,377 | 24% | James Dean | Libertarian | 4,494 | 2% | Timothy Farness | U.S. Taxpayers | 2,532 | 1% | |||||
| 1998 | Tom Petri | 144,144 | 93% | No candidate | Timothy Farness | U.S. Taxpayers | 11,267 | 7% | |||||||||||
| 2000 | Tom Petri | 179,205 | 65% | Dan Flaherty | 96,125 | 35% | |||||||||||||
| 2002 | Tom Petri | 169,834 | 99% | No candidate | Scattering | 1,327 | 1% | ||||||||||||
| 2004 | Tom Petri | 238,620 | 67% | Jef Hall | 107,209 | 30% | Carol Rittenhouse | Green | 10,018 | 3% | |||||||||
| 2006 | Tom Petri | 201,367 | 99% | No candidate | Scattering | 2,190 | 1% | ||||||||||||
| 2008 | Tom Petri | 221,875 | 64% | Roger Kittelson | 126,090 | 36% | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | Tom Petri | 183,271 | 71% | Joseph Kallas | 75,926 | 29% |
[edit] References
- ^ Thomas Petri, Wisconsin Historical Society
- ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1979-1980, Biographical Sketch of Thomas Petri, pg. 15
- ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1975,' pg. 779, 815
- ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=28468
- ^ a b "Tom Petri on the Issues". OnTheIssues.org. http://ontheissues.org/House/Tom_Petri.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ Tuesday Group PAC Expenditures OpenSecrets.org. Accessed January 20, 2012
- ^ a b Top 20 Contributors - Representative Tom Petri 2011 - 2012 OpenSecrets.org. Accessed January 17, 2012
- ^ Nichols, John (2006-12-19). "Congressman Tom Petri ought to consider making a party switch from Republican to Democrat". http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2076289.html. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 396 House Clerk. June 3, 2011. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 126 House Clerk. February 19, 2011. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 413 House Clerk. June 13, 2011. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ Red State: Dozens of Republicans Vote for Handouts to Big Labor June 14, 2011. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 395 House Clerk. June 2, 2011. Accessed January 17, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 403 House Clerk. June 2, 2011. Accessed January 17, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 75 House Clerk. February 17, 2011. Accessed January 17, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 65 House Clerk. March 10, 2005. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 122 House Clerk. April 20, 2005. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 559 House Clerk. November 2, 2005. Accessed January 14, 2012
- ^ Groups oppose Badger ferry's effort for pollution exemption Bergquest, Lee. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel November 8, 2011. Accessed January 20, 2012
- ^ Individuals Who Gave To: PETRI, THOMAS - Whose Last Name Begins With 'A-E' FEC.gov. Accessed January 20, 2012
- ^ Individuals Who Gave To: PETRI, THOMAS - Whose Last Name Begins With 'K-O' FEC.gov. Accessed January 20, 2012
- ^ "U.S. Representative Tom Petri Endorses Governor Mitt Romney" (Press release). Mitt Romney Campaign. 2007-08-27. http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=51040. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ "Rep. Tom Petri recognized for dedication to English language". Fond Du Lac Reporter. 2008-05-16. http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/FON0101/805160430/-1/archive. Retrieved 2008-07-05.[dead link]
- ^ Mathews, Charlie (2005-02-07). "Tom Petri Touted his Direct Loan Reward Act". Herald Times. http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2028192.html. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ "Petri receives education honor". 2007-03-13. http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2093057.html.
- ^ "Office of the House Clerk – Electoral Statistics". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html.
- ^ "Election Results". Federal Election Commission. http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/electionresults.shtml.
- ^ "Wisconsin U.S. House elections 1848-2008". University of Minnesota. http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/research/election_data_archive/pdf/WI_US_House_Election_Results.pdf.
[edit] External links
- Congressman Tom Petri official U.S. House site
- Tom Petri for U.S. Congress official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Congressional profile at OpenCongress
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Current Bills Sponsored at StateSurge.com
- Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Profile at SourceWatch
- Peace Corps biography of Thomas Petri
- Republican Main Street Partnership
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William A. Steiger |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 6th congressional district 1979–present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Jim Sensenbrenner R-Wisconsin |
United States Representatives by seniority 15th |
Succeeded by David Dreier R-California |
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