Tom Latham (politician): Difference between revisions
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==U.S. House of Representatives== |
==U.S. House of Representatives== |
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Latham served during the 1995 government shutdown under House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich|Newt Gingrich]] |
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===Committee assignments=== |
===Committee assignments=== |
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*'''[[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]''' |
*'''[[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]''' |
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On February 27,2013, Latham announced that he will not seek the open Senate seat of [[Tom Harkin]] in 2014. |
On February 27,2013, Latham announced that he will not seek the open Senate seat of [[Tom Harkin]] in 2014. |
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==Controversy== |
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In August 2013, Latham was quoted rejecting any government shutdown at a town hall meeting in [[Atlantic, Iowa|Atlantic, Iowa]] |
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| ⚫ | '''"I'm certainly not for any kind of government shutdown for any reason. Especially, you've got people in the armed services overseas, their families at home and to cut -- shut down the government and not support our men and women in uniform and their families, the veterans, all those types of things -- I think it would be irresponsible."'''<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/tom-latham-obamacare_n_4024933.html</ref> |
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However, Latham, a longtime supporter and ally of House Speaker [[John Boehner|John Boehner]] did not vote against the shutdown in which 800,000 workers were furloughed from Oct. 1 2013 to Oct. 16 2013. Latham requested to have his salary withheld during the shutdown. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 21:12, 13 November 2013
Tom Latham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 3rd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Leonard Boswell |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 4th district | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Greg Ganske |
| Succeeded by | Steve King |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 5th district | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Fred Grandy |
| Succeeded by | Steve King |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Paul Latham July 14, 1948 Alexander, Iowa |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kathy Latham |
| Residence(s) | Alexander, Iowa (1995-2007) Ames, Iowa (2007-2011) Clive, Iowa (2011-Present) |
| Alma mater | Iowa State University |
| Occupation | Politician |
Thomas Paul "Tom" Latham[2] (born July 14, 1948)[3] is the U.S. Representative for Iowa's 3rd congressional district, serving in Congress since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life, education and career
Latham was born in Alexander, Iowa, south of Mason City, the son of Evelyn R. (née Johansen) and Willard Chester Latham. His father was of English and Danish descent and his mother was of Danish ancestry.[4] He was raised on a farm in Alexander, near Hampton.[3][5] He was educated at Iowa State University. Before entering the House, he was part-owner of Latham Seeds, a family-owned seed company founded by his father. Latham sold his interest before running for Congress.[5]
U.S. House of Representatives
Latham served during the 1995 government shutdown under House Speaker Newt Gingrich
Committee assignments
Leadership roles and Caucus memberships
- Congressional COPD Caucus
- Dean of Iowa's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives
- Task Force for a Drug-Free America
- Prescription Drug Action Leadership Team
- Congressional Task Force for Affordable Natural Gas
- National Service Caucus
Latham has made fiscal and military issues the key points of his tenure in Washington. He is considered to be one of the most fiscally conservative members of the House and his voting record has been strongly anti-tax and heavily in favor of cutting spending to social programs.
Latham is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[6]
In 2005, Latham introduced the "Angie Fatino Save the Children from Meth Act" in memory of an Iowa teenager who struggled with a Methamphetamine addiction for three years before she committed suicide at the age of 15 years in 1997. Though the bill died in committee, the Iowa legislature has since passed similar legislation and federal law has now been enacted limiting the sale of pseudoephedrine. [7]
Political campaigns
Latham was elected as the congressman for Iowa's 5th congressional district in 1994[3] as part of the wave that allowed Republicans to take over the House for the first time since 1955. The 5th was far and away the most Republican district in the state, and Latham never faced a serious challenge as the 5th District's congressman. In 1994 he defeated Democrat Sheila McGuire garnering 61 percent of the vote. In 1996 he won 65 percent of the vote in defeating Democrat MacDonald Smith, and he ran unopposed in the 1998 election.[3]
For his first four terms, Latham represented a district that stretched from Sioux City in the northwest all the way to Mason City. The 2000 round of redistricting, however, significantly altered Iowa's congressional map. Latham's home in Alexander, along with most of the eastern third of his old district, was placed in the new 4th District in the north-central part of the state. This district was considered much more competitive than Latham's old district. For the 2008 elections, it had a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+0.4, making it one of the most marginal districts in the nation. However, he was reelected four times from this district without much difficulty. This may be because he is the only Iowan on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.[3] It is considered very difficult to unseat an Appropriations Committee member.
In the 2006 election, neither the Republican nor Democratic parties had a contested primary. His opponent in the 2006 general election was Selden Spencer, a neurologist from Huxley. Latham, who had moved to Ames, closer to the center of the district, earned 57.3% of the vote as he won reelection.
In the 2008 election Latham won against Democratic nominee Becky Greenwald with 61 percent of the vote even as Barack Obama carried the district by eight points.
In 2010, Latham won against Democratic nominee Bill Maske, a school administrator.
Iowa lost a district as a result of the 2010 census. The new congressional map placed Latham and fellow Republican Steve King into the same district. While it retained Latham's district number, it contains more of King's old territory. Indeed, it closely resembled the territory Latham represented for his first four terms.[8] Latham opted to run in the reconfigured 3rd District, which stretches from Des Moines to Council Bluffs. He sold his home in Ames and bought a home in Clive, a suburb of Des Moines. He defeated Democratic incumbent Leonard Boswell in the 2012 election.[9]
On February 27,2013, Latham announced that he will not seek the open Senate seat of Tom Harkin in 2014.
Controversy
In August 2013, Latham was quoted rejecting any government shutdown at a town hall meeting in Atlantic, Iowa
"I'm certainly not for any kind of government shutdown for any reason. Especially, you've got people in the armed services overseas, their families at home and to cut -- shut down the government and not support our men and women in uniform and their families, the veterans, all those types of things -- I think it would be irresponsible."[10]
However, Latham, a longtime supporter and ally of House Speaker John Boehner did not vote against the shutdown in which 800,000 workers were furloughed from Oct. 1 2013 to Oct. 16 2013. Latham requested to have his salary withheld during the shutdown.
References
- ^ http://metrolutheran.org/2011/02/112th-congress-opens-with-new-and-returning-lutheran-representation/
- ^ The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22423/.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b c d e "Thomas Paul Latham (R)". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
- ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/latham.htm
- ^ a b "Biography". Retrieved 2010-01-28.
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
- ^ http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr3568
- ^ Cilizza, Chris. Iowa redistricting proposal matches two pairs of incumbents against each other. The Washington Post, 2011-03-18.
- ^ Petroski, William. U.S. Rep. Latham will move to Iowa’s 3rd District, challenge Boswell in 2012. The Des Moines Register, 2011-04-15.
- ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/tom-latham-obamacare_n_4024933.html
External links
- Congressman Tom Latham official U.S. House site
- Tom Latham for Congress
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Profile at SourceWatch
