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*[http://minnick.house.gov/ Congressman Walt Minnick] ''official U.S. House website''
*[http://minnick.house.gov/ Congressman Walt Minnick] ''official U.S. House website''
*[http://www.waltforcongress.org/ Walt Minnick for U.S. Congress] ''official campaign website''
*[http://www.waltforcongress.org/ Walt Minnick for U.S. Congress] ''official campaign website''
{{CongLinks | congbio = M001175 | votesmart = 436 | govtrack = 412300 | cspan = | ontheissuespath = House/Walt_Minnick.htm | legistorm = 947/Rep_Walt_Minnick.html | surge = x | fec = H8ID01090 | opensecrets = N00006288&newmem=Y | followthemoney = x | findagrave = }}
{{CongLinks | congbio = M001175 | votesmart = 436 | govtrack = 412300 | cspan = 45757 | ontheissuespath = House/Walt_Minnick.htm | surge = 227017 | legistorm = 947/Rep_Walt_Minnick.html | fec = H8ID01090 | opensecrets = N00006288 | followthemoney = | findagrave = }}
*[http://opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=ID01&Cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] at [[OpenSecrets.org]]
*[http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Walter_Minnick Profile] from [[Congresspedia]] at [[Sourcewatch]]
*[http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Walter_Minnick Profile] from [[Congresspedia]] at [[Sourcewatch]]
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/waltminnick/ Walt for Congress] on [[Flickr]]
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/waltminnick/ Walt for Congress] on [[Flickr]]
*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Idaho/Government/US_House_of_Representatives/Walt_Minnick_%5bD-1%5dd}}


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Revision as of 20:12, 25 May 2010

The Honorable
Walt Minnick
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Idaho's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2009
Preceded byBill Sali
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseA. K. Lienhart-Minnick
ResidenceBoise, Idaho
Alma materHarvard Law School (J.D.)
Harvard Business School (MBA)
Whitman College (B.A.)
ProfessionBusinessman, Attorney, Politician
WebsiteU.S. House of Representatives Office of Walt Minnick

Walter Clifford "Walt" Minnick (born September 20, 1942) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Idaho currently serving his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Idaho's 1st congressional district. The district is located in the western part of the state, and includes roughly one-fourth of Boise and most of that city's suburbs, as well as cities Meridian and Nampa. It also includes the cities of Lewiston, Moscow and Coeur d'Alene. He is a member of the Democratic Party and is the first Democrat to represent Idaho at the federal level since Larry LaRocco, who represented the 1st District for two terms until the 1994 elections.

Early life

Minnick was born in Walla Walla, Washington, and grew up on a wheat farm. He received his bachelor's degree from Whitman College in Walla Walla in 1964 where he participated on the debate team, and was then accepted to the Harvard Business School. After graduating with an MBA in 1966, he entered Harvard Law School, and graduated with a J.D. in 1969. He is a businessman and politician who resides in Boise. A U.S. Veteran who served in Vietnam, he is the former leader of a forestry industry and founder of a chain of retail nurseries, SummerWinds Garden Centers.[1][2]

Minnick also served as CEO of TJ International (acquired by Weyerhaeuser in 1999[3]) and has served on the board of directors of several corporations and non-profit organizations.

Early political career

Minnick served as a staff assistant to President Nixon on the White House Domestic Council from 1971–72 and as a deputy assistant director for the Office of Management and Budget from 1972-73. He was also involved in the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Minnick resigned from the administration in October 1973 in protest of the Watergate-era "Saturday Night Massacre" in which Nixon dismissed Attorney General Elliot Richardson, special prosecutor Archibald Cox, and others. Minnick is the only former Nixon administration staff member currently in Congress.[4]

Minnick, who long considered himself a political independent, was recruited to run against incumbent Senator Larry Craig in 1996 by then Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska. Although Minnick originally intended to enter the race as an independent, he was convinced to run as a Democrat by former Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus.[4]

Elections

Minnick won the Democratic nomination in 1996 for the U.S. Senate but was defeated in the general election by Craig.[5]

Minnick ran unopposed in the 2008 Democratic primary held in late May. An expected primary challenge by 2006 nominee Larry Grant was averted when Grant withdrew from the race and endorsed Minnick the previous month. Although the 1st is a heavily Republican district, Democrats thought they had a realistic chance of winning the district because Sali had been a lightning rod for controversy.

In the November 4, 2008 general election, Minnick narrowly defeated Sali, taking 50.6 percent of the vote to Sali's 49.4 percent. While Minnick carried only seven of the district's 18 counties, he prevailed largely by winning Ada County, home to Boise and more than two-thirds of the district's vote, by 4,000 votes. With his victory, Minnick now represents the third most Republican district in the nation to be held by a Democrat. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+18. John McCain easily carried the district with over 60 percent of the vote in 2008. Minnick's reelection bid in 2010 is rated as a toss-up.

U.S. Congressional tenure

Votes

On March 21, 2010, Minnick voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010. [6]

Minnick has votes with the Democrats over 70% of the time.[7][8] After taking office, Minnick joined the Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats.[9]

Congressman Minnick has voted with the Democratic majority for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009[10], the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009[11], the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act[12], the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act[13], and against establishing spending caps through fiscal year 2014[14].

In January 2009, Minnick joined with 10 other Democrats to oppose the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009[15]. In June 2009, Congressman Minnick voted with 43 other Democrats against the American Clean Energy and Security Act[16], and in December 2009, voted with 38 other Democrats against the Affordable Health Care for America Act[17]. Minnick was the lone Democrat to receive a perfect score from the Club For Growth on their RePork Card ratings, for his votes to strip pork barrel spending from bills.[18]

Committees

Electoral history

2008 Election for U.S. Representative of Idaho’s 1st Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Walt Minnick 175,567 50.61
Republican Bill Sali (incumbent) 171,324 49.39
1996 Election for U.S. Senate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Larry Craig (incumbent) 283,532 57.02
Democratic Walt Minnick 198,422 39.91
Independent Mary J. Charbonneau 10,137 2.04
Natural Law Susan Vegors 5,142 1.03

See also

References

  1. ^ Minnick overcomes tight race, beats Sali. Associated Press. 18 December 2008.
  2. ^ Meyer, Greg. Minnick brings out a heavy hitter, KLEW-TV, November 14, 2007, accessed 6 January 2008
  3. ^ Timber giant to buy TJ Intl. CNN Money. 23 November 1999.
  4. ^ a b Broder, David S. Tales From Longworth. The Washington Post. 8 January 2009.
  5. ^ Idaho General Election Results Office of the Secretary of State, November 5, 1996, accessed 6 January 2008
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Rep. Walt Minnick, Idaho (D) OpenCongress.
  8. ^ Members of Congress / Walt Minnick Washington Post U.S. Congress Votes Database. Accessed March 22, 2010
  9. ^ Blue Dog Coalition Members
  10. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 37 (Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009) House.gov
  11. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 104 (Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009) House.gov
  12. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 187 (Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act) House.gov
  13. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 223 (Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act) House.gov
  14. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 610 Accessed March 22, 2010
  15. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 46 House.gov
  16. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 477 (American Clean Energy and Security Act) House.gov
  17. ^ FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 887 (Affordable Health Care for America Act) House.gov
  18. ^ Cadei, Emily. Minnick Earns Perfect Score on 'RePork Card' CQ Politics. 13 August 2009.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Idaho's 1st congressional district
January 3, 2009 – present 		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic Party nominee, U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Idaho
1996 (lost) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic Party nominee, Idaho's 1st congressional district
2008 (won) 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walt_Minnick&oldid=364172581"