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Syed Taj
 |
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates. |
Syed Taj was a 2012 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 11th Congressional District of Michigan.
Biography
Taj was born and raised in India. He obtain post-graduate training in medicine in Great Britain. In 1982, he moved to Michigan with his wife to join her family.He began his career at Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center in Dearborn and eventually became Chief of Medicine. He was elected as a Canton Township Trustee in 2008.[1]
Career
- Chief of Medicine, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center
- Trustee, Canton Township
Elections
2012
Taj was defeated by Republican Kerry Bentivolio.[2] Taj ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Michigan's 11th District. He defeated Willam F. Roberts in the August 7 Democratic primary. He faced Kerry Bentivolio (R), John Tatar (L), Steven Paul Duke (G), and Daniel Johnson (NLP) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[3]
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Syed Taj | 44.4% | 158,879 | |
| Republican |  Kerry Bentivolio |
50.8% | 181,788 | |
| Libertarian | John Tatar | 2.7% | 9,637 | |
| Green | Steven Paul Duke | 1.3% | 4,569 | |
| NLP | Daniel Johnson | 0.9% | 3,251 | |
| Write-in | James Van Gilder | 0% | 14 | |
| Write-in | Ralph Sherman | 0% | 1 | |
| Total Votes | 358,139 | |||
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Primary results
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Syed Taj |
58.9% | 21,953 |
| William Roberts | 41.1% | 15,338 |
| Total Votes | 37,291 | |
Endorsements
Taj was endorsed by the organizations and individuals below for the 2012 election.[4]
- Detroit Free Press
- The Detroit News
- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
- Michigan Democratic Congressional Delegation
- Congressman Keith Ellison
- Congressman André Carson
- NOW PAC
- Michigan State AFL-CIO
- UAW CAP Council Region 1-A
- UAW CAP Council Region 1
- Michigan Nurses Association-Affiliate of National Nurses United
- American Federation of Teachers-AFT
- Sierra Club
Campaign issues
The follow are several issues highlighted on Taj's campaign website.[5]
- Economy and Jobs
Excerpt: "Our nation’s financial woes are the result of both revenue and spending problems. The way to the balanced budgets of the late 1990s is to grow our economy, but this is much easier said that done. Laying off teachers, firefighters and police officers at the state and local levels and cutting major public investments at the federal level only compounds our problems through depleted revenues and a shrinking tax base."[6]
- National Security
Excerpt: "It is time to end the war in Afghanistan. The war is exploding our deficit while sacrificing our soldiers and international credibility at the same time. The longest war in U.S. history has gone on long enough. As a member of Congress, I will work to ensure that our troops have the equipment and supplies they need while aggressively advocating a new strategy."[7]
- Healthcare
Excerpt: "Throughout my career as Chief of Medicine at Oakwood Hospital, I have focused on improving the quality of care patients receive. I have instructed other doctors in quality care, resource utilization and medical education. I was encouraged by the President's efforts with the Affordable Care Act as there are good reforms in this law. However, we can do better with a PATIENT-OUTCOME MODEL and a focus on EFFICIENCY and QUALITY CARE."[8]
- Immigration
Excerpt: "In Congress I will advocate a coherent federal immigration policy, one of securing our borders, establishing a policy toward illegal immigrants, and an organized method for attaining citizenship... [Taj supports] establishing a path to citizenship for immigrants already in this country by passing the DREAM Act.[9]
- Taxes and Financial Security
Excerpt: "Our tax code has become entirely too complex, too skewed toward special interests and threatens to stay that way with political gridlock endemic on Washington. The result is an uneven playing field and tax code so complex that administration and enforcement becomes too costly and confusing. As a result, compliance costs in 2008 alone reached $140 billion."[10]
Media
Below is Taj's second TV campaign ad, released October 5, 2012.[11]
Syed Taj, "Dr. Taj for Congress Second Commercial "[12] |
Campaign finance summary
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Taj is married to his wife, Sofia, have one child.[13]
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Taj for Congress, "About Dr. Taj" May 25, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Michigan"
- ↑ Associated Press, "Michigan - Summary Vote Results," accessed May 30, 2014
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Endorsements," accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Issues," accessed October 5, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Jobs," accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "National Security," October 9, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Healthcare," accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Immigration," accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ Syed Taj, "Tax Reform," October 9, 2012
- ↑ YouTube, "Syed Taj's YouTube Account," accessed October 9, 2012
- ↑ YouTube channel
- ↑ Vote Smart Project, "Syed Taj's Profile," accessed October 9, 2012
