Cory Gardner
| Cory Gardner | ||
 | ||
| U.S. House, Colorado, District 4 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| 2011-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2015 | ||
| Years in position | 2 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Predecessor | Betsy Markey (D) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| First elected | November 2, 2010 | |
| Next election | November 4, 2014 | |
| Campaign $ | $4,722,190 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| Colorado House of Representatives | ||
| 2005-2010 | ||
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | Colorado State University | |
| J.D. | University of Colorado | |
| Personal | ||
| Net worth | $107,507 | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Gardner was re-elected in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Colorado's 4th District.[1] Primary elections were held on June 26, 2012 and the general election took place on November 6, 2012.
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Gardner's academic, professional and political career:[2]
- 1997: Graduated from Colorado State University, Fort Collins with B.A.
- 2001: Graduated from University of Colorado, Boulder with J.D.
- 2002-2005: Staff, United States Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado
- 2005-2010: Colorado House of Representatives
- 2011-Present: U.S Representative from Colorado
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2013-2014
Gardner serves on the following committees:[3]
- Energy and Commerce Committee
- Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
- Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
2011-2012
Gardner served on the following committees:[4]
- Energy and Commerce Committee
- Subcommittee on Energy and Power
- Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Colorado House
2009-2010
Gardner served on the following committees while a member of the Colorado State House:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee
- Legislative Council
Issues
Sponsored legislation
Colorado House
Gardner's sponsored legislation includes:
- HB 09-1146 - Proof Of Citizenship To Register To Vote
- HB 09-1268 - Decrease Fossil Fuel Consumption
- HB 09-1288 - Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act
- HB 10-1094 - Use of Deadly Force in Place of Business [5]
- HB 10-1184 - Increased Penalties for Repeat DUI Offenders [6]
For details and a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.
House Resolution 4899 opposition
Gardner and 38 other Republican Colorado state lawmakers sent a strongly worded letter of opposition to Capitol Hill to thwart a proposal tacked on to House Resolution 4899. The proposal would require state and local governments to participate in collective bargaining with labor groups representing police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders. The letter claimed the proposal would stifle economic recovery in Colorado.
Gardner wrote the letter, addressed to all members of Colorado’s congressional delegation, which characterizes the bill as a "dangerous amendment" to House Resolution 4899 offered by Rep. David Obey, D-Wisconsin.
Citing economic considerations, the letter states that the proposed amendment would cause more harm than good to Colorado’s economy. Gardner says now is not the time to fiddle with the equilibrium currently maintained between labor unions and government.
"Particularly with all of the uncertainty currently surrounding the economy, now is not the time to be making radical changes to the balance between labor unions and local governments," said Gardner. "The amendment that has been attached to this bill will cause further harm to our economy and hinder our economic recovery."
One Democratic lawmaker, Sen. Lois Tochtrop of Thornton, said she wholeheartedly supports the proposal.
“I would support any amendment that would that would help in the process of collective bargaining whether in government, or in the private sector. I do not see any economic harm in allowing employees to have a place at the table,” said Tochtrop.[7][8]
Redistricting
Under a new map approved in 2011, Gardner no longer represents Larimer County as of 2013. “I will work as hard as ever to represent Larimer County through the end of 2012, and I will work as hard as ever in the new district,” Gardner stated.[9]
Larimer County was moved out of the 4th and into the 2nd District. Meanwhile, parts of Douglas, Huerfano, Las Animas, and Otero counties were added to the 4th. The newly configured district gives Republicans a slightly higher advantage.
Campaign themes
2012
Gardner's campaign website listed the following issues:[10]
- Jobs and the Economy
- Excerpt: "We’ve got to get this country moving again, and the best way to accomplish that is to get government out of the way. Private businesses generate wealth, not the government. By cutting government and cutting spending, we will allow the marketplace to do its job. "
- Fiscal Responsibility
- Excerpt: "Our nation is facing historic debt and high unemployment. Washington’s spending spree has to stop. An important step towards regaining the trust of the American people starts by placing this nation on a path to a balanced federal budget. Immediately after being sworn-in, I formally added my name as a co-sponsor of the Balanced Budget Amendment."
- Energy
- Excerpt: "Energy development at home is the key to powering our nation’s future. Not only is energy independence essential to our national security, but it will help create jobs for American workers. I have always advocated for an “all of the above” approach to energy. That includes development of traditional energy resources, renewable resources and even nuclear power."
- Healthcare
- Excerpt: "Despite being ruled constitutional, the President’s health care bill still makes it difficult for our economy to grow and takes away the ability of patients to pursue their own health care decisions. The real issue, however, is not whether the law is constitutional or unconstitutional. It is whether it is good or bad for the country. "
- Education
- Excerpt: "The importance of education cannot be understated. Schools need the resources to be successful, but let’s not also forget that results matter. "
Specific votes
Fiscal Cliff
Gardner voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.[11]
Elections
2012
Gardner ran for re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Colorado's 4th District. He ran unopposed in the June 26, 2012, Republican primary. He faced incumbent Brandon Shaffer (D) and Doug Aden (Constitution Party) in the general election on November 6, 2012, and won.[12][13]
| U.S. House, Colorado, District 4 General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democrat | Brandon Shaffer | 36.8% | 125,715 | |
| Republican |  Cory Gardner Incumbent |
58.4% | 199,842 | |
| Libertarian | Josh Gilliland | 3.1% | 10,674 | |
| Constitution | Doug Aden | 1.7% | 5,845 | |
| Total Votes | 342,076 | |||
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Full history
To view the full congressional electoral history for Cory Gardner, click [show] to expand the section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2008
On November 4, 2008, Gardner won re-election to the 63rd District seat in the Colorado House of Representatives, running unopposed in the general election.[15]
Gardner raised $50,436 for his campaign.[16]
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Gardner is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Gardner raised a total of $4,722,190 during that time period. This information was last updated on March 22, 2013.[17]
| Cory Gardner's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | US House (Colorado, District 4) |  |
$2,295,599 | |
| 2010 | US House (Colorado, District 4) | |
$2,426,591 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $4,722,190 | |||
2012
Gardner won re-election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Gardner's campaign committee raised a total of $2,295,599 and spent $1,849,386.[18]
| U.S. House, Colorado District 4, 2012 - Cory Gardner Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $2,295,599 |
| Total Spent | $1,849,386 |
| Total Raised by Election Runner-up | $905,776 |
| Total Spent by Election Runner-up | $895,692 |
| Top contributors to Cory Gardner's campaign committee | |
| DISH Network | $25,630 |
| Hensel Phelps Construction | $17,500 |
| Honeywell International | $15,000 |
| Brownstein, Hyatt et al | $14,161 |
| National Assn of Convenience Stores | $12,500 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Oil & Gas | $192,800 |
| Retired | $114,651 |
| Real Estate | $80,456 |
| TV/Movies/Music | $70,030 |
| Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $70,000 |
2010
Gardner won election to the U.S. House in 2010. During that election cycle, Gardner's campaign committee raised a total of $2,426,591 and spent $2,407,602.[19]
His top 5 contributors between 2009-2010 were:
| U.S. House, Colorado District 4, 2010 - Cory Gardner Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $2,426,591 |
| Total Spent | $2,407,602 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $3,505,293 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $3,516,268 |
| Top contributors to Cory Gardner's campaign committee | |
| Castle, Meinhold & Stawiarski | $28,950 |
| Hensel Phelps Construction | $19,275 |
| Farmers Implement Co | $17,600 |
| Anadarko Petroleum | $16,550 |
| Colorado Community Bank | $14,600 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Oil & Gas | $177,274 |
| Retired | $155,433 |
| Real Estate | $93,630 |
| Leadership PACs | $91,207 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $76,730 |
2008
Below are Gardner's top 5 campaign contributors in the 2008 election:[20]
| Contributor | 2008 total |
|---|---|
| Cory Gardner | $6,342 |
| CO Assoc of Realtors | $4,250 |
| CO Medical Society | $1,400 |
| CO Cable Telecommunications Assoc | $500 |
| CO Concern | $400 |
Analysis
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Gardner paid his congressional staff a total of $750,753 in 2011. He ranked 26th on the list of the lowest paid Republican Representative Staff Salaries and he ranked 28th overall of the lowest paid Representative Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Colorado ranked 14th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[21]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Gardner's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between -$34,984 and $249,999. That averages to $107,507, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2011 of $7,859,232. His average net worth increased by 1.90% from 2010.[22]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Gardner's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $-10,987 and $221,999. That averages to $105,506, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2010 of $7,561,133.[23]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Gardner ranked 10th in the conservative rankings in 2012.[24]
2011
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Gardner ranked 40th in the conservative rankings.[25]
Political positions
Percentage voting with party
November 2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Cory Gardner voted with the Republican Party 94.5% of the time, which ranked 43 among the 242 House Republican members in 2011.[26]
Personal
Gardner and his wife, Jamie, have one child.
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Cory + Gardner + Colorado + House
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Cory Gardner News Feed
- Rep. Cory Gardner: 'No Appetite' in House for Online Sales Tax - Newsmax.com - Newsmax.com
- Longmont residents suffer from federal train horn rules - Longmont Daily Times-Call
- Saturday's Major League Baseball roundup - Statesman Journal
- Colorado Tea Party Patriots, Western Slope Conservative Alliance Claim To Be ... - Huffington Post
- Scott Gessler Reportedly Considering 2014 Run For Colorado Governor - Huffington Post
- 2014 elections: Who's in, who's on the fence - The Durango Herald
- James Dobson, Focus on the Family founder, claims IRS discrimination - Westword (blog)
- House panel bans expansion for sixth year - Pueblo Chieftain
- US House bill would speed natural gas pipeline permitting - Oil & Gas Financial Journal
- Lawmakers demand jail time for IRS scandal - WND - WND.com
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External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ "Shaffer: I will run for Congress," TimesCall.com, July 4, 2011
- ↑ Biographical Director of the United States Congress "Cory Gardner," Accessed November 1, 2011
- ↑ CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress"
- ↑ Congressman Cory Gardner, United States Congressman for the 4th District of Colorado "Committee Assignments"
- ↑ Colorado News Agency, "Make My Day? Only at Home, says Legislative Panel," March 15, 2010
- ↑ Colorado News Agency, "Effort to Beef Up State's DUI Penalty Gets Derailed," February 8, 2010
- ↑ Colorado News Agency, "State Republicans hope to thwart amendment to federal bill," July 18, 2010
- ↑ HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT, HR 4899
- ↑ Coloradoan, "County to get new representation," December 6, 2011
- ↑ Campaign website, Issues
- ↑ U.S. House "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, - 2012 Primary Candidate List
- ↑ Associated Press - Unofficial election results
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ 2008 general election results, Colorado
- ↑ Colorado House spending, 2008
- ↑ Open Secrets "Career Fundraising for Cory Gardner," Accessed March 22, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Cory Gardner 2012 Election Cycle," Accessed February 19, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Cory Gardner 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed November 1, 2011
- ↑ Follow the Money - 2008 Campaign contributions
- ↑ LegiStorm "Cory Gardner"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Gardner, (R-Colorado), 2011"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Gardner, (R-Colorado), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," February 21, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Betsy Markey |
U.S. House - Colorado District 4 2011-Present |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by ' |
Colorado House of Representatives, District 63 June 2005–2011 |
Succeeded by Jon Becker |
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