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Dan Benishek
| Dan Benishek | ||
 | ||
| U.S. House, Michigan, District 1 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| January 3, 2011-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2015 | ||
| Years in position | 2 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Predecessor | Bart Stupak (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 $ | $3,601,071 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Education | ||
| High school | West Iron County High School, Iron River, MI | |
| Bachelor's | University of Michigan | |
| M.D. | Wayne State University Medical School | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | April 20, 1952 | |
| Place of birth | Iron River, Michigan | |
| Profession | Physician | |
| Net worth | $1,863,527 | |
| Religion | Roman Catholic | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
 | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Benishek is a "rank-and-file Republican".[1]
Biography
Benishek was born in 1952 in Iron River, Michigan. After graduating from West Iron County High School in 1970, Benishek went on to earn his B.S. at the University of Michigan in 1974, followed by his M.D. at Wayne State University Medical School in 1978. Prior to his political career, Benishek worked as a physician.[2]
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Benishek's professional and political career:[2]
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2013-2014
Benishek serves on the following committees:[3]
- Agriculture Committee
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Natural Resources Committee
- Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
- United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
- Subcommittee on Health - Chair
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
2011-2012
Benishek served on the following House committees:[4]
- Natural Resources Committee
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
- Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs
- Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Subcommittee on Health
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- Science, Space, and Technology
- Subcommittee on Research and Science Education
- Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight
Issues
Presidential preference
2012
Dan Benishek endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. [5]
Specific votes
Fiscal Cliff
Benishek voted for 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 85 Republicans that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.[6]
Campaign themes
2012
The following were several policy positions highlighted on Benishek's campaign website.[7]
- Budget & Spending
Excerpt: "Dr. Benishek has supported measures to reduce federal spending, erase the annual deficits, and provide a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution."[8]
- Health Care
Excerpt: "Dr. Benishek strongly supports the repeal of President Obama’s health care bill, the 'Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act' (PPACA), and is been extremely concerned about the impact that this law could have, should it remain in place."[9]
- Growing Small Business
Excerpt:"He is supportive of efforts that will help decrease burdensome regulations on small businesses and policies that will grant small business owners the ability to reinvest profits to expand and create jobs. In addition, Dr. Benishek is supportive of efforts to lower tax rates on businesses and simplify the tax code, which he believes will create opportunities for businesses to invest, expand and become more competitive."[10]
- Saving Medicare
Excerpt: "Dr. Benishek has supported a plan to make Medicare permanently solvent, which was developed with bipartisan support. This plan will make no changes for existing retirees or those nearing retirement—anyone age 55 or older."[11]
- Life
Excerpt: "Dr. Benishek believes that life begins at conception. During his time in Congress, Dr. Benishek has worked to promote a culture of life which, among other things, upholds and actively supports pro-life policies."[12]
- Solidly 2nd Amendment
Excerpt: "Dr. Dan Benishek believes the right to bear arms is a fundamental right that should be protected for all law-abiding citizens of the U.S."[13]
Elections
2014
According to a Washington Post article in December 2012, Benishek is one of the 10 most vulnerable incumbents in 2014.[14]
2012
Benishek won re-election.[15] Benishek ran for re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Michigan's 1st District. He ran unopposed in the August 7 Republican primary. He faced Gary McDowell (D), Emily Salvette (L), and Ellis Boal (G) in the November 6, 2012, general election.[16]
|
|
| U.S. House, Michigan, District 1 General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Gary McDowell | 47.6% | 165,179 | |
| Republican |  Dan Benishek Incumbent |
48.1% | 167,060 | |
| Libertarian | Emily Salvette | 3.1% | 10,630 | |
| Green | Ellis Boal | 1.2% | 4,168 | |
| Total Votes | 347,037 | |||
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
Polls
| Gary McDowell vs. Dan Benishek | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response | (June 25, 2012) | Average | ||||||||||||
| Gary McDowell | 40% | 40% | ||||||||||||
| Dan Benishek | 38% | 38% | ||||||||||||
| Undecided | 22% | 22% | ||||||||||||
| Number polled | 402 | 402 | ||||||||||||
| Margin of error | +/-4.9 | 4.9% | ||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | ||||||||||||||
Targeted
Benishek was been targeted for defeat in the 2012 elections by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.[18]
Full history
To view the full congressional electoral history for Dan Benishek, click [show] to expand the section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Benishek is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Benishek raised a total of $3,601,071 during that time period. This information was last updated on May 16, 2013.[20]
| Dan Benishek's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | US House (Michigan, District 1) |  |
$2,221,760 | |
| 2010 | US House (Michigan, District 1) | |
$1,379,311 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $3,601,071 | |||
2012
Benishek won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. During that election cycle, Benishek's campaign committee raised a total of $2,221,760 and spent $2,128,930.[21]
| U.S. House of Representatives, 2012 - Dan Benishek Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $2,221,760 |
| Total Spent | $2,128,930 |
| Total Raised by Election Runner-up | $1,497,052 |
| Total Spent by Election Runner-up | $1,487,186 |
| Top contributors to Dan Benishek's campaign committee | |
| Centra Inc | $20,000 |
| American College of Radiology | $15,000 |
| American Society of Anesthesiologists | $15,000 |
| Continuing a Majority Party Action Cmte | $15,000 |
| Every Republican is Crucial PAC | $15,000 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Leadership PACs | $262,453 |
| Health Professionals | $223,375 |
| Oil & Gas | $91,992 |
| Retired | $83,651 |
| Candidate Committees | $76,626 |
2010
Benishek won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. During that election cycle, Benishek's campaign committee raised a total of $1,379,311 and spent $1,343,624.[22]
| U.S. House of Representatives, Michigan's 1st Congressional District, 2010 - Dan Benishek Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $1,379,311 |
| Total Spent | $1,343,624 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $838,208 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $838,160 |
| Top contributors to Dan Benishek's campaign committee | |
| American Academy of Ophthalmology | $10,000 |
| American College of Surgeons | $10,000 |
| American Interventional Pain Physicians | $10,000 |
| GOP Generation Y Fund | $10,000 |
| National Restaurant Assn | $10,000 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Leadership PACs | $152,650 |
| Health Professionals | $131,750 |
| Retired | $65,413 |
| Republican/Conservative | $47,613 |
| Candidate Committees | $43,500 |
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Benishek missed 13 of 1,695 roll call votes from Jan 2011 to Mar 2013, which is 0.8% of votes during that period. This is better than the median of 2.2% among the lifetime records of representatives currently serving.[23]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Benishek paid his congressional staff a total of $853,111 in 2011. He ranked 84th on the list of the lowest paid Republican Representative Staff Salaries and he ranked 99th overall of the lowest paid Representative Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Michigan ranked 13th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[24]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Benishek's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $950,054 and $2,777,000. This averages to $1,863,527, which is a 66.99% decrease since 2010. This is lower than the $7,859,232 average net worth for Republican representatives in 2011.[25]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Benishek's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $3,335,080 and $7,956,000. That averages to $5,645,540, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2010 of $7,561,133.[26]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year, National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted, as compared to other members in the previous year. More information about the analysis process can be found on the vote ratings page.
2012
According to the data released in 2013, Benishek was ranked the 129th most conservative representative during 2012.[27]
2011
According to the data released in 2012, Dan Benishek was ranked the 106th most conservative representative during 2011.[28]
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, Dan Benishek voted with the Republican Party 91.0% of the time, which ranked 179 among the 242 House Republican members in November 2011.[29]
Personal
Benishek lives in Crystal Falls, Michigan, with his wife, Judy. They have five children and three grandchildren.[30]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Dan + Benishek + Michigan + House
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Dan Benishek News Feed
- Michigan lawmaker leads pushes for reform on military sexual assaults - Detroit Free Press
- Military sexual assaults: The time to act is now - Escanaba Daily Press
- Will troubles in D.C. rain on Michigan's political parade? - Michigan Radio
- Fleming bill would suspend temporarily IRS audit authority - EuniceToday.com
- Payroll Tax Poll Finds Many Americans Feel Tax Hike Effects - Huffington Post
- Bill would suspend IRS audits for six months - Washington Times (blog)
- Michigan congressmen want hearing, action on Asian carp to protect Great Lakes - Detroit Free Press
- Forest Owners Thank Congressional Leaders for Bipartisan Bill Preserving EPA ... - Voice of the Valley
- Essential legislation to protect hunting introduced in US Congress - Daily Caller
- Washington and 2nd Amendment rights - Escanaba Daily Press
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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
- ↑ Gov Track "Benishek" Accessed May 15, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Biographical Guide to Members of Congress "Dan Benishek" Accessed December 11, 2011
- ↑ CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "House of Representatives Committee Assignments" Accessed December 11, 2011
- ↑ Mitt Romney for President, "Mitt Romney Announces Support of Michigan Congressman Dan Benishek," January 20, 2012
- ↑ U.S. House "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues:Budget and Spending (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues:Healthcare (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues: Economy/Jobs (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues: Taking on Washington (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues: Life (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Benishek's Official Campaign Website, Issues: 2nd Amendment (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ Washington Post "House Democrats Face Long Odds in 2014," December 7, 2012
- ↑ Politico "2012 Election Map, Michigan"
- ↑ Associated Press primary results
- ↑ Benishek's Campaign Website, News (Accessed: October 5, 2012)
- ↑ http://www.freep.com/article/20120118/NEWS15/120118041/Red-to-blue-Democrats-target-one-Michigan-soon-to-be-district "Red to blue? Democrats target one Michigan soon-to-be district" January 18 2012]
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ 'Open Secrets "Career Fundraising for Dan Benishek," Accessed May 16, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets " 2012 Re-Election Cycle," Accessed February 15, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Dan Benishek 2010 Re-Election Cycle," Accessed December 3, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Dan Benishek" Accessed April 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Dan Benishek"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Benishek, (R-Michigan), 2011"
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Benishek, (R-Michigan), 2010"
- ↑ National Journal, "TABLE: House Liberal Scores by Issue Area," February 26, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
- ↑ Official House Site "Biography," Accessed December 11, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bart Stupak |
U.S. House of Representatives - Michigan District 1 2011–present |
Succeeded by ' |
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