Mac Thornberry
| Mac Thornberry | ||
 | ||
| U.S. House, Texas, District 13 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| January 3, 1995-present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2013 | ||
| Years in position | 18 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Leadership | ||
| Legislative counsel to U.S. Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler | ||
| 1983-1985 | ||
| Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Larry Combest | ||
| 1985-1988 | ||
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 2, 2010 | |
| First elected | November 8, 1994 | |
| Next election | November 6, 2012 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| Deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs, Department of State | ||
| 1988-1989 | ||
| Education | ||
| High school | Clarendon High School, TX | |
| Bachelor's | Texas Tech University, Lubbock | |
| J.D. | University of Texas School of Law | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | July 15, 1958 | |
| Place of birth | Clarendon, TX | |
| Profession | Rancher, lawyer | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Thornberry is a "rank-and-file Republican".[1]
Biography
Thornberry earned his B.A. from Texas Tech and his J.D. from the University of Texas.[2] After earning his law degree, he spent six years in politics, as an aide to two Texas representatives and then in the State Department during the Reagan Administration. He left Washington, D.C., for several years, going into the family ranching business and practicing law.[3]
Career
- 1995-present: U.S. House of Representatives
- 1989-1994: Rancher and lawyer (private practice)
- 1988-1989: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Department of State
- 1985-1988: Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Larry Combest (TX)
- 1983-1985: Legislative counsel to U.S. Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler (TX)
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2011-12
Thornberry serves on the following House committees[3]:
- House Armed Services Committee Vice Chair
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats
- Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Issues
Political positions
Legalizing propaganda
In May 2012, Rep. Thornberry, along with Rep. Adam Smith, sponsored an amendment to a defense authorization bill that would negate two previous acts in order to legalize the use of propaganda on Americans. Thornberry stated that the current restriction “ties the hands of America’s diplomatic officials, military, and others by inhibiting our ability to effectively communicate in a credible way.” [4] Critics said the move was done under the radar and that there are ways to modernize without getting rid of these safeguards.
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, Thornberry has voted with the Republican Party 95.6% of the time, which ranked 14 among the 242 House Republican members as of November 2011.[5]
Presidential preference
2012
Mac Thornberry endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. [6]
Elections
2012
Thornberry is running in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Texas' 13th District. He defeated Pam Barlow in the May 29, 2012, Republican primary. He is running against John Robert Deek (L) and Keith Houston (G) in the November 6, 2012, general election.[7][8]
2010
On November 2, 2010, Thornberry won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Keith Dyer (I) and John T. Burwell (L).[9]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas, Congressional District 13, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mac Thornberry Incumbent |
87% | 113,201 | |
| Independent | Keith Dyer | 8.6% | 11,192 | |
| Libertarian | John T. Burwell | 4.3% | 5,650 | |
| Total Votes | 130,043 | |||
Campaign donors
Thornberry won re-election to the U.S. House in 2010. During that re-election cycle, Thornberry's campaign committee raised a total of $689,960 and spent $792,833.[10]
| U.S. House of Representatives, Texas, 2010 - Mac Thornberry Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $689,960 |
| Total Spent | $792,833 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $0 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $0 |
| Top contributors to Mac Thornberry's campaign committee | |
| Honeywell International | $10,000 |
| Raytheon Co | $10,000 |
| Textron Inc | $10,000 |
| Lockheed Martin | $9,000 |
| National Beer Wholesalers Assn | $7,500 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Oil & Gas | $57,625 |
| Retired | $56,025 |
| Defense Aerospace | $51,300 |
| Livestock | $38,850 |
| Health Professionals | $37,850 |
Personal
Mac and his wife, Sally, have two children.[3]
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Gov Track "Thornberry" Accessed May 23, 2012
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress "Mac Thornberry," Accessed October 27, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Official House website "Biography," Accessed October 27, 2011
- ↑ ‘’Buzzfeed,” “Congressmen Seek to Lift Propaganda Ban,” May 18, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
- ↑ Texas Tribune, “Texas Congressman Will Back Romney,” April 5, 2012
- ↑ Republican candidate list
- ↑ Unofficial Republican primary results
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Mac Thornberry 2010 Election Cycle," Accessed October 27, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Sarpalius |
U.S. House of Representatives - Texas, 13th District 1995-Present |
Succeeded by - |
