Ander Crenshaw

Ander Crenshaw
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Tillie K. Fowler
Member of the Florida Senate from the 8th district
In office April 1986 – November 1994
Preceded by	Joe Carlucci
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 24th district
In office November 1972 – November 1978
Preceded by	Joe Kennelly
Personal details
Born	(1944-09-01) September 1, 1944 (age 67) Jacksonville, Florida
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Kitty Kirk Crenshaw
Residence	Jacksonville, Florida
Alma mater	University of Georgia, University of Florida
Occupation	investment banker, attorney
Religion	Episcopalian

Ander Crenshaw (born September 1, 1944) is the U.S. Representative for Florida's 4th congressional district, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life, education and career

Crenshaw was born in Jacksonville, Florida, was educated at the University of Georgia (A.B. 1966) and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida. He worked briefly as an investment banker before entering politics, which allowed him to become a wealthy candidate. He earned his law degree in 1969 and continued to practice law while serving in Florida government.

Early political career

Statewide runs

1978

In 1978, Crenshaw ran for public office for the first time and won the Republican primary for Florida Secretary of State. He lost the general election to Democrat George Firestone.^[1]

1994

In 1994, he ran to be Florida Governor, but lost the primary to Jeb Bush, who won with a plurality of 46%. Crenshaw got just 12% of the vote in fourth place. State Secretary of State Jim Smith and State Treasurer Tom Gallagher got 18% and 13% of the vote respectively.

State Legislature

House

Crenshaw served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1972 through 1978.

Senate

He returned to public office in 1986, winning a special election for a seat in the Florida Senate that he held through 1994. He became the first Republican elected president of the Senate in 118 years in November 1992, but agreed to serve only one year instead of the usual two, as a compromise between Republicans and Democrats who were evenly split in the Senate that year.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch (Chairman)

Caucus memberships

• Crohn's and Colitis Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Effective Foreign Assistance (Co-Chair)
• International Conservation Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Nepal Caucus (Co-Chair)
• Sportsmen's Caucus
• Tea Party Caucus

Tenure

Crenshaw is currently a deputy minority whip in the Republican leadership.

On September 29, 2008, Crenshaw voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program.^[2] He was one of only three Florida Republicans to do so.

Despite his support of the bill, he issued a press release to "applaud the organizers and participants" of the April 15, 2009, First Coast Tax Day Tea Party, in Jacksonville, Florida, one of the many 2009 Tea Party protests which condemned any bailouts.^[3]

Political campaigns

In 1980, Crenshaw finished third in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat, earning roughly 13% of the vote behind Paula Hawkins and Louis Frey, Jr..

In 1994, he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor, winning several counties but ultimately losing out to Jeb Bush. Crenshaw finished fourth (12.1%) behind Tom Gallagher and Jim Smith.

In 2000, Crenshaw returned to politics when he won the Republican nomination for the 4th District after Tillie Fowler retired to honor a self-imposed four-term limit. He easily won in November, becoming only the fourth person to represent this district since its creation in 1943 (it was the 2nd District from 1943 to 1967, the 3rd District from 1967 to 1993, and has been the 4th since 1993). He has been reelected five times with no substantive opposition in what has become one of the most Republican districts in Florida. He even ran unopposed in 2002 and 2004, and faced no major-party opposition in 2010.

Crenshaw has largely kept a low profile during his congressional tenure. However, in 2005, several of his fellow Republicans tried to convince him to run for U.S. Senate against Bill Nelson. The nomination eventually went to Congresswoman Katherine Harris.

2010

Crenshaw was challenged by Independent Troy Stanley. Gary L. Koniz and Deborah "Deb" Katz Pueschel also qualified as write-ins.

Personal life

Crenshaw is a son-in-law of former Governor of Florida Claude Roy Kirk, Jr.

References

1. ^ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=52087
2. ^ "Bailout Roll Call". 2008-09-29. http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/29/bailout.rollcall.0929.pdf. Retrieved September 29, 2008. 
3. ^ / "Crenshaw on Tax Day: "American Families Being Left to Foot the Bill for a Bloated Government"". 2009-04-15. http://crenshaw.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=ab5d41da-19b9-b4b1-122f-e3a2b22a5949&Region_id=&Issue_id= /. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ander Crenshaw

• Congressman Ander Crenshaw official U.S. House site
• Ander Crenshaw for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs