Sam Graves | |
---|---|
Chair of the House Transportation Committee | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Peter DeFazio |
Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee | |
In office January 3,2019 –January 3,2023 | |
Preceded by | Peter DeFazio |
Succeeded by | Rick Larsen |
Chair of the House Small Business Committee | |
In office January 3,2011 –January 3,2015 | |
Preceded by | Nydia Velázquez |
Succeeded by | Steve Chabot |
Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee | |
In office January 3,2009 –January 3,2011 | |
Preceded by | Steve Chabot |
Succeeded by | Nydia Velázquez |
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives from Missouri's 6th district | |
Assumed office January 3,2001 | |
Preceded by | Pat Danner |
Member of the Missouri Senate from the 12th district | |
In office January 4,1995 –January 3,2001 | |
Preceded by | Glen Klippenstein |
Succeeded by | David Klindt |
Member of the MissouriHouseofRepresentatives from the 4th district | |
In office January 6,1993 –January 4,1995 | |
Preceded by | Phil Tate |
Succeeded by | Rex Barnett |
Personal details | |
Born | Samuel Bruce Graves Jr. November 7,1963 Tarkio,Missouri,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Lesley Hickok (m. 1986–2012) |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Todd Graves (brother) |
Education | University of Missouri (BS) |
Website | House website |
Samuel Bruce Graves Jr. (born November 7, 1963) is an American politician serving as the United States representative for Missouri's 6th congressional district , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches across most of the northern third of the state, from the Kansas border to the Illinois border. The bulk of its population lives in the northern part of the Kansas City area, including the northern fourth of Kansas City. Graves is the dean of Missouri's congressional delegation.
Graves is a lifelong resident of Tarkio, a small city in Missouri's northwestern corner, not far from the Iowa and Nebraska borders. [1] He is the son of Janice A. (née Hord) and Samuel Bruce Graves. He graduated from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture with a degree in agronomy. [1] He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity. [2]
Graves is a general aviation pilot. He owns a Piper PA-11 Cub Special, is restoring a Beech AT-10, and co-owns a North American T-6 Texan and a Vultee BT-13 Valiant. Gould Peterson Municipal Airport is named after his uncle, an aviator, and is on his family's farm. [3] [4] [5] Graves is a Baptist. [6]
Graves was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1992. [7] After one term, he was elected to the Missouri Senate in 1994 and reelected in 1998. [1]
After the September 2008 economic crisis, Graves voted against the proposed bailout of United States financial system, claiming it "neither 'punished the wrongdoers nor adequately protected the innocent taxpayers, investors and retirees' caught in the Wall Street banking crisis." [9] In January 2014, Graves introduced the TRICARE Family Improvement Act. The bill would allow dependents of military members to stay on their parents' TRICARE health plan after turning age 26. The bill would change current law, which requires those dependents to change to a separate health plan after turning 26. [10] The American Conservative Union gave him an 85% evaluation in 2017. As of 2019, Graves has a 4% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters. [11]
Graves voted to support Israel following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. [12] [13]
Graves is the brother of Todd Graves, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. [14] In October 2008, U.S. Senator Kit Bond apologized to Todd Graves after a U.S. Justice Department report cited Bond forcing Graves out over a disagreement with Representative Graves. [14] Following the report, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed a special prosecutor to investigate whether former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and other officials involved in the firings of nine U.S. attorneys broke the law (dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy). [15]
In 2009, the House Ethics Committee began an inquiry into whether Graves used his position on the Small Business Committee to invite Brooks Hurst, a longtime friend and a business partner of his wife, to testify at a committee hearing on the federal regulation of biodiesel and ethanol production. Graves had failed to mention the financial link between his wife and Hurst at the hearing, which dealt with federal subsidies for renewable fuels. A review by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics found "substantial reason to believe that an appearance of conflict of interest was created." [16] Graves said in a statement, "I look forward to a quick review of the facts and answering any questions that the committee may have. I believe that a speedy review will show that all the rules of the House concerning testimony in front of the Small Business Committee were followed." [17] The Office of Congressional Ethics referred the case to the House Ethics committee, which ended its own investigation in October, and released a report finding no ethical violations, as it asserted there was no standard in place for appearances like Hurst's. [18] [19]
Before his congressional career, Graves served eight years in the Missouri General Assembly, winning election to the Missouri House of Representatives once, and to the Missouri Senate twice.
In 2000, Democratic U.S. Representative Pat Danner suddenly retired due to breast cancer. Graves filed within the short period of time left for filing. He faced Danner's son, Steve Danner, a former state senator, in the general election. Graves called Danner as a "tax and spend liberal" and won the race with 51% of the vote, [20] largely by running up huge margins in the district's rural areas. He was arguably helped by George W. Bush carrying the district in the 2000 presidential election, a theory known as the coattail effect.[ citation needed ]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 7,837 | 56.48% | |
Democratic | Everett W. Brown | 6,038 | 43.52% | |
Total votes | 13,875 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 35,221 | 60.61% | |
Democratic | Doug R. Hughes | 22,888 | 39.31% | |
Total votes | 58,109 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 31,883 | 62.69% | |
Democratic | Beth M. Wheeler | 18,974 | 37.31% | |
Total votes | 50,857 | 100% |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Sam Graves | 30,014 | 68.05 | |
Republican | Teresa Anne Loar | 7,493 | 16.99 | |
Republican | Jeff Bailey | 4,575 | 10.37 | |
Republican | John Dady | 1,122 | 2.54 | |
Republican | Jack C. DeSalms | 901 | 2.04 | |
Total votes | 44,105 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Sam Graves | 138,925 | 50.85 | |
Democratic | Steve Danner | 127,792 | 46.78 | |
Libertarian | Jimmy Dykes | 3,696 | 1.35 | |
Natural Law | Marie Richey | 2,788 | 1.02 | |
Total votes | 273,201 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 131,151 | 63.03 | |
Democratic | Cathy Rinehart | 73,202 | 35.18 | |
Libertarian | Erik Buck | 3,735 | 1.79 | |
Total votes | 208,088 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 196,516 | 63.83 | |
Democratic | Charles S. Broomfield | 106,987 | 34.75 | |
Libertarian | Erik Buck | 4,352 | 1.41 | |
Total votes | 307,855 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 150,882 | 61.64 | |
Democratic | Sara Jo Shettles | 87,477 | 35.73 | |
Libertarian | Erik Buck | 4,757 | 1.94 | |
Progressive Party | Shirley A. Yurkonis | 1,679 | 0.69 | |
Total votes | 244,795 | 100 |
Graves faced a tougher reelection race in 2008 against the Democratic nominee, former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes. He gained national attention early in the race for running an ad accusing Barnes of promoting "San Francisco values." It was initially considered one of the most competitive races in the country,[ citation needed ] but Graves was reelected handily, with 59% of the vote to Barnes's 37%.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 196,526 | 59.43 | |
Democratic | Kay Barnes | 121,894 | 36.86 | |
Libertarian | Dave Browning | 12,279 | 3.71 | |
Total votes | 330,699 | 100 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Sam Graves | 54,566 | 82.46% | |
Republican | Christopher Ryan | 11,608 | 17.53% | |
Total votes | 66,174 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Sam Graves | 154,103 | 69.44 | |
Democratic | Clint Hylton | 67,762 | 30.54 | |
Write-In | Kyle Yarber | 47 | 0.02 | |
Total votes | 221,912 | 100 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Republican | Sam Graves | 59,388 | 80.33% | |
Republican | Christopher Ryan | 9,945 | 13.45% | |
Republican | Bob Gough | 4,598 | 6.22% | |
Total votes | 73,931 | 100 | ||
General election | ||||
Republican | Sam Graves | 216,906 | 65.00 | |
Democratic | Kyle Yarber | 108,503 | 32.52 | |
Libertarian | Russ Monchil | 8,279 | 2.48 | |
Total votes | 333,688 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 124,616 | 66.65 | |
Democratic | Bill Hedge | 55,157 | 29.50 | |
Libertarian | Russ Monchil | 7,197 | 3.85 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 238,388 | 68.0 | |
Democratic | David Blackwell | 98,588 | 28.4 | |
Libertarian | Russ Monchil | 8,123 | 2.3 | |
Green | Mike Diel | 4,241 | 1.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 199,796 | 65.4 | |
Democratic | Henry Martin | 97,660 | 32.0 | |
Libertarian | Dan Hogan | 7,953 | 2.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 258,709 | 67.1 | |
Democratic | Gena Ross | 118,926 | 30.8 | |
Libertarian | Jim Higgins | 8,144 | 2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Sam Graves | 184,865 | 70.3 | |
Democratic | Henry Martin | 72,253 | 27.5 | |
Libertarian | Edward A (Andy) Maidment | 5,774 | 2.2 |
Christopher Samuel Bond is an American attorney, politician and former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53–47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004. On January 8, 2009, he announced that he would not seek re-election to a fifth term in 2010, and was succeeded by fellow Republican Roy Blunt on January 3, 2011. Following his retirement from the Senate, Bond became a partner at Thompson Coburn.
William Todd Tiahrt is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Kansas's 4th congressional district from 1995 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected as part of the historic Republican Wave of 1994, defeating 18-year incumbent U.S. Representative Dan Glickman. He ran in 2010 for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Sam Brownback. He lost to fellow Republican U.S. Representative Jerry Moran of Hays, Kansas, 50%–45%.
Stephen Earle Buyer is an American former politician who served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 4th congressional district, and previously the 5th district, from 1993 until 2011. In July 2022, Buyer was arrested and charged with insider trading for buying shares of Sprint and Navigant Consulting before both were acquired by other companies, which he knew through his consulting work before the information was made public. Buyer was found guilty in 2023 and sentenced to 22 months in prison. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Robert William Goodlatte is an American politician, attorney, and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives representing Virginia's 6th congressional district for 13 terms. A Republican, he was also the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation affecting the federal courts, administrative agencies, and federal law enforcement entities. Goodlatte's district covered Roanoke and also included Lexington, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, and Staunton.
Isaac Newton Skelton IV was an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district from 1977 to 2011. During his tenure, he served as the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He was a member of the Democratic Party. On November 2, 2010, he unexpectedly lost his seat to Republican Vicky Hartzler amid a Republican landslide. Notably, he was one of three Democratic committee chairmen to lose reelection in the 2010 midterm cycle, alongside House Budget Committee chairman John Spratt of South Carolina and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota.
Kenny Charles Hulshof is an American politician and lawyer who represented Missouri's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He was the unsuccessful nominee of the Republican Party for Governor of Missouri in the 2008 election.
Emanuel Cleaver II is a United Methodist pastor and American politician who has represented Missouri's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005.
Kay Waldo Barnes is a former American politician and two-term Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, and the first woman to be elected to the office.
John Brooks Henderson was an American attorney and politician who represented Missouri in the United States Senate from 1862 to 1869.
Tracey Robert Mann is an American businessman and politician who has served as the U.S. representative from Kansas's 1st congressional district since 2021. The district, popularly known as "the Big First," includes parts of 63 counties in central and western Kansas and is the seventh-largest district in the nation that does not cover an entire state.
Missouri's 6th congressional district takes in a large swath of land in northern Missouri, stretching across nearly the entire width of the state from Kansas to Illinois. Its largest voting population is centered in the northern portion of the Kansas City metropolitan area and the town of St. Joseph. The district includes much of Kansas City north of the Missouri River.
Todd P. Graves is a private practice attorney and Republican politician, who previously served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. A twice-elected state prosecutor who is currently in private practice with the law firm Graves Garrett LLC, his practice focuses on representing individuals and businesses nationwide before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Graves was born and raised in Tarkio, Missouri. His brother is U.S. Representative Sam Graves. On January 7, 2017, Graves was elected with unanimous support by the Missouri Republican State Committee to serve as Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.
Patrick Leo Meehan is a former American Republican Party politician and federal prosecutor from Pennsylvania who represented parts of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and Lancaster counties in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 until his resignation in 2018. He succeeded Democrat Joe Sestak, who ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri were held specifically on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, and elected the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Missouri, a loss of one seat following the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a federal quadrennial presidential election, concurrent statewide gubernatorial election, quadrennial statewide lieutenant gubernatorial election, and an election to the U.S. Senate.
David Patrick Joyce is an American politician and attorney currently serving in the United States House of Representatives for Ohio's 14th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Joyce was previously the prosecutor of Geauga County, Ohio. He chairs the Republican Governance Group.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Missouri, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts.
Michael Patrick Guest is an American attorney and Republican politician. He has represented Mississippi's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2019. He became the ranking member of the United States House Committee on Ethics upon the August 2022 death of Jackie Walorski, and became its chair in the 118th Congress after Republicans won a House majority that November.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Missouri, one from each of the state's eight congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 United States presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the state of Missouri, one from each of the state's congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.
Mark Allen Alford Sr. is an American politician and former television news anchor serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)