Curt Clawson

Curt Clawson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 19th district
Assumed office
June 25, 2014
Preceded by Trey Radel
Succeeded by Francis Rooney (elect)
Personal details
Born Curtis Jay Clawson
(1959-09-28) September 28, 1959
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political party Republican
Residence Bonita Springs, Florida
Alma mater Purdue University
Harvard Business School
Religion Mormonism
Website House website

Curtis Jay Clawson (born September 28, 1959) is an American politician who has been the United States Representative for Florida's 19th congressional district since 2014. He is the former chief executive of Hayes Lemmerz, a Michigan-based automobile wheel and brakes supplier.[1][2]

Education and career

Clawson attended Batesville High School in Batesville, Indiana. A high school basketball star, he was recruited by Gene Keady for Purdue University.[3] At Purdue, he was a 2x All-Academic Big Ten selection (1982–83 and 1983–84). He was a team captain for the 1983–84 Big Ten Champions, was a member of 2x NCAA teams (1982–83 and 1983–84) and an NIT Finalist team (1981–82).[4] He graduated in 1984 with a BA in Spanish and a BS from the Krannert School of Management.[3] He was named a "Purdue Old Master" in 2010 and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014[3]

In 1990, he earned an MBA from Harvard University.[3]

Before his election to Congress, Clawson spent a quarter-century as an executive with several industrial firms, working at AlliedSignal, American National Can and Hayes Lemmerz.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2014

Special

Clawson was the Republican Party nominee in a special election to fill the seat being vacated by Trey Radel.[5] and won the election on June 24, 2014. In the April 22, 2014 Republican primary--the real contest in this heavily Republican district--Clawson defeated State Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto and former State Representative Paige Kreegel with 38% of the vote to Benacquisto's 26% and Kreegel's 25%.[5] Clawson was endorsed in the primary by the Tea Party Express.[4] He spent $2 million on advertising and in one of his ads he challenged U.S. President Barack Obama to a game of one on one basketball.[4]

General

Clawson won a full term in November 2014 with 64 percent of the vote.

Tenure

Clawson delivered the Tea Party response to President Obama's State of the Union Address in 2015.[6]

In May 2016, Clawson announced that he would not seek re-election that year, citing the death of his mother in the summer of 2015 and how it "affected him and his father more deeply than he had thought it would." "With the passing of my mom, it’s a good time to show support for my dad and be close to (him),” Clawson said.[7]

Electoral history

2014 (Special)

Republican primary results[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Curt Clawson 26,857 38
Republican Lizbeth Benacquisto 18,032 26
Republican Paige Kreegel 17,762 25
Republican Michael Dreikorn 7,560 11
Total votes 70,211 100
Florida's 19th Congressional District special election, 2014[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Curt Clawson 66,922 66.9
Democratic April Freeman 29,314 29.3
Libertarian Ray Netherwood 3,729 3.7
Write-in Timothy J. Rossano 24 0.0
Total votes 99,989 100.0

2014

Florida's 19th Congressional District Election (2014)[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Curt Clawson* 159,354 64.6
Democratic April Freeman 80,824 32.7
Libertarian Ray Netherwood 6,671 2.7
Write-in Timothy J. Rossano 12 0.0
Total votes 246,861 100.0

References

  1. ↑ "NDN exclusive: Curt Clawson touts business acumen, but record is marred". Naples Daily News. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ex-C.E.O. Wins Florida Primary for House Seat". New York Times. New York City: New York Times Company. April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Curtis J. Clawson : College of Liberal Arts : Purdue University
  4. 1 2 3 Leary, Alex (April 22, 2014). "Tea party candidate Curt Clawson wins Republican primary to replace former Rep. Trey Radel". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa: Times Publishing Company. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Sullivan, Sean. Curt Clawson wins Republican nomination in Florida special election, Washington Post, April 23, 2014.
  6. ↑ Topaz, Jonathan (January 20, 2015) – "Tea Party Response to Obama Hits Soft Tones". POLITICO. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ King, Ledyard (May 20, 2016). "U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson won't seek re-election". The News-Press. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Florida - County Vote Results". Associated Press. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Florida Department of State - Election Results: June 24, 2014 Special General Congressional 19". Florida Department of State Department of Elections. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Florida Department of State - Election Results: November 4, 2014 General Election". Florida Department of State Department of Elections. Retrieved June 18, 2016.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Trey Radel		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 19th congressional district
2014–present 		Succeeded by
Francis Rooney
Elect
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
David Jolly		 United States Representatives by seniority
369th 		Succeeded by
Alma Adams
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