Jeffrey John Denham (born July 29, 1967) is an American politician, United States Air Force veteran, and businessman. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative for California's 10th congressional district. Denham first won election to the U.S. House in 2010, representing California's 19th congressional district for one term before redistricting led him to run in the 10th district in 2012.
From 2002 to 2010, Denham served in the California State Senate, representing the 12th District, which includes Madera, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, and Stanislaus counties. Prior to seeking political office, Denham served on active and reserve status in the United States Air Force for 16 years, and served in both Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.
Video Jeff Denham
Early life, education, and military service
In 1984, at age 17, Denham enlisted in the United States Air Force. He served on active and reserve status for 16 years, during which he received the Meritorious Service Medal for his service during Operation Desert Storm (Iraq) and Operation Restore Hope (Somalia). In 2006 he was honored by the California National Guard with its highest military award, the "Order of California" service award, for distinguished service.
Denham received an associate's degree from Victor Valley College in 1989 and a B.A. in political science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 1992. He has worked as a farmer and started a plastics container company to ship produce.
Maps Jeff Denham
2000 State Assembly campaign
In 2000, Denham ran for the California State Assembly against City Councilman Simon Salinas, a Democrat. A total of $2.5 million was spent in the race. Salinas defeated Denham with 52% of the vote.
California State Senate
Elections
- 2002
Denham ran for the State Senate in 2002 against former Democratic State Assemblyman Rusty Areias. The race featured a number of negative political advertisements and was one of the most expensive legislative races in state history, with over $6.3 million spent. Denham's campaign highlighted Areias's financial difficulties, including unpaid taxes.
The election was on November 5, 2002, but the vote count was close; the lead in the race went back and forth for several days. Denham won by 1,843 votes, 48% to 47%.
- 2006
In November 2006, Denham won re-election to a second term with 58% of the vote.
- 2008 recall attempt
In 2008, a recall effort was instigated against Denham by Democrat Don Perata after Denham declined to cast a deadlock-breaking vote on the state budget. Supporters of the recall turned in more than 60,000 signatures. In the recall election on June 3, 2008, Denham easily survived the recall, with 77% of voters casting ballots to retain him.
- 2009 Lieutenant Governor and State Assembly campaigns
Denham announced in December 2008 that he would be a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2010 election. He ended his campaign soon after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in November 2009, appointed Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, a Democrat, who was elected to Congress.
Denham then campaigned briefly for the State Assembly seat being vacated by Tom Berryhill of Modesto, but in late December 2009 he dropped out of that race to run for Congress.
Tenure
During his time in the state legislature, Denham focused his efforts on education, agriculture and job creation. He called for a reduction in government waste in Sacramento, better use of state surplus assets, and a crackdown on sexual predators.
Denham's awards include Legislator of the Year by the California State Sheriffs' Association (2004), Outstanding Legislator by the California State Sheriff's Association (2005), Legislator of the Year by the California Small Business Association (2005), Most Progressive Law Enforcement Leader of the Year by A Woman's Place of Merced (2005), and California Teachers Association Gold Award (2005).
Committee assignments
Denham's committee assignments in the California State Senate included:
- Business, Professions and Economic Development
- Education
- Agriculture
- Veterans Affairs
- Governmental Organization
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2010
In December 2009, seven-term U.S. Congressman George Radanovich announced he would retire due to health reasons. He endorsed Denham as his successor for the California's 19th congressional district. In the Republican primary, Denham defeated Fresno mayor Jim Patterson, former U.S. Congressman Richard Pombo, and Fresno City Councilman Larry Westerlund 36%-31%-21%-12%. In the 2010 general election, Denham defeated Democrat Loraine Goodwin with 65% of the vote.
2012
After redistricting, Denham decided to run in the newly redrawn California's 10th congressional district. That district had previously been the 18th District, represented by five-term Democrat Dennis Cardoza.
Former NASA astronaut José Hernández ran against him as the Democratic candidate. The 10th is a swing district with a 25% Hispanic voting age population. Denham won with 53% of the vote to Hernández's 47%.
2014
In 2014, Denham ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Denham was expected to receive media endorsements over his Democratic opponent, Michael Eggman, a commercial beekeeper and almond grower, although the seat was regarded by some as "vulnerable" earlier in the year.
The Rothenberg Political Report ultimately listed the race as "Republican Favored". Denham defeated Eggman with 56% of the vote.
2016
Denham ran for re-election in 2016. He finished first in the top-two primary on June 7, 2016, and again faced Eggman, who placed second, in the general election on November 8, 2016. Denham won re-election with 51.7% of the vote. More than $11 million was spent on the race, mostly from outside groups.
Tenure
In April 2017, Denham hosted a town hall meeting in Turlock, which approximately 1,000 constituents attended. When a constituent asked for him to support the release of Donald Trump's tax returns, Denham said "I'm not going to ask the previous president that I served under to show his birth certificate any more than I am going to ask this president to show his taxes."
Denham voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Regarding his vote, Denham described the bill as a "win for the Valley" he represents and he said "everyone will see an increase in their paychecks in 2018." Denham said he believed the bill would grow local agricultural business.
In 2018, Denham made a bid to lead the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Committee assignments
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, Chairman
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
- Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
- Subcommittee on Health
- Agriculture Committee
- Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit
Denham is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.
Political positions
In the 114th United States Congress, Denham was ranked as the 41st most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives (and the second most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California) in the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy that ranks members of the United States Congress by their degree of bipartisanship (by measuring the frequency each member's bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party and each member's co-sponsorship of bills by members of the opposite party). As of January 2018, Denham had voted with his party in 90.5% of votes in the 115th United States Congress and voted in line with President Trump's position in 98.3% of votes. He ranked #43 out of 433 members of Congress in the number of times he had voted against his party's position.
Denham is a close ally of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Vote Smart Political Courage Test
Vote Smart, a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States, "researched presidential and congressional candidates' public records to determine candidates' likely responses on certain key issues." According to Vote Smart's 2016 analysis, Denham generally supports pro-life legislation, opposes an income tax increase, supports mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders, supports lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth, opposes requiring states to adopt federal education standards, supports building the Keystone Pipeline, supports government funding for the development of renewable energy, opposes the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, opposes gun-control legislation, supports repealing the Affordable Care Act, opposes same-sex marriage, and supports increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support.
Drug policy
Denham has a "D" rating from marijuana legalization group National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) regarding his voting record on cannabis-related matters. He is active in working with law enforcement to halt illegal growing of cannabis. Denham opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana, saying that "legalizing drugs, including marijuana, is a detriment to society and will endanger future generations." He voted for allowing veterans access to medical marijuana, if legal in their state, per their Veterans Health Administration doctor's recommendation, the second time the Veterans Equal Access Amendment was introduced in 2016.
Environment
As of January 2018, he had a 6% lifetime score from the environmental advocacy group the League of Conservation Voters.
Economic issues
Denham has argued that the national deficit is the biggest issue for the United States, and called it a threat to the nation's freedom.
In July 2012, he criticized an event put on by the General Services Administration, which cost $268,732. He said that he believed that the controversy went even further than the GSA.
Denham voted against raising the debt ceiling in 2013, which led to the United States federal government shutdown of 2013. He also voted against the bill that reopened the government and avoided a default.
Healthcare
On April 26, 2017, Denham told The Hill that he was not in favor of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Denham said that he could only support a repeal-bill that kept significant parts of Obamacare intact, such as coverage for pre-existing conditions and expanded Medicaid coverage. However, on May 4, 2017, Denham voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass AHCA. Denham said that he voted for the revised version of AHCA, which allows states to seek a waiver to allow insurers to charge individuals with preexisting conditions higher premiums, because the bill would provide $8 billion over five years to help those with pre-existing conditions. He voted for this version of the bill before the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had estimated its impact; the CBO had estimated that 24 million Americans would lose insurance under the previous version of the bill.
Immigration
In October 2013, Denham co-sponsored the comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced by House Democrats. In announcing his support for the bill, he said: "We can't afford any more delays. I support an earned path to citizenship to allow those who want to become citizens to demonstrate a commitment to our country, learn English, pay fines and back taxes and pass background checks."
In August 2014, Denham broke ranks with the Republican Party and voted against a bill that would have dismantled the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Social issues
In May 2016, Denham initially voted against an amendment to a defense appropriations bills by Democratic Representative Sean Patrick Maloney which would prohibit government contracts with companies that don't comply with President Obama's executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers. The following week, Denham reversed course and voted for Maloney's amendment to uphold President Obama's executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
2016 presidential race
Denham did not make an endorsement in the 2016 presidential race. He said that he planned to support the Republican nominee but did not specifically endorse Donald Trump, and that "Like many Americans from both parties, my first choice for president is not on the ballot in November."
FEMA reforms
On November 21, 2017, Denham introduced the Supporting Mitigation Activities and Resiliency Targets for Rebuilding Act, also known as the SMART Rebuilding Act. The SMART Rebuilding Act, which proposed cost-saving Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reforms, was included in the U.S. House's subsequent Disaster Recovery Reform Act and supplemental appropriations bill. The disaster aid package, which included $81 billion in additional disaster relief funding in addition to Denham's FEMA reforms, was passed by the House in December 2017 in a bipartisan vote.
Personal life
Denham and his wife Sonia have two children. She is Hispanic, and Denham has said that he learned Spanish to communicate with her family, including to help his Mexican father-in-law through the process of gaining U.S. citizenship. Denham owns and operates Denham Plastics, a supplier of reusable containers in the agriculture industry. He and his family also farm almonds at their ranch in Merced County.
Electoral history
References
External links
- Congressman Jeff Denham Official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
Source of article : Wikipedia
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