Paul Mitchell | |
---|---|
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th district | |
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Candice Miller |
Succeeded by | Lisa McClain |
Personal details | |
Born | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | November 14, 1956
Died | August 15, 2021 | (aged 64)
Political party | Republican (until 2020) Independent (2020–2021) |
Spouse |
Sherry Mitchell (m. 2008) |
Children | 6 |
Education | Michigan State University (BA) |
Paul Mitchell III (November 14, 1956 – August 15, 2021) was an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 10th congressional district from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party for most of his Congressional tenure, he left the party in December 2020, three weeks prior to his departure from Congress, and became an independent.[1] In July 2019, Mitchell announced that he would not run for re-election in 2020 to spend more time with his family.
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Early life, family and education
Mitchell was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The oldest of six children, he was raised in Waterford Township, Michigan.
Mitchell graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in 1978.[2]
Career before politics
Paul Mitchell previously owned and operated Ross Medical Education Center.[3] He ran for the 32nd district seat in the Michigan State Senate in 2013 to succeed Roger Kahn,[4] but withdrew from the race.[5] He became the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition of Michigan, a conservative nonprofit foundation.[6] Mitchell led a campaign opposed to Proposal 1, a ballot proposition proposing a tax plan for roads, on the May 2015 ballot.[7][8]
U.S. House of Representatives
Mitchell ran for the United States House of Representatives in Michigan's 4th congressional district in 2014, losing the Republican Party primary election to John Moolenaar.[9] He moved to Michigan's 10th congressional district in 2015 to run for the House of Representatives in that district, following Candice Miller's decision not to run for reelection.[3][10][11] He won the primary, defeating Phil Pavlov and Alan Sanborn.[12] Mitchell won the general election, defeating Frank Accavitti.[13]
Mitchell assumed office on January 3, 2017. He was a member of the Republican Study Committee.[14] He voted in favor of the unsuccessful American Health Care Act of 2017, which would have repealed the Affordable Care Act and replaced it with another program.[15]
In July 2019, Mitchell announced he would not seek a third term in Congress, citing the "rhetoric and vitriol" of the federal government, a desire to spend more time with his family, and health issues.[16]
Shortly after a post on Twitter was sent by President Donald Trump on July 14, telling four female, minority, first-term congressional representatives to "go back" to their countries of origin, Mitchell called a fellow House GOP leader and asked him to persuade Trump to cease his rhetoric.[17] Mitchell said, "It's the wrong thing for a leader to say", and he told the leader, "It's politically damaging to the party, to the country."[18] A few days later, while Mitchell waited to go on to a prime-time television network appearance, he saw a clip of Trump rally attendees chanting, "send her back," aimed at one of the congresswomen, Ilhan Omar.[18] Mitchell asked an aide, "How do I even respond to this on TV?" For Mitchell, the final straw was the refusal of Trump staffers to listen.[18] Mitchell begged Vice President Mike Pence, and the Vice President's Chief of Staff Marc Short to arrange a one-on-one conversation between Mitchell and Trump to address his misgivings.[17]
On November 29, 2020, Mitchell tweeted a response to a tweet by Trump claiming rigged elections: "Oh my God. . @realDonaldTrump Please for the sake of our Nation please drop these arguments without evidence or factual basis. #stopthestupid".[19] The hashtag is a reference to "stop the steal", a slogan used by Trump supporters who claimed that the election had been stolen from Trump.[20]
On December 14, 2020, during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Mitchell announced he would no longer continue as a member of the Republican Party and would serve out the rest of his term in Congress as an independent.[21]
Committee assignments
- Committee on Armed Services[22][23]
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform[24]
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure[23]
Personal life and death
Mitchell moved to Saginaw County, Michigan, when he married his wife, Sherry Mitchell, in 2008. A longtime resident of Thomas Township, near Saginaw,[25] he purchased a home in Dryden Township to run for the 10th district seat in Congress.
In June 2021, Mitchell announced he had been diagnosed with stage 4 renal cancer and underwent surgery to remove a mass and blood clot near his heart.[26] He died on August 15, 2021, aged 64.[27][28]
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Moolenaar | 34,399 | 52.4 | |
Republican | Paul Mitchell | 23,844 | 36.3 | |
Republican | Peter Konetchy | 7,408 | 11.3 | |
Majority | 10,555 | 16.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Mitchell | 30,114 | 38.0 | |
Republican | Phillip Pavlov | 22,018 | 27.8 | |
Republican | Alan Sanborn | 12,640 | 15.9 | |
Republican | Tony Forlini | 7,888 | 9.9 | |
Republican | David VanAssche | 6,690 | 8.4 | |
Majority | 8,096 | 10.2 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Mitchell | 215,132 | 63.1 | -5.6 | |
Democratic | Frank Accavitti Jr. | 110,112 | 32.3 | +2.9 | |
Libertarian | Lisa Lane Gioia | 10,612 | 3.1 | +3.1 | |
Green | Benjamin Nofs | 5,127 | 1.5 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 105,120 | 30.8 | -8.5 | ||
Turnout | 340,983 | +49.1 | |||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Mitchell (incumbent) | 182,808 | 60.3 | -2.8 | |
Democratic | Kimberly Bizon | 106,061 | 35.0 | +2.7 | |
Independent | Jeremy Peruski | 11,344 | 3.7 | ||
Green | Harley Mikkelson | 2,851 | 0.9 | -0.6 | |
Majority | 76,747 | 25.3 | -5.5 | ||
Turnout | 303,064 | -11.1 | |||
Republican hold |
See also
References
- ^ "READ: Rep. Paul Mitchell's letter quitting the GOP, fearing 'long-term harm to our democracy' with its support for Trump's actions". CNN. December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "Michigan State University 1978 Spring Term Commencement" (PDF). Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Nann Burke, Melissa; Livengood, Chad (July 13, 2015). "Millionaire Mitchell joins race for Rep. Miller's seat". Detroit News. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ "Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell to run for Sen. Roger Kahn's seat". MLive.com. February 13, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ "Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell drops out of 32nd State Senate District race". MLive.com. May 15, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Tower, Mark (September 18, 2014). "After millions spent in unsuccessful bid for Congress, Paul Mitchell named chairman of conservative nonprofit". MLive.com. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Egan, Paul; Gray, Kathleen (May 6, 2015). "Michigan voters soundly reject Proposal 1 road tax plan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Oosting, Jonathan (July 13, 2015). "Paul Mitchell, businessman who fought Michigan roads Proposal 1, making second run for Congress". MLive.com. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ "Sen. John Moolenaar defeats Paul Mitchell in 4th District congressional Republican primary race". MLive.com. August 6, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ "Businessman Mitchell enters race to replace Miller". Detroit Free Press. July 13, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Tower, Mark (February 9, 2016). "Paul Mitchell to seek Candice Miller's seat in Congress". MLive.com. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Gibbons, Lauren (August 3, 2016). "Paul Mitchell wins 10th Congressional Republican primary, and other U.S. House results". MLive.com. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ Lesniewski, Niels; Lesniewski, Niels (November 9, 2016). "Republican Paul Mitchell Elected in Michigan's 10th District". Roll Call. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
- ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 256". Clerk of the House of Representatives. 2017.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (July 24, 2019). "Rep. Paul Mitchell won't run again, complains of 'rhetoric and vitriol' in Washington". Detroit Free Press.
- ^ a b Bade, Rachael (September 22, 2019). "Trump's takeover of GOP forces many House Republicans to head for the exits". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 14, 2020.[1], Washington Post, September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Rep. Paul Mitchell quits Republican Party". The County Press. December 16, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ Paul Mitchell [@reppaulmitchell] (November 30, 2020). "https://twitter.com/reppaulmitchell/status/1333214085341712388" (Tweet). Retrieved November 30, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Running on 'Stop the Steal,' the GOP goes all in on presidential sedevacantism". Religion News. July 28, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ Tapper, Jake (December 14, 2020). "Congressman cites Trump's efforts to overturn election in announcing decision to quit GOP". CNN. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ Creenan, Robert (February 10, 2021). "McClain will serve on armed services subcommittees". Huron Daily Tribune. Michigans Thumbs. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "Congressman Paul Mitchell returns to Armed Services, Transportation Committees". NBC News. January 17, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ "Paul Mitchell". Republicans Oversight. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ "Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell enters race for Congressman Dave Camp's seat". April 7, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ "Former Rep. Paul Mitchell announces renal cancer diagnosis". June 9, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ Egan, Paul (August 16, 2021). "Paul Mitchell, ex-Michigan congressman, dies at 64 after battle with cancer". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ LeBlanc, Paul (August 16, 2021). "Former Michigan Rep. Paul Mitchell dies at 64 after cancer battle". CNN. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ "2014 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. September 28, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ "2016 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. September 28, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ "2016 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. September 28, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ "2018 Michigan Election Results". Michigan Department of State. November 28, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
External links
- Paul Mitchell at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart