Jim DeMint

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder James Warren DeMint (born September 2, 1951) is an American businessman, author, and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from South Carolina and as president of The Heritage Foundation. A leading figure in the Tea Party movement, DeMint is a member of the Republican Party and is the founder of the Senate Conservatives Fund.

DeMint served as the United States representative for Template:Ushr from 1999 to 2005. He was elected to the U.S. Senate from South Carolina in 2004 and reelected in 2010. DeMint served in the Senate until January 2, 2013, when he stepped down to become president of The Heritage Foundation. On May 2, 2017, DeMint resigned his position at Heritage at the request of its board. He later became a senior advisor to Citizens for Self-Governance and the founding chairman of the Conservative Partnership Institute.

Early life and education

DeMint was born in Greenville, South Carolina, one of four children. His parents, Betty W. (née Rawlings) and Thomas Eugene DeMint,<ref>Jim DeMint | TheMediaBriefing Template:Webarchive</ref> divorced when he was five years old. Following the divorce, Betty DeMint operated a dance studio out of the family's home.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Verify source<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite news</ref>

DeMint attended Christ Church Episcopal School and Wade Hampton High School.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He played drums for a cover band called Salt & Pepper.<ref name="jjmillerNR">Template:Cite web</ref> He received a bachelor's degree in 1973 from the University of Tennessee,<ref name=Rettig/> where he is a member of the Tennessee Kappa chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and received an MBA in 1981 from Clemson University.<ref name=Rettig/>

Early career

DeMint joined his father-in-law's advertising firm in Greenville in 1981, working in the field of market research.<ref name="Rettig">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="NationalJournal">Template:Cite news (membership required)</ref> In 1983, he founded The DeMint Group, a research firm with businesses, schools, colleges, and hospitals as clients.<ref name="NationalJournal" />

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

DeMint's first involvement in politics began in 1992, when he was hired by Republican Representative Bob Inglis to work on his campaign for South Carolina's Fourth Congressional District. Inglis defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Liz J. Patterson, and DeMint performed message-testing and marketing for Inglis through two more successful elections.<ref name=Weigel>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1998, Inglis ran for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking re-election to the House of Representatives. DeMint left his firm to run for Inglis' House seat.<ref name=Rettig/><ref name=Weigel/> The district was considered the most Republican in the state, and it was understood that whoever won the primary would be heavily favored to be the district's next congressman.Template:Citation needed DeMint finished second in the Republican primary behind State Senator and fellow Greenville resident Michael Fair.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the runoff, DeMint narrowly defeated Fair by 2,030 votes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He then defeated Democratic State Senator Glenn Reese with 57 percent of the vote to Reese's 40 percent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> DeMint faced no major-party opposition in 2000, and defeated an underfunded Democrat in 2002.Template:Citation needed

Tenure

DeMint was elected president of the freshman class of House Republicans.<ref name=Slate>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=autogenerated2>Template:Cite news</ref> DeMint pledged to serve only three terms in the House.<ref name=NationalJournal/>

The Washington Post and The Christian Post have described DeMint as a "staunch conservative", based on his actions during his time in the House.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He broke rank with his party and powerful state interests several times: DeMint was one of 34 Republicans to oppose President Bush's No Child Left Behind program and one of 25 to oppose Medicare Part D.<ref name=Slate/> He sought to replace No Child Left Behind with a state-based block-grant program for schools.<ref name=NationalJournal/> DeMint also worked to privatize Social Security by allowing the creation of individual investment accounts in the federal program. In 2003, DeMint sponsored legislation to allow people under the age of 55 to set aside 3 percent to 8 percent of their Social Security withholding income in personal investment accounts.<ref name=NationalJournal/> DeMint was also the only South Carolina House member to vote for normalizing trade relations with China, arguing in favor of free trade between the countries. He also provided a crucial swing vote on a free trade bill regarding Caribbean countries. His votes led South Carolina's influential textile industry to heavily oppose him in his subsequent House and Senate races.<ref name=NewYorkTimes>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=NewYorkTimes2>Template:Cite news</ref>

U.S. Senate

2004 election

Template:Main DeMint declared his candidacy for the Senate on December 12, 2002, after Sen. Ernest Hollings announced that he would retire after the 2004 elections.Template:Citation needed DeMint was the White House's preferred candidate in the Republican primary.Template:Citation needed

In the Republican primary on June 8, 2004, DeMint placed a distant second, 10.3% behind former governor David Beasley and just barely ahead of Thomas Ravenel. Ravenel endorsed DeMint in the following runoff. DeMint won the runoff handily, however.Template:Citation needed

DeMint then faced Democratic state education superintendent Inez Tenenbaum in the November general election. DeMint led Tenenbaum through much of the campaign and ultimately defeated her<ref name=Brown>Template:Cite web</ref> by 9.6 percentage points.Template:Citation needed DeMint's win meant that South Carolina was represented by two Republican senators for the first time since Reconstruction, when Thomas J. Robertson and John J. Patterson served together as senators.Template:Citation needed

DeMint stirred controversy during debates with Tenenbaum when he stated his belief that openly gay people should not be allowed to teach in public schools. When questioned by reporters, DeMint also stated that single mothers who live with their boyfriends should similarly be excluded from being educators.<ref name="want apology Kinnard" /><ref name="Radnofsky">Template:Cite news</ref> He later apologized for making the remarks, saying they were "distracting from the main issues of the debate." He also noted that these were opinions based on his personal values, not issues he would or could deal with as a member of Congress.<ref>Hoover, Dan (October 6, 2004)."DeMint apologizes after remarks on gays", Greenville News.</ref>

2010 election

File:Rand & Ron Paul, Jim DeMint and Geoff Davis.jpg

DeMint campaigning in Erlanger, Kentucky with Congressman Ron Paul of Texas and Congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky in on behalf of Rand Paul in 2010

DeMint easily won re-nomination in the Republican Party primary.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Democratic Party opponent Alvin Greene won an upset primary victory over Vic Rawl.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto4">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Greene received scrutiny from Democratic Party officials, with some calling for Greene to withdraw his candidacy or be replaced on the ballot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On November 2, 2010, DeMint defeated Greene by a margin of 63% to 28%, with Green Party candidate Tom Clements receiving 9% of the vote.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Tenure

In his first term, DeMint was appointed to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging.<ref name=PostandCourier>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> In 2006, DeMint began leading the Senate Steering Committee.<ref name=Drucker>Template:Cite news</ref> DeMint also served as a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.<ref name=TheWashingtonTimes>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Martin>Template:Cite news</ref>

As a member of the 111th Congress, DeMint joined the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.<ref name=Pierce>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, DeMint was one of two senators who voted against Hillary Clinton's appointment to Secretary of State, and the next year he introduced legislation to completely repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare.<ref name=Chaggaris>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Kiely>Template:Cite news</ref> Later in 2010, he introduced another piece of legislation titled the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, which aimed to require congressional approval of any major regulation change made by a federal agency.<ref name=Herszenhorn>Template:Cite news</ref> At the end of his first term, DeMint was appointed to the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee for the impeachment of federal judge Thomas Porteous.<ref name="O'Keefe">Template:Cite news</ref>

After winning re-election in 2010, DeMint became the highest-ranking elected official associated with the Tea Party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Vets bill held up by Lejeune toxic water issue</ref><ref name=Paulson>Template:Cite news</ref> During the first year of his second term, DeMint released a letter signed by over 30 other Senate Republicans asking the supercommittee tasked with balancing the federal budget to do so within the next 10 years, and without creating any net tax increases.<ref name=Mascaro>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2012, DeMint announced his resignation from the Senate effective January 2, 2013, to take a job as president of The Heritage Foundation.<ref name=Memmott>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 17, 2012, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley announced that she would name Congressman Tim Scott to fill DeMint's vacated seat.<ref>Steinhauer, Jennifer & Jeff Zeleny. Tim Scott to Be Named for Empty South Carolina Senate Seat, Republicans Say, New York Times, December 17, 2012.</ref>

Political positions

File:Jim DeMint by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg

DeMint speaking at rally for United States Senate candidate Rand Paul in October 2010

DeMint is a member of the Republican Party<ref name=Lizza>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and is aligned with the Tea Party movement.<ref name=Shiner/> In 2011, DeMint was identified by Salon as one of the most conservative members of the Senate.<ref name=Lizza/><ref name=Shiner>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Kornacki>Template:Cite news</ref>

Economy and budget

Throughout his political career, DeMint has supported a type of tax reform that would replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax and has favored abolishing the Internal Revenue Service.<ref name=Conason>Template:Cite news</ref> He has supported many changes to federal spending, such as prioritizing a balanced budget amendment instead of increasing the national debt limit.<ref name=Karl>Template:Cite news</ref> As a senator, DeMint proposed a two-year earmark ban to prevent members of Congress from spending federal money on projects in their home states.<ref name=Chebium>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2008, presidential candidates John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama co-sponsored DeMint's earmark reform proposal, although it ultimately failed to pass in the Senate.<ref name=Politifact>Template:Cite web</ref> In March 2010, DeMint's earmark reform plans were again defeated.<ref name=Sanchez>Template:Cite web</ref> In November of the same year, DeMint, along with nine other senators including Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, proposed another moratorium on earmarks which was adopted by Senate Republicans.<ref name=Montopoli10Nov9>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Montopoli10Nov18>Template:Cite news</ref>

DeMint has also been a proponent of free trade agreements, advocated for the privatization of Social Security benefits, and in 2009 authored the "Health Care Freedom Plan", which proposed giving tax credits to those who are unable to afford health insurance.<ref name=Conason/><ref name=WISTV>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Gazette>Template:Cite news</ref> DeMint opposed President Barack Obama's health care reform efforts, saying of the Affordable Care Act, "If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

DeMint was the sole 'Nay' vote for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

DeMint was opposed to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the bailouts during the automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010. He also led a group of senators in opposing government loans to corporations.<ref name=OnTheIssues/><ref name=Carter>Template:Cite news</ref> He supports a high level of government accountability through the auditing of federal agencies.<ref name=OnTheIssues/>

Foreign policy

In 1999, DeMint voted against the NATO intervention during the Kosovo war.<ref name=OnTheIssues>Template:Cite web</ref> DeMint voted to authorize military force in Iraq in 2002.<ref name=OnTheIssues/> In 2011, DeMint voted in favor of Rand Paul's resolution opposing military involvement in Libya.<ref name=Shiner/><ref name=OnTheIssues/> He favored preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons over a policy of containment after their development.<ref name="otiwarnpeace">"Jim DeMint on War & Peace" ontheissues.org. Retrieved October 22, 2013.</ref>Template:Better source needed

DeMint has also expressed concern about various United Nations treaties, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Law of the Sea Treaty.<ref name="DigitalJournal">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Post">Template:Cite news</ref> DeMint favors legal immigration and opposes granting amnesty to illegal immigrants.<ref name="otiImmigration">Template:Cite web</ref> He has expressed opposition to the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 on the basis that granting amnesty to illegal immigrants may cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars.<ref name="Grim">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="TampaBayTimes">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Chasmar">Template:Cite news</ref>

In a May 15, 2020, editorial in Newsweek, DeMint stated that while he continued to support free trade, he was wrong about liberalizing trade with China.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Obama administration

In October 2009, after the Honduran Army, on orders from the Honduran Supreme Court, removed Manuel Zelaya as president, DeMint visited the country to gather information.<ref name=Lee/> The trip was approved by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell but opposed by Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry. DeMint supported the new government, while the Obama administration favored Zelaya's return to the presidency.<ref name=Lee>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late 2009, DeMint criticized Barack Obama for waiting eight months into his first term as president before nominating a new head of the Transportation Security Administration.<ref name=Carty>Template:Cite news</ref> After the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 in December 2009, DeMint stated that President Obama had not put enough focus on terrorism while in office.<ref name=Carty/>

DeMint blamed Obama for racism in the United States. He said that Obama "took race back to the '60s, as far as I'm concerned. He made everything a race issue, or at least saw it through a racial lens. The country had moved toward bending over backward to create equality. But then suddenly, with Obama, he just lit the fires. I thought when he was elected that was the big victory, that we had put racism behind us."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Social issues

DeMint opposes abortion in all cases except for when the woman's life is in danger<ref>Senator Jim W. DeMint Template:Webarchive at Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 25, 2010.</ref>Template:Better source needed and opposing research from stem cells derived from human embryos.<ref name=CNN>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

DeMint voted against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in December 2009,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and he voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He voted in favor of declaring English the official language of the US government.<ref name="otiImmigration"/>

DeMint is firmly opposed to same-sex marriage. In his book Now or Never: Saving America from Economic Collapse, DeMint states:

DeMint also argues that same-sex marriage infringes upon religious liberty:

DeMint has repeatedly voted for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.<ref name="civilrights">Template:Cite web</ref> He has also voted to ban same-sex adoption in Washington, D.C.<ref name="civilrights"/> DeMint drew considerable criticism by saying that openly gay teachers should be banned from teaching in public schools.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In a 2008 interview, DeMint said that while government does not have the right to restrict homosexuality, it also should not encourage it through legalizing same-sex marriage, due to the "costly secondhand consequences" to society from the prevalence of certain diseases among homosexuals.<ref>DeMint, Jim. Remarks to Diane Rehm, The Diane Rehm Show, National Public Radio, January 31, 2008.</ref> On October 1, 2010, DeMint, in comments that echoed what he had said in 2004, told a rally of his supporters that openly homosexual and unmarried sexually active people should not be teachers.<ref>Shackleford, Lynne P. "DeMint addresses conservative issues at Spartanburg church rally", October 2, 2010.</ref> In response, the National Organization for Women, the National Education Association, the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, GOProud (a GOP group), and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force asked for DeMint's apology.<ref name="want apology Kinnard">Kinnard, Meg. ["Gay, women's groups want apology from DeMint"], Associated Press, The State, October 7, 2010. Template:Dead link</ref><ref>Terkel, Amanda. "Teachers Unions Pile on DeMint: 'Ignorance and Hate Go Hand In Hand'", Huffington Post, October 7, 2010.</ref>

Later career

Senate Conservatives Fund

File:Jim DeMint (33064437426).jpg

DeMint speaking at Conservative Political Action Conference in 2017

In 2008, DeMint formed the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF), a political action committee with the intention of supporting conservative candidates that may have otherwise been overlooked by the national party.<ref name="Lerer">Template:Cite news</ref> The SCF is associated with the Tea Party movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It supports conservative Republican politicians in primary challenges and general elections.<ref name="Chebium" /><ref name="Weiner">Template:Cite news</ref> SCF states that it raised $9.1 million toward the 2010 U.S. Senate elections and which endorsed successful first-time Senate candidates Pat Toomey, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Marco Rubio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed DeMint left SCF in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Heritage Foundation

Template:Further On April 4, 2013, DeMint started his first full day as president of The Heritage Foundation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Washington Post reported that DeMint's predecessor at the Heritage Foundation, Edwin Feulner, was paid a base salary of $477,097 in 2010 compared to a U.S. Senator's salary of $174,000 and that year DeMint was one of the poorest members of the Senate, with an estimated wealth of $40,501.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On May 2, 2017, DeMint was fired from The Heritage Foundation following a unanimous vote of the foundation's board of trustees,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which had lost confidence in his ability to maintain the organization's role as a fount of conservative thinking.<ref>The real reason Jim DeMint got the boot, Politico, by Eliana Johnson and Nancy Cook, May 2, 2017</ref> A public statement by the board said a thorough investigation of the foundation's operations under DeMint found "significant and worsening management issues that led to a breakdown of internal communications and cooperation." "While the organization has seen many successes," the board statement said, "Jim DeMint and a handful of his closest advisers failed to resolve these problems."<ref>"The real reason Jim DeMint got the boot", Politico, May 2, 2017</ref>

Citizens for Self-Governance

In June 2017, DeMint became a senior advisor to Citizens for Self-Governance, a group which is seeking to call a convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution in order to reduce federal government spending and power. According to DeMint, "The Tea Party needs a new mission. They realize that all the work they did in 2010 has not resulted in all the things they hoped for. Many of them are turning to Article V." The proposed constitutional convention would impose fiscal restraint on Washington D.C., reduce the federal government's authority over states, and impose term limits on federal officials.<ref name=USA>Template:Cite news</ref>

Conservative Partnership Institute

Template:Main In 2017, DeMint founded the Conservative Partnership Institute, of which he serves as chairman.<ref name="pol1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="pol2">Template:Cite news</ref> The stated purpose of the CPI is the professional development of conservative staffers and elected officials.<ref name="pol1"/> Mark Meadows joined as senior partner in January 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Save America PAC donated $1 million to the CPI.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A 2022 NPR investigation found CPI might be violating prohibitions on 501(c)(3) charities providing benefits to political parties (in this case, the Republican Party).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2020 election results

As part of the attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, DeMint signed a December 10, 2020, letter from the Conservative Action Project asking state legislatures in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Michigan to disregard the popular vote outcomes in each of those states and appoint slates of electors to the Electoral College in support of President Donald Trump.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

DeMint's wife, Debbie, is one of three children of the late Greenville advertising entrepreneur and South Carolina Republican figure James Marvin Henderson Sr.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Works

• Why We Whisper: Restoring Our Right to Say It's Wrong, with J. David Woodard. Rowman & Littlefield. 2007.
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Now or Never: Saving America from Economic Collapse. Center Street, 2012.
• Falling in Love With America Again Center Street, 2014.
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:C-SPAN
• Template:CongLinks

Template:S-start Template:S-par Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-ppo Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-par Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end