John Mica
Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Infobox officeholder John Luigi Mica (born January 27, 1943) is an American businessman, consultant and Republican politician who represented Template:Ushr in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017. He was defeated by Democrat Stephanie Murphy in the November 8, 2016, general election while serving his 12th term in office.
Early life, education, and business career
Mica was born in Binghamton, New York, and grew up in Florida. He was educated at Miami Edison High School, Miami-Dade Community College and the University of Florida, where he received a degree in education and was a member of Delta Chi fraternity and Florida Blue Key. He has been a businessman serving in the real estate, telecommunications, government affairs and consulting fields.
Early political career
Mica was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1976 to 1980 and served on several committees, including the Appropriations Committee. He was a staff member for Senator Paula F. Hawkins from 1981 to 1985 and became her chief of staff.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
1992
In 1992, Mica ran for Congress in the 7th District, previously the 4th District represented by two-term Republican Craig T. James.
Mica won the Republican primary with 53% of the vote, defeating State Representative Richard Graham (34%) and Vaughn Forrest (13%).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the general election, he defeated Democrat Dan Webster 56%–44%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1994–2004
During this time period, he won re-election every two years with at least 60% of the vote.<ref name="ourcampaigns1">Template:Cite web</ref>
2006
Mica defeated Jack Chagnon 63%–37%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2008
Template:See also Mica defeated Faye Armitage 62%–38%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010
Template:See also Mica defeated Heather Beaven 69%–31%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2012
Template:See also For his first 10 terms, Mica represented a district that stretched from the Orlando suburbs through Daytona Beach all the way to St. Augustine.
After the 2010 Census, the bulk of Mica's territory became the 6th District. However, most of the Orange County portion, including Mica's home in Winter Park, was drawn into the new 7th District. That district had previously been the 24th District, represented by freshman Republican Sandy Adams. Although the new 7th was over 58 percent new to Mica, he defeated Adams in the Republican primary with 61 percent of the vote. In the general election, Mica defeated Jason Kendall 59%–41%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014
Template:See also Mica defeated Wes Neuman 64%–32%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016
Template:See also A court-ordered redistricting made the 7th slightly friendlier to Democrats. The new map cut out the district's share of Volusia County, while pushing it farther into Orlando.
The 7th had already been a marginal district, even though Mica had been elected twice from this district without serious difficulty. Mitt Romney narrowly won it over Barack Obama in 2012, with 51 percent of the vote.<ref>Presidential results by congressional district for districts used in 2012 and 2014, courtesy Daily Kos</ref> In contrast, had the redrawn 7th existed in 2012, Obama would have won it with 49.4 percent.<ref>Presidential results by congressional district for districts used in 2016, courtesy Daily Kos</ref>
In the general election, Mica lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy by a margin of 51%–49%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Tenure
Template:Expand section In November 1997, Mica was one of eighteen Republicans in the House to co-sponsor a resolution by Bob Barr that sought to launch an impeachment inquiry against President Bill Clinton.<ref name="pace1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="hutcheson"/> The resolution did not specify any charges or allegations.<ref name="hutcheson">Template:Cite web</ref> This was an early effort to impeach Clinton, predating the eruption of the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal. The eruption of that scandal would ultimately lead to a more serious effort to impeach Clinton in 1998.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 8, 1998, Mica voted in favor of legislation that was passed to open an impeachment inquiry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 19, 1998, Mica voted in favor of all four proposed articles of impeachment against Clinton (only two of which received the needed majority of votes to be adopted).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Policy positions
Abortion
Mica opposes abortion. Regarding taxpayer funding of abortion through Planned Parenthood, he has said "I think the majority of Americans would oppose public, federal dollars going into abortion."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Economic issues
Mica voted against the 2009 stimulus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He has brought federal money for Florida highways, SunRail, the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the University of Central Florida.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Transportation
Mica supports Amtrak privatization.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, he earmarked $13 million for the Central Florida Commuter Rail, which was supported by a client of Mica's daughter.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mica has been opposed to the federal government contributing any additional funds towards repairing the Washington DC Metrorail system.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Marijuana
As chairman of the House Oversight Committee's subcommittee on government operations, Mica convened a hearing on marijuana legalization in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It was the first such hearing since 1988. Mica opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another such hearing was held by Mica in 2014 on the same subject, with multiple drug experts providing input.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Electoral history
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box hold with party link without swing Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box hold with party link without swing Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box hold with party link no swing Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box hold with party link without swing Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box end
Template:Election box begin no change Template:Election box winning candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box candidate with party link no change Template:Election box total no change Template:Election box gain with party link no change Template:Election box end
Committee assignments
Mica was chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from January 3, 2011, to December 2012.
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (former Chair)
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Personal life
Mica is married to Patricia, a schoolteacher, and has two grown children. He lives in Winter Park, Florida. He is the brother of former Representative Daniel A. Mica, while his other brother, David, is a former ranking staffer of Senator Lawton Chiles.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He is a member of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees and the Coast Guard Academy Board of Visitors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He is an Episcopalian.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
External links
Template:S-start Template:S-par Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-prec Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end
Template:US House Transportation and Infrastructure chairs Template:U.S. Florida Representatives Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- 1943 births
- 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature
- 21st-century Florida politicians
- 21st-century United States representatives
- American Episcopalians
- Delta Chi members
- Living people
- Politicians from Binghamton, New York
- Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida
- University of Florida College of Education alumni