Wikipedia

Chip Cravaack

Raymond John "Chip" Cravaack[1](born 1959)[a]is an American former politician and aviator. He was aRepublicanmember of theUnited States House of Representativesfor northeasternMinnesota's 8th congressional districtfrom 2011 to 2013. In his first run for political office, he upset 18-termDemocraticincumbentJim Oberstarby a margin of 4,400 votes to become the firstRepublicansince 1947 to represent the district.[11]Previously, Cravaack was a pilot forNorthwest Airlines,and before that, he was aNavy pilotand a graduate of theU.S. Naval Academy.He was defeated byDFLnomineeRick Nolanon November 6, 2012.[12]

Chip Cravaack
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromMinnesota's8thdistrict
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byJim Oberstar
Succeeded byRick Nolan
Personal details
Born
Raymond John Cravaack

1959 (age 64–65)[a]
Charleston, West Virginia,U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseTraci (divorced)
Children2
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy
University of West Florida
OccupationPilot
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Years of serviceNavy: 1981–1990
Naval Reserve: 1990–2005
RankCaptain

Early life and education

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Cravaack was born in 1959 inCharleston, West Virginia.[a][3]His ancestry includesGerman,Italian,andRomanian-German.[13]He grew up in theCincinnatisuburb ofMadeira, Ohio,the eldest of three children in a Republican family that had a military background; his father, Ray, served in theKorean War,and his grandfather served inWorld War I,as a motorcycle dispatch rider.[6][7]Cravaack graduated fromSt. Xavier High Schoolin 1977.[14][7]He graduated from theUnited States Naval Academyin 1981 with a bachelor of science degree and a Master's of Education from the University of West Florida in 1989.[15]

Military service

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Following graduation, Cravaack served in theNavyas a helicopter pilot, fulfilling a childhood ambition.[11][7]While in the Navy serving as a Flight Instructor in Pensacola Florida, he earned a Master of Education from theUniversity of West Florida.[7]After his release from active duty, he served in theNaval Reserve,serving withaircraft carriercrew augmentation units, the Navy Command Center at the Pentagon, CINCPAC Fleet in Hawaii, and ended his career serving with NATO, Supreme Allied Atlantic. Cravaack retired in 2005 with the rank ofCaptain.[7]

Northwest Airlines career

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Cravaack moved to Minnesota and began working as a pilot forNorthwest Airlinesin 1990. He was out of work for two years in the early 1990s due to layoffs, during which time he became a simulator instructor for a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines teaching foreign pilots.[7][10]

He was aunion stewardfor theAirline Pilots Association.[11][10]He served as a "strike coordinator" during the 1998 pilots'strike,bringing military discipline and parade-ground style marching to thepicket lines.[7]

Cravaack moved to New Hampshire after Congress to be with his sons, where he spent the last eight years before retirement as a teacher at Bishop Guertin High School, teaching U.S. History, Economics, and U.S. Government.[citation needed]

He is now retired and shuttles between the Winnipesaukee area in New Hampshire and the cradle of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida.[citation needed]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2010
See also:2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota § District 8

Cravaack was inspired to run for Congress by a suggestion from atalk radioshow host that voters demandtown hall meetingswith their congressmen during thehealth care billTea Party movementprotests of August 2009.[7]Cravaack went with 25 people to one of Oberstar's Minnesota offices asking for a meeting that day and when Oberstar did not come, Cravaack decided to challenge him in the November 2010 election.[11][7]

Cravaack entered the race as a political novice and an underdog.[10]The 8th had been in Democratic hands since 1947, and Oberstar was the longest-serving congressman in Minnesota's history, usually cruising to reelection.[7][10]Geography also seemed to be against Cravaack; his home in Lindstrom was inChisago County,in the southern portion of the district. His campaign manager was future Minnesota House of Representatives memberAnne Neu.[16]

According to theStar Tribune,Cravaack's campaign was "structured like a military operation".[7]He toured the district in amotor homedubbed "The War Wagon," and gave volunteers ranks such as commander, captain, and precinct lieutenant.[10]He discovered that his experience as aunion stewardattracted the interest of district voters, especially theminers.[10]

Cravaack campaigned on a platform offree-marketprinciples and government spending cuts.[7]He attacked Oberstar's vote on the health care bill, saying he would vote to repeal and replace it, and called an Oberstar-approved extension of theClean Water Actto include wet meadows a "land grab" by the federal government.[10][17]Cravaack also criticized theearmarkprocess that Oberstar had used to fund infrastructure projects in the district, saying it was time for the spending to stop,[11][10]and attacked Oberstar's vote on "cap and trade"legislation to limitcarbon emissions,saying it would result in higher energy prices.[10]In his first ad, Cravaack paid homage to Oberstar's service, saying that he ran against Oberstar "with all due respect" but accusing him of having lost touch with the district.[18]

The crowd jeered Oberstar at a candidate debate held inDuluth,and he called for a more civil atmosphere at the next debate.[17]The second debate centered on economic issues.[17]Cravaack argued that the 2003Bush tax cutsshould be continued in alltax bracketsto stimulate employment, and Oberstar said he would end the tax cut for the top two percent of earners because the lowered tax had caused part of thedeficit.[17]

A poll conducted forKSTP-TVin theTwin Citiesin October showed Oberstar ahead of Cravaack by only one point, 47% to 46%.[19]Cravaack received theendorsementof formerSpeaker of the HouseNewt Gingrichas the polls tightened.[10]He was also endorsed by Minnesota's largestanti-abortionorganization,Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life,and the largest newspaper in the district, theDuluth News Tribune.[11]In the November 2 election, Cravaack scored one of the biggest upsets in Minnesota political history,[20]defeating Oberstar by a vote of 133,490 (48%) to 129,091 (47%).[21]He believed the abortion issue was crucial to his victory; he had argued that Obamacare allowed for thepayment of abortionswith taxpayer funds andencouraged euthanasiafor the elderly.[7]By the time of the election, Cravaack characterized the bill as an example ofsocialized medicinethat would result in the rationing of medical care.[7]

2012
See also:2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota § District 8

In the 2012 election, Cravaack was endorsed by theMesabi Daily NewsinVirginiaand theDuluth News Tribune.[22]On November 6, he was unseeded by Democratic former congressmanRick Nolan,by a vote of 191,976 (54%) to 160,520 (45%)

Tenure

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Following his election in November 2010, Cravaack backed fellow Minnesota RepresentativeMichele Bachmannfor the number four GOP leadership position of House Republican Conference chair.[23]

In March 2011, Cravaack came under criticism by Duluth students and community leaders for voting for a budget bill that made cuts to the federalPell Grantprogram that providesfinancial aidto college students, including 30 percent of the students at theUniversity of Minnesota Duluth.[24]He also received attention for implying during aHouse Homeland Security Committeehearing thatLos Angeles County SheriffLee Bacawas furthering the goals of a terrorist organization.[25]

In March 2012, Cravaack introduced a bill in Congress that would have allowed mining and logging in theBoundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessandSuperior National Forestthrough a land exchange that would rely on the state environmental review process and bypass federal environmental reviews, with proceeds going to the school districts.[26][27]

He also sponsored a bill, which became law, that required the TSA to treat military personnel with respect while traveling on orders or in uniform. "The bill's intent, he said, is that the military personnel would be able to go through security with the same ease as registered flyers."[28]

Cravaack opposed sequestration and voted against the Budget Control Act, saying, "You cut with a scalpel, not a meat ax."[28]

Committee assignments

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112th Congress[29]

Electoral history

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Main article:United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
2010 Eighth Congressional District of Minnesota Elections[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chip Cravaack 133,490 48
Democratic (DFL) James Oberstar(incumbent) 129,091 47
Independence Timothy Olson 11,876 4
Constitution Richard (George) Burton 2,492 1
Write-ins 132 .01
Total votes 277,081 100.0
Turnout 70
RepublicangainfromDemocratic (DFL)
Main article:United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
2012 Eighth Congressional District of Minnesota Elections[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Rick Nolan 191,981 54.3
Republican Chip Cravaack (incumbent) 160,520 45.39
Write-ins 1,164 .33
Total votes 353,665 100.0
Turnout
Democratic (DFL)gainfromRepublican

Personal life

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Cravaack had two sons with his wife, Traci. They divorced in 2011.[5]As of 2016, he taught social studies atBishop Guertin High School,a Catholic College Preparatory School inNashua, New Hampshire.[36]

Notes

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  1. ^abcCravaack was born in 1959.[2]Multiple sources, including theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress,list his birth date as December 29.[3][4]However, at least one other source says he was born on January 29,[5]and several articles about his 2010 congressional campaign, all published before December 29, give his age as 51, which would support the earlier birthday.[6][7][8][9][10]

References

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  1. ^"Representative Raymond John Cravaack (Chip) (R-Minnesota, 8th)".LegiStorm.RetrievedMarch 8,2012.
  2. ^"Why is he called Chip?".Duluth News Tribune.December 18, 2010.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  3. ^ab"Raymond" Chip "Cravaack".Official Congressional Directory: 112th Congress.Washington, D. C.: United States Government Printing Office. 2011. p. 146.ISBN9780160886539.RAYMOND "CHIP" CRAVAACK, Republican, of Lindstrom, MN; born in Charleston, WV
  4. ^"Rep. Chip Cravaack".Minnesota Public Radio.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  5. ^abWillette, Janet Kubar (October 1, 2010)."Chip Cravaack is candidate for U.S. House seat in 8th District".Post-Bulletin.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  6. ^abMyers, John (October 19, 2010)."Crowd gets raucous at Oberstar-Cravaack forum".Duluth News Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon April 30, 2011.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  7. ^abcdefghijklmnoKevin Diaz and Eric Roper (November 13, 2010)."Chip Cravaack gets ready to report for duty".Minneapolis Star Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  8. ^"Cravaack: From Political Unknown To Hot Commodity".WCCO-TV.CBS News.November 3, 2010.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  9. ^Kelleher, Bob (November 4, 2010)."Cravaack finds appeal in the 8th to unseat Oberstar".Minnesota Public Radio.RetrievedJune 11,2023.
  10. ^abcdefghijkEric Roper (October 14, 2010)."Has 'The Dean' met his match?".Star Tribune.p. A1, A7.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  11. ^abcdefSteve Karnowski (November 3, 2010)."Cravaack plays giant killer in Congressional race".Winona Daily News.The Associated Press.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  12. ^Friedrich, Alex; Kraker, Dan; Zdechlik, Mark (November 6, 2012)."Nolan defeats Cravaack in 8th District".RetrievedNovember 6,2012.
  13. ^"Chip Cravaack ancestry".Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.RetrievedAugust 23,2018.
  14. ^"Chip Cravaack ('77)".Cincinnati, Ohio: St. Xavier High School. July 20, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon June 26, 2010.RetrievedNovember 13,2010.
  15. ^"Congressman Chip Cravaack: About Me".Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2012.
  16. ^Thinker1962 (March 11, 2011),Ann Part One,retrievedDecember 3,2018{{citation}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^abcdBruce Bisping (October 23, 2010)."Jobs carry debate as Oberstar-Cravaack rematch stays civil".Minneapolis Star Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2010.RetrievedMarch 12,2011.
  18. ^Cravaack's first adonYouTube
  19. ^"Poll: Oberstar in Tight 8th District Race".Minneapolis and St. Paul: KSTP-TV. October 29, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon May 21, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  20. ^Albert Eisele (November 4, 2010)."Oberstar's stunning defeat makes history".The Minnesota Post.Archived fromthe originalon January 12, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  21. ^Renalls, Candace (November 3, 2010)."Cravaack defeats Oberstar in 8th District race".Duluth News Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon June 7, 2012.RetrievedNovember 7,2010.
  22. ^Kimball, Joe (October 22, 2012)."Duluth Paper Again Endorses Cravaack in 8th District Congressional Race".MinnPost.
  23. ^Derek Wallbank (November 4, 2010)."Make that two: Cravaack will back Bachmann for leadership post".Minnesota Post.Archived fromthe originalon January 12, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  24. ^Bob Kelleher (March 3, 2011)."Cravaack under fire for vote to cut financial aid".Minnesota Public Radio News.
  25. ^Joe Kimball (March 11, 2011)."Cravaack tangles with L.A. sheriff at Muslim hearing".Minnesota Post.Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  26. ^"Scrutiny needed on BWCA swap: Boundary Waters land deal would mostly benefit industry".Star Tribune.July 16, 2012.
  27. ^Palcich, Elanne (March 8, 2012)."Exchanging school trust lands isn't 'for the sake of our children'".MinnPost.
  28. ^abO'Rourke, Mike (October 21, 2012)."Cravaack: Nation's Financial Problems Demand Action Now".Brainerd Dispatch.Brainerd, Minnesota. Archived fromthe originalon October 25, 2012.RetrievedOctober 24,2012.
  29. ^"Committees and caucuses".Congressman Chip Cravaack, Proudly Representing the 8th District of Minnesota.Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2011.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  30. ^"Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence".The House Committee on Homeland Security. March 2, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon March 18, 2011.RetrievedMarch 15,2011.
  31. ^"Subcommittee on Transportation Security".The House Committee on Homeland Security. Archived fromthe originalon March 12, 2011.RetrievedMarch 15,2011.
  32. ^"Mica Announces Subcommittee Chairmen & Memberships for the 112th Congress"(Press release). Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Republicans. January 20, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2011.RetrievedMarch 15,2011.
  33. ^"Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation".Committee on Science - U.S. House of Representatives. Archived fromthe originalon March 15, 2011.RetrievedMarch 15,2011.
  34. ^"Results from Congressional District 08".Minnesota Secretary of State. January 19, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2010.RetrievedMarch 13,2011.
  35. ^"Results from Congressional District 08".Minnesota Secretary of State. November 9, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon November 10, 2012.RetrievedNovember 9,2012.
  36. ^"Faculty & Staff Directory".bghs.org.Archived fromthe originalon November 25, 2016.RetrievedNovember 24,2016.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromMinnesota's 8th congressional district
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence(ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chip_Cravaack&oldid=1260620062"