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Mark Critz

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Mark Critz
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromPennsylvania's12thdistrict
In office
May 18, 2010 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byJohn Murtha
Succeeded byKeith Rothfus
Personal details
Born
Mark Stephen Critz

(1962-01-05)January 5, 1962(age 62)
Irwin, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseNancy Critz[1]
Children2[1]
Residence(s)Johnstown, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Alma materIndiana University of Pennsylvania(B.S.)

Mark Stephen Critz[2](born January 5, 1962) is an American politician and formerU.S. RepresentativeforPennsylvania's 12th congressional district,having served from aspecial electionin May 2010 until January 2013. He is a member of theDemocratic Party.The district during his tenure, which was located in the southwestern portion of the state, stretched fromJohnstownto the southern suburbs ofPittsburgh.

Critz was the district director for the 12th's longtime congressman,John Murtha.Following Murtha's death, Critz won the May 2010 special election with 53% of the vote to complete Murtha's term. Critz was sworn in on May 20.[3]Critz won a full term in November 2010 to represent the 12th District in Congress. He was defeated in November 2012 by Republican challengerKeith Rothfus.[4][5]

Critz won the Democratic nomination for the2022 U.S. House of Representatives electioninPennsylvania's 13th congressional districtvia write-in, but he declined to run.[6]

Early life, education, and pre-congressional career

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Critz is the son of Mary Lou (née Rybacki) and William S. Critz.[2]His father was ofSlovakdescent, and his mother is of half-Polishand half-Italianancestry.[2]Critz attendedNorwin High SchoolinNorth Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.He went on to obtain aBachelor of Sciencedegree inManagement Information SystemsfromIndiana University of PennsylvaniainIndiana, Pennsylvania.[7]

"Most of my friends, their folks worked in the mill or were small business owners," Critz told theNational Journalabout his upbringing. "There were hundreds of thousands of families that relied on steel directly, and when that started to fade the area got hit pretty hard." The National Journal also wrote that, after his college graduation, Critz "struggled to find work in the decimated local economy" and he “left the region for a job managing aRoy Rogersrestaurant inWilmington, Delaware”in 1987.[8]In addition to Roy Rogers, Critz served as a manager for Spherical Concepts andAmerican Eagle Outfitters.

He then took landscaping and construction jobs before becoming a volunteer forCongressmanJohn Murthain 1994. Four years later, he took a paying job on Murtha's staff, eventually rising to the position of District Director.[9]Critz focused on district issues, serving as Murtha's liaison to theFlight 93 Memorialcommittee and theQue Creek Mine disastersite.[9]

PoliticsPAreported that "Critz...attended a 2005 meeting with defense contractors and lobbyists and offered the Congressman's [Murtha's] support for an earmark project that ended in the criminal convictions of three men."[10]

Critz was recognized for his service to the military when he was awarded the Patrick Henry Award by theNational Guard Association of the United States(NGAUS). It is the highest civilian award issued by theNational Guard.[11]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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Special 2010 election
Main article:2010 Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district special election

After Murtha's death in February 2010, Critz, with the support of Murtha's widow and the Democratic Party, decided to run for the vacant seat in a May special election. He announced on February 22, 2010, that he would resign his position with the 12th Congressional District and seek theDemocraticnomination to run in thespecial election,which was held on May 18, 2010.[12]In the wake of his selection to run in the special election, Critz released a statement saying "he would make economic development his No. 1 priority in Congress."[13]On March 8, thePennsylvania Democratic PartyExecutive Committee followed the recommendation of the district officials by nominating Critz. Of the 49 votes cast by the Committee members, Critz received 30.[14]

Critz was endorsed byVice PresidentJoe Biden,who also campaigned for Critz in early 2010. In March 2010, Critz received the endorsement of theAFL-CIOof Pennsylvania.[15]Critz received an 86% approval rating from the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)[16]In April he received an endorsement from theUnited Mine Workers.[17]The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare endorsed Critz.[18]

Critz defeated Republican businessmanTim Burns53%-45%.[19]

Regular 2010 election
Main article:United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania, 2010 § District 12

In 2010, Critz spent a total of $2,428,377.66 on his campaign. His top contributors were Progeny Systems, Mepco LLC, and Concurrent Technologies.[16]Critz defeated Burns in a rematch 51%-49%.

2012
Main article:2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania § District 12

Critz decided to run in the newly redrawn 12th district, which had been pushed to the west to absorb much of the old4th district.He defeated 4th District incumbentJason Altmirein the Democratic primary. However, Critz could not overcome the redder hue of his redrawn district, and was defeated by Altmire's 2010 opponent,Keith Rothfus,52%-48%.[4][5][20]

2022
Main article:2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania § District 13

In June 2022, Critz became the Democratic nominee for the redrawn 13th district, receiving 967 votes as a write-in candidate.[21]He would have faced incumbentJohn Joycebut declined to run.[22][6]

Tenure

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Critz voted for Congressional adjournment in Sept 2010. Adjournment foes sought an extension of theBush-era tax cutsbefore the November elections.[23]The adjournment resolution passed 210–209.[24]He voted against theDodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Actwhich passed the House in July 2010 by a vote of 239–192.[25]

Critz received a 100% approval rating from both The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union.[16]In 2009, he received a 50% approval rating from the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund and a 100% approval rating from the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.[16]

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and the National Association for the Self-Employed gave Critz a 100% approval rating. He received an 85% approval rating from The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and he received a 50% approval rating from the interest group for Federally Employed Women. He opposes "Cap and Trade" andemissions tradingin theAmerican Clean Energy and Security Act.On October 12, 2011, Critz voted against free trade agreements withPanama,Colombia,andSouth Korea.He says that he supportsfair trade[16]

Critz campaigned on the platform that "Social Security is a contract between the government and Americans who have spent their entire lives working, and it is one the government must honor. I will fight all schemes to gamble your social security on the stock market."[26]He opposed privatization and a higher retirement age.[16]

Critz described himself as pro-life,[26]and has received a 100% approval rating from theNational Right to Life Committee.He received a 0% approval from Planned Parenthood.[16]He voted no on July 1, 2010, to limit Afghanistan military funding to withdrawal and other specified purposes and to require a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan. He also voted no on March 17, 2011, to removing troops from Afghanistan.[16]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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  • Congressional Coal Caucus
  • Congressional Military Families Caucus
  • Congressional Natural Gas Caucus
  • Congressional Research and Development Caucus
  • Congressional Rural Education Caucus
  • International Conservation Caucus
  • Marcellus Shale Caucus
  • Congressional Arts Caucus

Campaign for lieutenant governor

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Critz told a radio show host on August 14, 2013, that he would be a Democratic candidate forlieutenant governor of Pennsylvaniain the2014 electionto challenge incumbent RepublicanJim Cawley.[27]He lost the May 20 primary to State SenatorMike Stack.[28]

Later career

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Critz went on to work for the campaign of Tom Wolf, who defeated incumbent Tom Corbett.

In April 2015, Mark Critz began work as the executive director of the Pennsylvania Rural Development Council.

Personal life

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Critz, his wife Nancy, and their two children, reside in Johnstown.

References

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  1. ^ab"Mark Critz (D-Pa.)".WhoRunsGov.The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon November 10, 2010.RetrievedNovember 21,2010.
  2. ^abc"Mark Critz ancestry".ancestry.Archived fromthe originalon 30 June 2015.Retrieved11 May2015.
  3. ^"Our Town".Retrieved11 May2015.
  4. ^abCernetich, Kelly."Critz Concedes Race to Rothfus".PoliticsPA.Retrieved7 November2012.
  5. ^ab"Rothfus wins seat in Pa.'s redrawn 12th Congressional District".WPXI. Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedNovember 7,2012.
  6. ^abUlrich, Steve (September 6, 2022)."Voter Registration Numbers by Congressional District".RetrievedSeptember 21,2022.
  7. ^VP Biden Campaigns For Democrat Critz[permanent dead link]KDKA,April 23, 2010. Accessed April 27, 2010.
  8. ^"Rep. Mark Critz (D)".National Journal.
  9. ^abMurtha's open Pa. seat gives GOP hopeKathy Kiely,USA Today.Accessed April 27, 2010.
  10. ^"Critz Attended Meeting on Earmark Project".Politics PA.
  11. ^"About Mark - Mark Critz for Congress".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-09-21.Retrieved2011-11-21.
  12. ^2010 Special Election announcementArchived2010-07-30 at theWayback MachineMark Critz Campaign site, February 22, 1010. Accessed April 27, 2010.
  13. ^"PoliticsPA: Executive Committee picks Critz in race to replace Murtha".PoliticsPA.9 March 2010.Retrieved23 June2012.
  14. ^Faher, Mike (March 8, 2010)."State Dems back Critz".The Tribune-Democrat.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-02-04.RetrievedMarch 9,2010.
  15. ^PA AFL-CIO Endorses Mark Critz for CongressArchived2010-07-30 at theWayback MachineMark Critz Campaign site, accessed April 27, 2010.
  16. ^abcdefgh"Project Vote Smart - The Voter's Self Defense System".Project Vote Smart.Retrieved11 May2015.
  17. ^United Mine Workers Endorse Mark Critz for CongressArchived2010-04-26 at theWayback MachineAccessed April 27, 2010.
  18. ^"Critz Joins Colleagues and Senior Groups to Speak Out Against the Republican 2012 Budget Proposal - Rep. Critz".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-05-07.Retrieved2011-11-21.
  19. ^"2010 Special Election for the 12th Congressional District".Pennsylvania Department of State.Archived fromthe originalon 2010-05-22.RetrievedMay 19,2010.
  20. ^"2014 Election Results Senate: Map by State, Live Midterm Voting Updates".POLITICO.Retrieved11 May2015.
  21. ^"Candidate Information – Critz, Mark".Pennsylvania Department of State.June 10, 2022. Results tab.RetrievedJuly 19,2022.
  22. ^"House District 13: Pennsylvania Primary Results (R)".CNN.7 June 2022.Retrieved7 June2022.
  23. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2010-10-07.Retrieved2010-10-07.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer signed by 31 Democrats, accessed October 7, 2010.
  24. ^[1]Clerk of the House Roll Call 546, accessed October 7, 2010.
  25. ^[2]Clerk of the House Roll Call 546, accessed October 8, 2010.
  26. ^ab"Built For Designers & Developers".critzforcongress.Retrieved11 May2015.
  27. ^Gibson, Keegan."Critz to Run for Lieutenant Governor".PoliticsPA.Retrieved14 August2013.
  28. ^Unofficial resultsPennsylvania Department of State
[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromPennsylvania's 12th congressional district
2010–2013 		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=Mark_Critz&oldid=1211355166"