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Tom Rice

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For other people named Tom Rice, seeThomas Rice.

Tom Rice
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromSouth Carolina's7thdistrict
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byConstituency reestablished
Succeeded byRussell Fry
Personal details
Born
Hugh Thompson Rice Jr.

(1957-08-04)August 4, 1957(age 67)
Charleston, South Carolina,U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Wrenzie Calhoun
​
(m.1982)​
Children3
EducationUniversity of South Carolina(BS,MS,JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Hugh Thompson Rice Jr.(born August 4, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as theU.S. representativeforSouth Carolina's 7th congressional districtfrom 2013 to 2023. The district serves most of the northeastern corner of the state and includesMyrtle Beach,theGrand Strand,Florence,Cheraw,andDarlington.ARepublican,Rice was first elected in 2012 and was a member of the freshman class chosen to sit at the House Republican leadership table. Rice was reelected in 2014, defeating Democratic nomineeGloria Bromell Tinubuin a rematch of the 2012 election.[1][2]

Rice was one of ten Republicans to vote to impeachDonald Trumpin thesecond impeachment of Donald Trump.[3][4]In January 2021, theSouth Carolina Republican Partycensuredhim for voting for the impeachment.[5]In 2022, Trump endorsed a primary opponent for his seat.[6]Rice lost the Republican nomination in the June 14 primary toSouth Carolina state representativeRussell Fry,garnering less than 25% of the vote.[7][8]

Early life and education

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Rice was born inCharleston, South Carolina,on August 4, 1957. He was four years old when his parents divorced, and his mother, a teacher, took him and his brother Clay toMyrtle Beach.Rice's first job was a busboy when he was 12, and he was variously a night shift fry cook, a grocery store bag boy, andminiature golfcourse manager while still in high school. Rice was 16 when his father died.[citation needed]

Rice was offered a scholarship toDuke Universitybut enrolled at theUniversity of South Carolina,where he earned a bachelor's degree (B.S.) and in 1979, a master's degree in accounting. In 1982, he earned aJ.D.degree from theUniversity of South Carolina School of Law.[citation needed]

Early career

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After college, Rice worked at the accounting/consulting firm ofDeloitte & ToucheinCharlotte,where he earned hisCPA certificate.In 1985 he returned to Myrtle Beach to practice tax law with the law firm Van Osdell, then established his own practice, Rice & MacDonald, in 1997.[9]He was elected chair of theHorry CountyCouncil in 2010, serving until he resigned from the position on December 31, 2012, in order to take his seat in Congress.[10]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2012

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Main article:2012 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

Rice was elected to theU.S. Housein 2012 as the first representative for the newly created 7th district. He defeated Jay Jordan, Randal Wallace, Dick Withington, James Mader, Chad Prosser, Katherine Jenerette, and Renee Culler in the June 12Republicanprimary to advance to a runoff. In the June 26 runoff he defeatedAndre Bauer.Rice defeatedGloria Bromell Tinubuin the November 6 general election.[2][11]

2014

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Main article:2014 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

Rice was reelected in 2014, defeating Bromell Tinubu again, with 60.15% of the vote to her 39.85%.[1]

2022

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Main article:2022 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina § District 7

On June 14, 2022, Rice lost the Republican nomination toRussell Fryby a landslide.[7]

Tenure

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In December 2012, the House appointed Rice to theCommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure,theCommittee on the Budgetand theCommittee on Small Businessof the113th Congress.[12][13]

On January 8, 2013, CongressmanSam Gravesappointed Rice chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access.[14]

On January 22, 2013, Rice was appointed to the following subcommittees:Highways and Transit,Water Resources and Environment,andCoast Guard and Maritime Transportation.He said the appointments would allow him to work for the funding and construction ofInterstate 73as well as the dredging of the Georgetown Port.[15][16]

On November 11, 2013, Rice was appointed to the water resources conference committee, which helped resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013. The version that passed the House would allow for the dredging of the Georgetown port, a $33 million project that would boost the local economy; Rice said, "I have made it my goal to do whatever it takes to champion South Carolina's ports."[17][18][19][20]

Rice has co-sponsored several pieces of legislation including Safe Schools Act of 2013, a bill to repeal thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Actand health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and others.[21]

Rice has pushed changes to port funding[22][23]and offered victims help to replace Social Security cards and other federal documents after massive fire destroys 26 condo buildings.[24]

On December 18, 2019, Rice joined all House Republicans in voting againstimpeaching Trumpon both articles.

In December 2020, Rice was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representativesto sign anamicus briefin support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania,a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Courtcontesting the results of the2020 presidential election,in whichJoe Bidendefeated incumbentDonald Trump.[25]Rice later said he had been mistaken in questioning the election.[26]

On January 13, 2021, Rice was one of ten Republicans who voted to impeach Trumpa second time.[27]As late as two days before the impeachment debate, he opposed impeaching Trump.[28]But Rice toldThe Post and Courierthat Trump's response to thestorming of the Capitolchanged his mind. He criticized Trump for neither offering condolences to those who were injured nor expressing regret about the two police officers who died. In a press release, Rice also upbraided Trump for his lack of contrition. Ultimately, Rice said, Trump's "utter failure" in the matter forced him to vote for impeachment.[29][30]He did so later that day, alongside nine other Republicans.[4]

On January 30, 2021, the South Carolina Republican Party voted to formally censure Rice for his impeachment vote.[31]

On May 19, 2021, Rice was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish theJanuary 6 commissionmeant to investigate thestorming of the U.S. Capitol.[32]

On February 1, 2022, Trump endorsed state representativeRussell Fryin the Republican congressional primary in retaliation for Rice's vote for impeachment. Trump said, "Congressman Tom Rice of South Carolina, the coward who abandoned his constituents by caving to Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left, and who actually voted against me on Impeachment Hoax #2, must be thrown out of office."[33]In March, after a Trump rally in South Carolina where Fry had spoken, Rice responded, calling Trump "a would-be tyrant, because, like no one else I've ever met, he is consumed by spite."[6]"I took one vote he didn't like and now he's chosen to support a yes man candidate who has and will bow to anything he says."[6]"If you want a Congressman who supports political violence in Ukraine or in the United States Capitol...who supports a would-be tyrant over the Constitution...then Russell Fry is your candidate.”[6]

On June 5, 2022, Rice was interviewed on ABC and asserted that he had "no regrets" about his action. When the interviewer told him that, in his obituary, "the first sentence is going to be 'Tom Rice, who was a Republican member of Congress, voted to impeach Donald Trump'", Rice's reply was, "So be it," he said. "I'll wear it like a badge. So be it."[34]

Rice was interviewed by NBC News on June 13, 2022, and when asked about Trump's actions, he said, "He threw a temper tantrum that culminated with the sacking of the United States Capitol" and "It's a direct attack on the Constitution, and he should be held accountable".[8]

Political positions

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Foreign policy and defense

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In June 2021, Rice was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal theAuthorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[35][36]

Immigration

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Rice voted against the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, which authorizes DHS to nearly double the available H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2020.[37][38]

LGBT rights

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On July 19, 2022, Rice and 46 other Republican Representatives voted for theRespect for Marriage Act,which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[39]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Electoral history

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2022 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district Republican primary[45]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Russell Fry 43,509 51.1
Republican Tom Rice (incumbent) 20,927 24.6
Republican Barbara Arthur 10,481 12.3
Republican Ken Richardson 6,021 7.1
Republican Garrett Barton 2,154 2.5
Republican Mark McBride 1,676 2.0
Republican Spencer Morris 444 0.5
Total votes 85,212 100.0
2020 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district general election[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice 224,993 61.8
Democratic Melissa Ward Watson 138,863 38.1
Write-in 235 0.1
Total votes 364,091 100.0
Republicanhold
2018 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district general election[47]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice 142,681 59.6
Democratic Robert Williams 96,564 40.3
Write-in 309 0.1
Total votes 239,554 100.0
Republicanhold
2014 general election[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice 102,833 59.95
Democratic Gloria Bromell Tinubu 68,576 39.98
Independent Write-in 115 0.07%
Total votes 171,524 100
2012 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district Republican primary[49]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andre Bauer 12,037 32.13
Republican Renee Culler 279 0.74
Republican Katherine Jenerette 1,457 3.89
Republican Jay Jordan 8,107 21.64
Republican Jim Mader 180 0.48
Republican Chad Prosser 3,824 10.21
Republican Tom Rice 10,252 27.36
Republican Randal Wallace 691 1.84
Republican Dick Withington 641 1.71
Total votes 37,468 100
2012 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district Republican primary runoff[50]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice 16,844 56.11
Republican Andre Bauer 13,173 43.89
Total votes 30,017 100
2012 U.S. House of Representatives 7th district general election[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Rice 153,068 55.51
Democratic Gloria Bromell Tinubu 114,594 41.56
Working Families Gloria Bromell Tinubu 7,795 2.83
Independent Write-in 281 0.10
Total votes 275,738 100

Personal life

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Rice and his family live in Myrtle Beach. He married his wife Wrenzie in 1982 and they have three sons.[52]He is anEpiscopalian.[53]

In late May 2020, Rice announced that he refused to wear aface maskin response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Stateswhile in Congress; in mid-June, he announced that he, his wife, and his son, had all been infected withCOVID-19.[54]

References

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  1. ^abJones, Steve (November 4, 2014)."Rep. Tom Rice declared victor in bid for 7th District".The Sun News.Archived fromthe originalon November 8, 2014.RetrievedNovember 8,2014.
  2. ^ab"South Carolina - Summary Vote Results".WYFF.Associated Press.June 13, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2012.RetrievedNovember 8,2014.
  3. ^"10 GOP lawmakers vote to impeach Trump, trial moves to Senate".FOX 35.January 13, 2021.
  4. ^ab"These 10 House Republicans voted to impeach Trump on Wednesday".CNN. January 13, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 13,2021.
  5. ^Axelrod, Tal (January 30, 2021)."South Carolina GOP votes to censure Rep. Rice over impeachment vote".The Hill.RetrievedJanuary 30,2021.Congressman Rice's vote unfortunately played right into the Democrats' game, and the people in his district, and ultimately our State Executive Committee, wanted him to know they wholeheartedly disagree with his decision.
  6. ^abcdLomas, Lexi (March 12, 2022)."GOP congressman calls Trump 'a would-be tyrant'".The Hill.RetrievedMay 13,2022.
  7. ^ab"South Carolina Primary Results".CNNpolitics.CNN. June 14, 2022.RetrievedJune 15,2022.
  8. ^abSlodysko, Brian (June 15, 2022)."Election 2022 Takeaways: Big Trump win, Nev. Senate race set".Associated Press(AP).
  9. ^"In profile – Representative Tom Rice (R – South Carolina)".September 26, 2018.
  10. ^Hinnant, Lauren (December 19, 2012)."Horry County Chair seat empty Dec. 31, filing opens mid-January".WBTW News 13.Archived fromthe originalon February 9, 2013.RetrievedDecember 19,2012.
  11. ^"Tinubu Wins Democratic Runoff, Brittain Concedes".The Morning News.June 26, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon January 4, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  12. ^Jones, Steve (December 12, 2012)."Rice appointed to House transportation committee".The Sun News.RetrievedDecember 12,2012.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^"Rep. Tom Rice committee appointments"(Press release).WBTW.Archived fromthe originalon February 9, 2013.RetrievedDecember 13,2012.
  14. ^"Rep. Rice Named Small Business Subcommittee Chairman".US House of Representatives. January 8, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 13,2013.
  15. ^"Rep. Rice Appointed Transportation Subcommittees".US House of Representatives/Rep. Tom Rice news release. January 22, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 27,2013.
  16. ^Jones, Steve (January 25, 2013)."Rice appointed to key subcommittees for 7th District".The Sun News.Archived fromthe originalon February 16, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 27,2013.
  17. ^Jones, Steve (November 15, 2013)."Rice named to Water Resources conference committee".The Sun News.Archived fromthe originalon November 18, 2013.RetrievedNovember 15,2013.
  18. ^"Rice named to Water Resources conference committee".Congressman Tom Rice. November 15, 2013.RetrievedNovember 16,2013.
  19. ^"Speaker Boehner Appoints Negotiators to Water Resources Reform Conference Committee".Speaker of the House John Boehner. Archived fromthe originalon November 15, 2013.RetrievedNovember 16,2013.
  20. ^"WRRDA Moves Forward with House Conferee Appointments".transportation.house.gov.November 15, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon November 18, 2013.RetrievedNovember 15,2013.
  21. ^"Tom Rice: Bills Co-Sponsoring".US House of Reps / Library of Congress. Archived fromthe originalon September 21, 2014.RetrievedMay 13,2013.
  22. ^"Rice pushes change in port funding".Georgetown Times.March 22, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon March 28, 2013.RetrievedMay 13,2013.
  23. ^"Port critical to economy".The Greenville News.RetrievedMay 13,2013.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^Jones, Steven (March 18, 2013)."Rice offers victims help to replace Social Security cards, other federal documents".The Sun News.Archived fromthe originalon March 25, 2013.RetrievedMay 13,2013.
  25. ^"List: The 126 House members, 19 states and 2 imaginary states that backed the Texas challenge to Trump defeat".The Mercury News.Bay Area News Group. December 15, 2020.
  26. ^Moye, David (December 22, 2021)."GOP Rep. Now Regrets Vote Against Certifying Joe Biden's Election Win".Huffington Post.RetrievedDecember 23,2021.
  27. ^Cai, Weiyi; Daniel, Annie; Gamio, Lazaro; Parlapiano, Alicia (January 13, 2021)."Live House Vote: The Second Impeachment of Donald J. Trump".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedJanuary 13,2021.
  28. ^Dodson, Braley (January 13, 2021)."'This utter failure is inexcusable': Republican Rep. Tom Rice of Myrtle Beach votes to impeach Trump ".WBTW.
  29. ^Novelly, Thomas; Fleming, Tyler (January 13, 2021)."In a stunner, SC GOP Rep. Tom Rice votes to impeach President Trump after Capitol riot".The Post and Courier.
  30. ^"Rep Tom Rice Votes to Impeach President Trump".Congressman Tom Rice.January 13, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  31. ^"SCGOP Formally Censures Congressman Tom Rice".Twitter. January 30, 2021.RetrievedJanuary 30,2021.
  32. ^LeBlanc, Paul (May 19, 2021)."Here are the 35 House Republicans who voted for the January 6 commission".CNN.RetrievedMay 19,2021.
  33. ^Greenwood, Max (February 1, 2022)."Trump endorses GOP challenger to South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice".The Hill.RetrievedMay 13,2022.
  34. ^Siegel, Benjamin; Karl, Jonathan; Mistry, Meghan (June 5, 2022)."GOP Rep. Tom Rice says impeaching Trump was 'the conservative vote'".ABC News.
  35. ^Shabad, Rebecca (June 17, 2021)."House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization".NBC News.RetrievedJune 20,2021.
  36. ^"Final Vote Results for Roll Call 172".Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives.June 17, 2021.RetrievedJune 20,2021.
  37. ^Pascrell, Bill (December 20, 2019)."Text - H.R.1865 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020".congress.gov.
  38. ^"Roll Call 689 Roll Call 689, Bill Number: H. R. 1865, 116th Congress, 1st Session".Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives.December 17, 2019.
  39. ^Schnell, Mychael (July 19, 2022)."These are the 47 House Republicans who voted for a bill protecting marriage equality".The Hill.RetrievedJuly 25,2022.
  40. ^"Committees".Congressman Tom Rice.RetrievedMarch 1,2021.
  41. ^"Member List".Republican Study Committee. Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 4,2018.
  42. ^"Our Members".U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived fromthe originalon August 1, 2018.RetrievedAugust 5,2018.
  43. ^"Kinzinger, Republican Governance Group Members Call on President Biden to Reject Partisan Efforts and Advance Bipartisan COVID Relief".Congressman Adam Kinzinger.February 3, 2021.RetrievedMarch 1,2021.
  44. ^"Featured Members".Problem Solvers Caucus.RetrievedMarch 28,2021.
  45. ^"11/8/2022 Statewide General Election".South Carolina Election Commission.RetrievedMarch 16,2022.
  46. ^"2020 Statewide General Election Night Reporting - Results".South Carolina Election Commission.November 10, 2020.RetrievedNovember 11,2020.
  47. ^Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019)."Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018".Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.RetrievedApril 27,2019.
  48. ^"SC - Election Results".enr-scvotes.org.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  49. ^"SC - Election Results".enr-scvotes.org.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  50. ^"SC - Election Results".enr-scvotes.org.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  51. ^"SC - Election Results".enr-scvotes.org.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  52. ^"New members: Q-R-S".Politico.January 17, 2013.RetrievedMarch 19,2021.
  53. ^"THE RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION OF EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS"(PDF).Pew Research Center.
  54. ^Reiman, Eliza (June 15, 2020)."Republican congressman who just announced he has the coronavirus refused to wear a face mask on the House floor 2 weeks ago".Business Insider.RetrievedJune 16,2020.
[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Constituency reestablished
 Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromSouth Carolina's 7th congressional district
2013–2023 		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=Tom_Rice&oldid=1241347755"