Michael Dean Bishop (born March 18, 1967) is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 8th congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, and the Michigan State Senate from 2002-10 where he served as majority leader.
Video Mike Bishop (politician)
Early life, education, and career
A graduate of Rochester Adams High School, Bishop graduated from University of Michigan in 1989. He went on to earn his J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law. Bishop is also a licensed real estate broker and has owned two local real estate businesses, Freedom Realty, Inc. and Pro Management, Inc. Bishop is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, District of Columbia Bar, Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, Oakland County Bar Association, Michigan Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors.
He served on the Municipal Law and Business Law committees of the Oakland County Bar Association and is a member of the National Association of Sportsmen Legislators. Following his time in the Michigan Legislature, Bishop worked as Chief Legal Officer for International Bancard Corporation and taught at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Maps Mike Bishop (politician)
Michigan legislature
Bishop served in the Michigan State House from 1999 to 2002 representing the 45th District. He was subsequently elected to the State Senate in 2002 representing the 12th District , a seat which was previously held by his father, Donald Bishop, and serving until 2010 when term limits prevented him from re-election. The 45th District also covered much of the same territory where his father had served. Before his time as majority leader, Bishop was chosen to be chairman of the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and vice chairman of both the Gaming and Casino Oversight Committee and Judiciary Committee. During his four-year tenure in the Michigan House, he served as vice chairman of the Commerce Committee.
While Bishop was Senate Majority Leader a bill to create the Gordie Howe International Bridge as a companion to the Ambassador Bridge came to him for determination to put it to the Senate floor for a vote. Corporate and business interests were strongly in favor of the bill which would partner with Canada to pay for the bridge. Despite promising to put the bill on the floor for a vote Bishop reneged, according to former Michigan Governor and ambassador to Canada Jim Blanchard. Governor Snyder found another way to make the deal however and the project continued without Bishop's support.
Prior to his election in the 45th District Bishop unsuccessfully campaigned for a University of Michigan Board of Regents position in 1996. At the State Republican Party Convention in 2010, Bishop unsuccessfully bid for the Republican nomination for state attorney general. He ran for Oakland County prosecutor in 2012, but lost to Democratic incumbent Jessica R. Cooper.
U.S. House of Representatives
Before being elected to the US House of Representatives he vowed to vote to block the Gordie Howe International bridge. The Livingston Daily reported "A proposal for the federal government to fund a U.S. customs center has stalled. If elected, Bishop said he wouldn't support federal funding of the customs center."
Elections
- 2014
On November 4, 2014, Bishop defeated Democratic challenger Eric Schertzing for Michigan's 8th congressional district.
Bishop was sworn in on January 6, 2015. Shortly after being sworn in, he voted for John Boehner as Speaker.
- 2016
Bishop successfully ran for re-election in 2016. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Two Democrats, actress Melissa Gilbert and Linda Keefe, filed to run in the Democratic primary election. Gilbert later withdrew. Gilbert was replaced with Democratic challenger Suzanna Shkreli late in the race in July, 2016.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
- Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
- Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations
- Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law
- Committee on Ways and Means
- Subcommittee on Oversight
- Subcommittee on Human Resources
- Republican Study Committee
Caucus memberships
- House Baltic Caucus
Criticism
Following Bishop's actions in the Michigan Senate concerning the Detroit-Windsor bridge vote, critics pointed to donations Bishop received from Manuel Moroun, owner of the CenTra, Inc., which controls the Ambassador Bridge, as a corrupting factor. During his campaign for the U.S. Congress in 2014, similar criticism about Bishop's connections to Moroun emerged. Following his election to congress, Bishop continued to be seen as an ally of the Moroun family going back to his days in the state House.
Personal life
Bishop, a resident of Rochester, Michigan, is married and has three children. He is a Congregationalist
References
External links
- Congressman Mike Bishop official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Appearances on C-SPAN
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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