Mike Gallagher (American politician)

Michael John Gallagher (born March 3, 1984) is an American politician who serves as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. He was elected in the 2016 elections and took office on January 3, 2017. He is a Republican.

Not to be confused with the political commentator Mike Gallagher or the political advisor Michael Gallagher. For other people named Mike Gallagher, see Michael Gallagher (disambiguation).

Mike Gallagher
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 8th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byReid Ribble
Personal details
Born (1984-03-03) March 3, 1984
Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
National Intelligence University (MS)
Georgetown University (MS, MA, PhD)
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
RankCaptain
UnitUnited States Marine Corps

Early years

Gallagher lived in Green Bay through middle school. After his parents' divorce, he moved to California and studied at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, while spending summers back in Wisconsin. Gallagher later said his teachers "endowed me with a love for history and set me on a path to earning a Ph.D. with a focus on Cold War history."[1] He graduated with the class of 2002 as a Valedictorian .[2]

Military

Gallagher was a United States Marine Corps intelligence officer, serving seven years (2006–2013) on active duty.[3] He twice deployed to the Al Anbar Province, Iraq, serving on General Petraeus' CENTCOM Assessment Team as a commander of intelligence teams. He assessed American military strategy in the Middle East and Central Asia in his role as a counterintelligence officer, and as a member of the CENTCOM assessment team.[4]

Education

Gallagher earned his B.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. With a growing interest in global security, he moved his major from Spanish to Arabic[2] graduating in 2006.[5] Gallagher completed a 117-page long senior thesis, titled "New Approaches to Asymmetric Threats in the Middle East: From Fighting to Winning", under the supervision of Frederick Hitz.[6] At this time he completed a summer internship abroad with the Rand Corporation in Cambridge, UK, working on a strategic study of terrorist groups such as the Basque separatists in Spain.

Having served on his first tour of Iraq with the United States Marine Corps, Gallagher began a MSSI (Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence) at National Intelligence University graduating in 2010.

Gallagher completed a second M.A, in Security Studies in 2012; and a third M.A. in Government in 2013; both from Georgetown University. He then began doctoral studies, writing a dissertation on the administrations of Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Cold War,[7] receiving his Ph.D. in Government - International Relations in 2015.[8]

Political career

Gallagher served as a Republican staffer on the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Scott Walker, then-Governor of Wisconsin, hired Gallagher as a foreign policy advisor in February 2015, in preparation for his 2016 presidential campaign.[9]

After Walker dropped out of the presidential race, Gallagher worked as a senior marketing strategist for Breakthrough Fuel, a supply-chain management company. The firm's CEO hired Gallagher after hearing him speak about national security at a business luncheon. Gallagher was looking for additional work as an adjunct instructor for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay when twenty Green Bay area business people signed a letter urging him to run for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district seat, for which Reid Ribble was not seeking re-election.[10][11] Gallagher won a primary against Wisconsin state senator Frank Lasee and Forestville village president Terry McNulty.[12] Gallagher then squared off against Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson in the general election.

In September 2016, County Board supervisor Mike Thomas endorsed Gallagher in the Appleton Post-Crescent, contrasting his background in business and the Marine Corps with that of Nelson, a "consummate career politician" who "makes decisions based on political implications and the impact it may have on his public image." Gallagher, wrote Thomas, "would be a true citizen representative in Congress."[13]

During the campaign, Nelson ran an ad saying that Gallagher's failure to denounce certain statements by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump was a sign of a lack of moral courage. Gallagher replied with his own ad, in which he pointed out that Nelson was questioning the moral courage of a Marine who had done two combat tours.[14] In the end, Gallagher won the election 63 percent to 36 percent, a larger margin than the 16 percent margin that the race was polled at in August 2016.[15]

Committee assignments and caucus memberships

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions
Rep Mike Gallagher with Australian MP Andrew Hastie by a statue of Sir David Stirling, the founder of the Special Air Service at Campbell Barracks in Western Australia on 10 August 2019

Gallagher has said that his top issues are cutting regulations on businesses and simplifying the tax code, improving national security by building up the nation's military, attacking radical Islamic terrorists and supporting the country's allies, especially Israel, reducing the nation's debt by cutting spending, and increasing revenue through economic growth.[20] In April 2018, McClatchy wrote that Gallagher had earned an "unusually independent reputation in today's Republican Party", and that he had broken with the White House on issues such as the firing of FBI Director James Comey and Russian interference in the 2016 election.[21]

Health care

Gallagher supported the May 2017 GOP health care proposals, and described the Affordable Care Act's funding as "unsustainable."[22]

Foreign affairs

In a 2016 profile in the Green Bay Press Gazette, Gallagher blamed President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the success of ISIS in Iraq, and advocated for U.S. military global dominance.[20] In 2019, he wrote it would be "a smart geopolitical move" for the U.S. to buy Greenland.[23]

Gallagher, along with Tom Cotton drafted a bill in 2020 banning "the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, among other federal agencies, from purchasing drugs from China".[24]

Term limits

In May 2018, Gallagher received Donald Trump's "full-throated endorsement" to "push for congressional term limits", during a meeting at the White House. He has received support from Brian Fitzpatrick, Jodey Arrington and Vicente González. His plan consists of limiting senators "to two terms and representatives to six terms", totaling 12 years each. It would be grandfathered in order not to apply to sitting members of Congress, except for the so-called "freshman class".[25]

Electoral history
Wisconsin 8th Congressional District Republican Primary, 2016[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Gallagher 40,322 74.46
Republican Frank Lasee 10,705 19.77
Republican Terry McNulty 3,109 5.74
Republican Write-in votes 16 0.03
Total votes 54,152 100.0
Wisconsin 8th Congressional District General Election, 2016[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Gallagher 227,892 62.65
Democratic Tom Nelson 135,682 37.30
Green Wendy Gribben (write in) 16 0.00
Democratic Jerry Kobishop (write-in) 2 0.00
Write-in votes Write-in 188 0.05
Total votes 363,780 100.0
Wisconsin 8th Congressional District Republican Primary, 2018[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Gallagher (incumbent) 62,524 99.91
Republican Write-in votes 56 0.09
Total votes 62,580 100.0
Wisconsin 8th Congressional District General Election, 2018[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Gallagher (incumbent) 209,410 63.69
Democratic Beau Liegeois 119,265 36.28
Write-in votes Write-in 99 0.03
Total votes 328,774 100.0

References
  1. "Mater Dei High School". www.materdei.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  2. Stein, Jason; Gallagher went from Green Bay to Iraq, Capitol Hill; Journal Sentinel, October 10, 2016; https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/10/gallagher-went-green-bay-iraq-capitol-hill/91664942/ Archived April 17, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Adam Rodewald (September 16, 2016). "Mike Gallagher takes aim at career politicians". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  4. "Congressman On Iraq's Decision To Expel U.S. Troops". NPR.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  5. "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Member details". bioguideretro.congress.gov. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. Gallagher, Michael. Hitz, Frederick (ed.). "New Approaches to Asymmetric Threats in the Middle East: From Fighting to Winning". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. Gallagher, Mike (December 14, 2015). "Changing Course: The Sources of Strategic Adjustment" (PDF). Georgetown Library.
  8. "Mike Gallagher". Retrieved July 9, 2017 – via LinkedIn.
  9. Darren Samuelsohn (February 18, 2015). "Walker hires domestic, foreign policy advisers". Politico. Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  10. "Mike Gallagher candidacy announcement". WFRV-TV. February 27, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  11. Rodewald, Adam; Mike Gallagher takes aim at career politicians; Greenbay Gazette; September 16, 2016; http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/09/16/mike-gallagher-takes-aim-career-politicians/89787538/
  12. Jeff Bollier (August 9, 2016). "Gallagher wins GOP race for 8th District". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  13. Thomas, Mike; All eyes on Mike Gallagher; Post-Crescent; September 2, 2016; http://www.postcrescent.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/09/02/all-eyes-mike-gallagher/89781614/ Archived April 17, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  14. Jason Stein (October 27, 2016). "Nelson, Gallagher say the other lacks courage". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  15. Adam Rodewald; Madeleine Behr (November 9, 2016). "Mike Gallagher wins 8th Congressional District". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  16. "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  17. "Members". Republican Mains Street Partnership. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  18. "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  19. "Members". U.S. - Japan Caucus. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  20. Rodewald, Adam; Mike Gallagher takes aim at career politicians; Green Bay Press-Gazette; September 16, 2016; http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/09/16/mike-gallagher-takes-aim-career-politicians/89787538/
  21. "How to make it as a maverick from Trump country". mcclatchydc. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  22. "Watch: Rep. Mike Gallagher answers questions about health care bill". WBAY. ABC News. May 9, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  23. Ingber, Sasha (August 16, 2019). "Greenland Says It's 'Not For Sale' After Reports That Trump Wants To Buy It". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  24. "GOP lawmaker touts bill prohibiting purchases of drugs made in China". The Hill. March 31, 2020. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  25. Zanona, Melanie (May 5, 2018). "Younger lawmakers ignite new push for term limits". The Hill. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  26. "G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System Canvass Results for 2016 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2016 5:00:00 AM" (PDF). Wisconsin Election Commission. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  27. "WEC Canvass Reporting System Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 6:00:00 AM" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  28. "Wisconsin Election Commission Elections Results Report Canvass Results for 2018 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2018 5:00:00 AM" (PDF). Wisconsin Election Commission. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  29. "WEC Canvass Reporting System Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 6:00:00 AM" (PDF). Wisconsin Elections Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Reid Ribble		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 8th congressional district
2017–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Matt Gaetz		 United States Representatives by seniority
304th		 Succeeded by
Vicente Gonzalez
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.