Steve Stivers

Steven Ernst Stivers /ˈstaɪvərz/ (born March 24, 1965) is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 15th congressional district since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party, and became chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2017. Stivers previously served in the Ohio Senate, representing the 15th district. He is a Brigadier General in the Ohio Army National Guard and served active duty in Iraq as Battalion Commander until December 2005.

Steve Stivers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 15th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2011
Preceded byMary Jo Kilroy
Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
LeaderPaul Ryan
Preceded byGreg Walden
Succeeded byTom Emmer
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 15th district
In office
January 6, 2003 – December 31, 2008
Preceded byPriscilla Mead
Succeeded byJim Hughes
Personal details
Born
Steven Ernst Stivers

(1965-03-24) March 24, 1965
Ripley, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Karen Stivers
EducationOhio State University (BA, MBA)
United States Army War College (MA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1985–present
Rank Brigadier General
Commands371st Sustainment Brigade
Awards Bronze Star
Meritorious Service
Army Commendation Medal
Reserve Good Conduct
National Defense Service Medal

Early life, education, and career

Stivers was born and grew up in Ripley, Ohio, the son of Carol Sue (née Pulliam) and Ernst Bambach Stivers.[1] Steve is a recipient of the Eagle Scout Award.[2]

Stivers attended The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international relations in 1989 and an MBA in 1996.[3] While attending Ohio State he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity.

Stivers spent seven years at Bank One, three years at the Ohio Company, two years as Finance Director for the Franklin County Republican Party and five years as a staff member in the Ohio Senate.[4] Stivers has worked as a Series 7 licensed securities trader with the Ohio Company.[4]

Military service

Stivers has served in the Ohio Army National Guard since 1985 and holds the rank of Brigadier General in the Logistics branch. Stivers was called to active duty while serving in the Ohio Senate in October 2004. It was then that Stivers served in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Djibouti as Battalion Commander until December 2005. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his accomplishments as a battalion commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom.[4]

Ohio Senate

Elections

In December 2002, incumbent Republican Priscilla Mead decided to resign after only serving in the Ohio Senate for a year.[5] Stivers was recommended by a Senate screening committee and was appointed by election of the Senate Republicans on January 4, 2003. He then won re-election in 2004 to a full senate term with 58% of the vote.[6]

Tenure

Stivers served in the Ohio Senate from January 9, 2003, until December 2008.

Committee assignments

Stivers sat on a variety of Ohio Senate committees. He was the Chairman of the Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee, Vice-Chair of the Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, served on the Ways and Means Committee, the Judiciary Committee on Civil Justice, the Judiciary Committee for Criminal Justice, and also the Controlling Board.[7]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections
2008
Steve Stivers shaking hands at the Grandview Memorial Day Weekend Parade.
See also: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 15

In November 2007, Stivers announced he would run for election to Congress in Ohio's 15th District, a seat held by retiring Republican member Deborah Pryce. He won the Republican nomination and ran against Democratic Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, who had nearly unseated Pryce in 2006, Libertarian Mark Noble and Independent Don Elijah Eckhart. Stivers lost by 2,311 votes, conceding on December 7, 2008, after a long vote recount.

2010
John Boehner, the then House Minority Leader, campaigning for fellow Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers (left) during the 2010 midterm elections
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 15

Stivers won the Republican primary with 82% of the vote.[8] [9] He again faced Democratic incumbent Mary Jo Kilroy along with Constitution Party nominee David Ryon and Libertarian nominee William J. Kammerer. On November 2, 2010, Kilroy conceded to Stivers, who won by a 54% to 42% margin.

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 15

Redistricting after the 2010 census made the 15th much friendlier to Stivers. During his first term, he represented a fairly compact district covering all of Union and Madison counties, as well as most of downtown and western Columbus. The new map, however, pushed the 15th into more rural and exurban territory south and west of the capital.

Stivers ran again in 2012 against Democratic nominee Pat Lang.[10] He was endorsed by the NRA, National Right to Life, Ohio State Medical Association and United States Chamber of Commerce. Stivers was re-elected by 76,397 votes.[11]

2014
See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio § District 15

Stivers ran in 2014 against Democratic rival Scott Wharton. Gaining more than 66 percent of the vote, he was reelected for a third term.[12]

2016
Steve Stivers District Office in Hilliard, Ohio

Stivers ran in 2016 against Democrat Scott Wharton for the OH-15 seat. Winning 66.2% (222,847) of the vote to Wharton's 33.8% (113,960).[13]

Tenure and legislation

In the 115th Congress (2015–17), Stivers voted in line with the Trump administration's position 98.9% of the time.[14] The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy ranked Stivers as the 36th most bipartisan member of the U.S. House during the 114th Congress (2015–17) and the 37th most bipartisan member of the U.S. House during the 115th Congress,[15][16] based on cross-party sponsorships and co-sponsorships of legislation.[17]

Budget, taxation, and other economic issues

Stivers has voted against raising the debt limit when there was no offset or systemic reform and supports prioritizing spending in the event that the debt limit is reached.[18][19] Stiver voted in favor of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[14] Stivers voted to offset the costs of disaster relief spending through discretionary budget cuts.[19]

Stivers took a pledge to not support any tax raises.[18] He voted in favor of the Trump administration's 2017 tax legislation.[14]

Stivers voted in favor of legislation to dismantle financial regulations enacted by the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.[14] He voted to repeal a rule that would have barred some financial services companies from including mandatory arbitration clauses in contracts.[14]

In 2011, Stivers introduced a bill that would alter the composition of the penny, nickel, dime and quarter to steel, with a copper coat for the penny, which claimed to save an estimated $433 million over a ten-year period. The bill was referred to committee and was rejected; Stivers resubmitted the legislation in each succeeding congress, in 2013, 2015, and 2017; in each case the legislation did not make it out of committee.[20]

He voted to audit the Federal Reserve System.[18]

Stivers voted in favor of a stopgap-funding measure to end the January 2018 federal government shutdown, but during the December 2018 to January 2019 partial federal government shutdown, Stivers voted against several pieces of legislation to reopen the federal government without appropriating money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.[14]

Health care

Stivers voted in favor of the American Health Care Act of 2017, legislation that would have partially repealed the Affordable Care Act.[14]

Energy and environment

Stivers voted against a measure to block President Trump from withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change.[14] Stivers voted against carbon tax.[14] He voted in favor of Congressional Review Act legislation that repealed the Stream Protection Rule, and voted in favor of a measure to delay implementation of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) program.[14] He opposes federal regulations on efficiency standards.[18]

Gun control

Stivers voted against legislation to require universal background checks for firearm purchases.[14] He voted in favor of making concealed-carry permits issued in one state valid in other states.[14] He voted against a measure to grant law enforcement agencies additional time to conduct firearm-purchase background checks.[14]

Foreign policy

In 2019, Stivers voted against legislation to halt U.S. military assistance to the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[14] He voted in favor of 2017 legislation to impose additional sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which passed on a 419-3 vote.[14]

Immigration and travel

Stivers opposed President Donald Trump's issuance of Executive Order 13769, which imposed a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, in 2017. Stivers stated: "I believe the executive order risks violating our nation's values and fails to differentiate mainstream Islamic partners from radical Islamic terrorists — setting back our fight against radical Islam. I urge the Administration to quickly replace this temporary order with permanent improvements in the visa vetting process."[21]

In 2019, Stivers voted against overriding Trump's veto of a bill to overturn Trump's declaration of an emergency to direct funding for the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall.[14]

Privacy and technology

Stivers voted to rescind a Federal Communications Commission regulation that barred Internet service providers from sharing data on the Web activities of their customers.[14] Stivers voted in favor of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008, including a provision reauthorizing a warrantless spying program.[14] Strivers voted against a measure that would have curtailed the power of officials to "search and read private messages collected incidentally" under Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act authorities.[14]

Stivers voted against the restoration of the net neutrality rule.[14]

Social issues

Stivers voted in favor of federal legislation to ban abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy.[14] He voted against repealing a rule that barred state and local governments from refusing to distribute federal funds to any Federally Qualified Health Center on the basis that that health center also performed abortions.[14] Stivers voted against a measure to oppose the Trump administration's ban on openly transgender Americans serving in the U.S. military.[14]

Social Security

In 2018, Stivers called for some form of bipartisan Social Security reform.[22]

National Republican Congressional Committee

Stivers beat Representative Roger Williams to be elected chair the National Republican Congressional Committee in November 2016. As leader of the NRCC, which is charged with helping elect Republican House candidates, Stivers said his goal was to "defy history" by protecting his party's House majority in the 2018 elections.[23] In June 2018, Stivers did not denounce the use of hacked materials in election campaigns, saying that as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee he wouldn't "run down one of my candidates for using something that's in the public domain."[24] In a later interview in September 2018, Stivers made it clear he did not condone the use of hacked material, telling the press, "We are not seeking stolen or hacked material, we do not want stolen or hacked material, we have no intention of using stolen or hacked material."[25]

In the aftermath of the 2018 election, in which Republicans lost their House majority, Stivers announced that he would not run for re-election as NRCC chair.[26]

Candidate conduct

In response to congressional candidate Greg Gianforte being charged with assault on the eve of Montana's special election,[27] Stivers characterized the assault as "out of character." He said, "we all make mistakes" and "need to let the facts surrounding this incident unfold."[28] The assault was witnessed by four Fox News reporters and the victim's account corroborated by their audio recording.[29]

In July 2018, Stivers and the NRCC withdrew support from New Jersey candidate Seth Grossman following reports he shared a post from a white supremacist.[30]

Additionally, days before the midterm elections, Stivers sent a tweet condemning white nationalist comments and actions from Congressman Steve King, saying "We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms can and I strongly condemn this behavior."[31]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history
Election results[37]
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2004 Ohio Senate General Steve Stivers Republican 95,251 57.58% Katherine Thomsen Democratic 55,656 33.65% Don Eckhart Independent 14,509 8.77%
2008 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 137,272 45.18% Mary Jo Kilroy Democratic 139,584 45.94% Mark M. Noble Libertarian 14,061 4.63% Don Eckhart Independent 12,915 4.25% *
2010 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 119,471 54.16% Mary Jo Kilroy Democratic 91,077 41.29% William Kammerer Libertarian 6,116 2.77% David Ryon Constitution 3,887 1.76% **
2012 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 205,277 61.56% Pat Lang Democratic 128,188 38.44%
2014 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 128,496 66.02% Scott Wharton Democratic 66,125 33.98%
2016 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 222,847 66.17% Scott Wharton Democratic 113,960 33.84%
2018 U.S. House of Representatives General Steve Stivers Republican 166,632 58.54% Rick Neal Democratic 112,546 39.54% Jonathan Miller Libertarian 5,477 1.92%

*Write-in candidate Travis Casper received 6 votes (<1%)
**Write-in candidate Bill Buckel received 45 votes (0.02%)

References
  1. "Steve Stivers ancestry". Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Home - Steve Stivers for Congress". Steve Stivers for Congress. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  4. "Senator Steve Stivers – Website". Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
  5. "Westland News - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  6. "Our Campaigns - OH State Senate 16 Race - Nov 02, 2004". Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  7. "Ohio (OH) State Senator Steve Stivers [OH Senate] - Official Profile - FREEDOMSPEAKS.COM". December 23, 2010. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved May 5, 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Dispatch Politics". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on May 10, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  10. "Ohio Secretary of State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 18, 2012.
  11. "Stivers for Congress". Archived from the original on October 7, 2012.
  12. "2014 Elections Results - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  13. "Ohio's 15th Congressional District - Ballotpedia". Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  14. Tracking Congress in the Age of Trump: Steve Stivers, FiveThirtyEight.
  15. The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index, 114th Congress (PDF), The Lugar Center, March 7, 2016
  16. The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index, 115th Congress (PDF), The Lugar Center
  17. Overview of The Lugar Center-McCourt School Bipartisan Index, Lugar Center.
  18. "Steve Stivers: (Republican, district 15)". On the Issues.
  19. "Representative Steve Stivers's Voting Records: Budget, Spending and Taxes". Vote Smart.
  21. Blake, Aaron (January 29, 2017). "Whip Count: Here's where Republicans stand on Trump's controversial travel ban". Washington Post.
  22. John Harwood, A leading Republican urges reform for Medicare and Social Security as deficits balloon after the GOP's tax cut, CNBC (August 20, 2018).
  23. Wehrman, Jessica (November 15, 2016). "GOP picks Ohio Rep. for campaign post". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  24. Eric Bradner (June 7, 2018). "House Dem, GOP campaign chiefs clash over using hacked materials in midterms". CNN.
  25. Rebecca Berg (September 8, 2018). "Talks break down for bipartisan pledge to reject using hacked materials". CNN.
  26. Lindsey McPherson, Stivers Not Running Again for NRCC Chairman, The Hill (November 7, 2019).
  27. Fraser, Jayme; Lee Newspapers Staff (May 24, 2017). "Gianforte cited for misdemeanor assault; allegedly body-slammed reporter". Missoulian. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  28. Weaver, Al (May 25, 2017). "NRCC chair on Greg Gianforte: Body slam 'was totally out of character, but we all make mistakes'". Washington Examiner. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  29. Martin, Jonathan (May 24, 2017). "Montana Republican Greg Gianforte, Charged With Assault, Awaits Fate in Vote". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  30. "House Republicans withdraw support of N.J. candidate after report says he shared racist screed". NJ.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  31. "Stivers 'could not stay silent' on Steve King". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  32. "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  33. "Members". Republican Mains Street Partnership. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  34. "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  35. "Members". U.S. - Japan Caucus. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  36. "Congressional Civility & Respect Caucus | Congressman Steve Stivers". stivers.house.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  37. "Election Results". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
Ohio Senate
Preceded by
Priscilla Mead		 Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 16th district
2003–2008		 Succeeded by
Jim Hughes
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Mary Jo Kilroy		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 15th congressional district
2011–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Greg Walden		 Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee
2017–2019		 Succeeded by
Tom Emmer
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Terri Sewell		 United States Representatives by seniority
178th		 Succeeded by
Scott Tipton
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