Mike Rogers (Alabama politician)

For the U.S. Representative from Michigan, see Mike Rogers (Michigan politician).
Mike Rogers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 3rd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2003
Preceded by Bob Riley
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
from the 36th district
In office
1994–2002
Preceded by James Campbell
Succeeded by Randy Wood
Personal details
Born (1958-07-16) July 16, 1958
Hammond, Indiana, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Beth Rogers
Alma mater Jacksonville State University
Birmingham School of Law
Religion Baptist

Michael Dennis "Mike" Rogers (born July 16, 1958), is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education

A fifth generation resident of Calhoun County in East Alabama, Rogers graduated from Saks High School and earned both his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Masters of Public Administration at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Early political career

At 28 years old, Rogers became the youngest person and first Republican to join the Calhoun County Commission. While serving on the Commission and working for the United Way, Rogers enrolled at the Birmingham School of Law along with his wife, Beth, and upon graduating with honors began a general law practice in Anniston. Three years later he started his own firm, which grew to become Anniston's largest.

In 1994 he won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, and became Minority leader in his second term. In 2002, Bob Riley successfully ran for governor, leaving the 3rd district vacant. Rogers easily won the Republican nomination. In the general election, he faced Democratic veteran Joe Turnham, Jr., who had served three years as state party chairman and had run against Riley in the congressional election in 1998.[1]

U.S. House of Representatives

Committees

Caucus Memberships

Political positions

Except on spending, where he earned the dubious title of "April 2012 Porker of the Month" [2] and only a 23% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste [3] Rogers has a conservative voting record. He dissented with the Morocco free trade agreement due to potential job losses in the Alabama textile industry. On social issues Rogers has voted in opposition to abortion, gay marriage and immigration. However, he has acted to protect the Armed Services industry in his area. On the Armed Services Committee, he opposed a new series of military base closures and won passage of a bill that would assure that universities would provide access to their facilities for military recruitment purposes and ROTC. Despite this, in 2008, he received a rating of 50% from the American Conservative Union, one of the most moderate voting records of a Southern Republican for that year.[4]

Rogers was a recipient of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC campaign contributions. DeLay was prosecuted and convicted on charges of felony money laundering of campaign finances and conspiracy to launder money. To date, Rogers has not offered to return any of the $30,000 he received.[5] Rogers said that DeLay is innocent until proven guilty, and that he would not return the money "while the judicial process runs its course."[6]

After the Democratic Party took control of the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections, Rogers joined many relatively junior Republican members of the House in seeing their perceived influence diminish. Knowlegis, a nonpartisan lobbying information firm, dropped Rogers from being ranked as the 138th most influential Representative to being 402nd in that category.[7]

Rogers is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.[8]

In December 2011, Rogers voted in support of H.R. 10, the "Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act," which would have required Congressional approval for any "major regulations" issued by the executive branch but, unlike the 1996 Congressional Review Act, would not require the president's signature or override of a probable presidential veto.[9][10]

Rogers supported an amendment to declare that people retain the right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including schools. He cosponsored legislation to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States. Rogers sponsored a bill expressing the continued support of Congress for equal access of military recruiters to institutions of higher education.[11] He also introduced legislation making it illegal to satirize or in any way parody the Transportation Security Administration.[12]

Political campaigns

In a very close election, the Turnham-Rogers contest was one of the most closely watched in 2002. Both Democratic and Republican National parties targeted the district, with Speaker Dennis Hastert promising Rogers a seat on the Armed Services committee should he win. Rogers heavily outspent Turnham, raising and spending $1,656,290[13] to Turnham's $1,015,132,[14] with Rogers enjoying an even greater margin in independent expenditures. Rogers narrowly won the election by a 50%–48% margin.[15] In this election, Rogers became a rare Republican endorsee of The Anniston Star.[16]

Personal life

Rogers and his wife have three children. They reside in Saks and are members of a Baptist Church.

Electoral history

Alabama's 3rd Congressional District House Election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike D. Rogers 91,169 50.31%
Democratic Joe Turnham 87,351 48.20%
Libertarian George Crispin 2,565 1.42%
Alabama's 3rd Congressional District House Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike D. Rogers 150,411 61.23% +10.92%
Democratic Bill Fuller 95,240 38.77% -9.43%
Alabama's 3rd Congressional District House Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike D. Rogers 97,742 59.59% -1.64%
Democratic Greg Pierce 62,891 38.34% -0.43%
Independent Mark Layfield 3,396 2.07% +2.07%
Alabama's 3rd Congressional District House Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike D. Rogers 142,708 54.03% -5.56%
Democratic Joshua Segall 121,080 45.84% +7.50%
Alabama's 3rd Congressional District House Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike D. Rogers 117,736 59.42% +5.39%
Democratic Steve Segrest 80,204 40.48% -5.36%

References

  1. ↑ "Riley a Rerun in U.S. House," The Anniston Star, November 4, 1998, p. 1A
  2. ↑ Archived May 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "Citizens Against Government Waste: Scorecard". Councilfor.cagw.org. Archived from the original on November 28, 2008. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  4. ↑ Archived October 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Campaign for America's Future: 26 Congressmen Bought Out by Rep. DeLay". Ourfuture.org. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  6. ↑ "Allies to Keep DeLay's Money," The Decatur Daily, October 9, 2005, p. 1A
  7. ↑ "Rogers' Power Drops: Ranking of Congress Members Gives District 3 Representative Low Score," The Anniston Star, April 11, 2008, p. 1A
  8. ↑ "The Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers 112th Congressional List" (PDF). Americans for Tax Reform. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  9. ↑ Sonmez, Felicia (December 7, 2011). "REINS bill to expand congressional power over executive regulations passed by House". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Mike Rogers | Congressional Scorecard – FreedomWorks". Congress.freedomworks.org. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  11. ↑ Congressman Mike Rogers: Official Website Archived August 24, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Rogers, Mike. "Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act of 2011". govtrack.us. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  13. ↑ FEC Candidate Summary Reports: Rogers, Michael
  14. ↑ FEC Candidate Summary Reports: Turnham, Joseph
  15. ↑ "Alabama Secretary of State: Certification of Results, 2002 General Election" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  16. ↑ "For Congress," The Anniston Star, October 22, 2002, p. 8A

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bob Riley		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 3rd congressional district
2003–present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Devin Nunes		 United States Representatives by seniority
131st 		Succeeded by
Dutch Ruppersberger
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