Sander Levin

Sander Levin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 9th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Gary Peters
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 12th district
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	David E. Bonior
Succeeded by	John Dingell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 17th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	William M. Brodhead
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee
In office March 4, 2010 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Charles B. Rangel
Succeeded by	Dave Camp
Personal details
Born	Sander Martin Levin September 6, 1931 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Vicki Levin (1958–2008) Pamela Cole (2012–present)
Alma mater	University of Chicago Columbia University Harvard Law School
Religion	Judaism
Signature

Sander Martin "Sandy" Levin (born September 6, 1931) is an American politician who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 1983. Levin, a member of the Democratic Party from Michigan, is the ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee; he was Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee from 2010 to 2011.

Levin's district includes many of Detroit's northern and northeastern suburbs, such as Mount Clemens, Southfield, Clinton Township, Warren, Ferndale, Fraser, Sterling Heights, Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores. Since 2013, he has represented Michigan's 9th congressional district; previously he represented Michigan's 12th congressional district. He is the older brother of former U.S. Senator Carl Levin.

Early life, education, and early political career

Levin was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Bess (née Levinson) and Saul R. Levin. He graduated from Central High School in Detroit, received a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1952, a Master's degree in international relations from Columbia University in 1954, and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1957.

After developing a private law practice, Levin served in the Michigan Senate from 1965 to 1970, and was Senate Minority Leader 1969–1970. He made unsuccessful campaigns for Governor of Michigan in 1970 and 1974, losing to Republican William Milliken. He was a Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School in 1975. From 1977 through 1981 he was assistant administrator of the Agency for International Development.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 1982, incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman William Brodhead decided not to run for re-election, instead making an unsuccessful run for governor. Levin won the Democratic primary in Michigan's 17th congressional district with 49% of the vote,^[1] which at that time included northwestern Detroit as well as parts of Macomb and Oakland counties. Levin subsequently won this 1982 general election with 67% of the vote.^[2] He typically won re-election with at least 56% of the vote since then, exceptions being 1992 and 1994 elections. After the 1990 United States Census, his district was renumbered as the 12th district and lost its share of Detroit. In 1992, he narrowly defeated businessman and Vietnam War veteran John Pappageorge 53%-46%.^[3] In a 1994 rematch, Levin again defeated this same opponent, during the midst of the Republican Revolution, 52%-47%.^[4] Then again in 1996, Levin defeated Pappageorge by a larger margin in a third rematch 57%-41%.^[5] In 1998, Levin won re-election against Republican nominee Leslie A. Touma, 56%-42%.^[6] In 2000, Detroit Metro area businessman Bart Baron gained the endorsement of the United Auto Workers Union, but Levin still managed to win re-election with 64% of the vote.^[7] The 2000s redistricting added heavily Democratic Southfield and Mount Clemens to the district, and he has won re-election in every election with at least 61% of the vote since then.^[8]

2012

After redistricting, Levin was drawn into the same district as fellow U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-MI).^[9] The district retained Peters' district number—the 9th—but geographically is more Levin's district. Peters opted to run in the newly redrawn 14th District.^[10] In 2008, Obama won the 9th district with 59% of the vote, while he won statewide with 57%. Levin now represents the 12th congressional district which picks up Oak Park, Berkley, Madison Heights, Clawson, Royal Oak, and Troy, but former portions were moved over into the adjacent 11th District to the west to now include Southfield Township, Beverly Hills, Bloomfield Township Birmingham, and portions of Royal Oak.^[11]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Ways and Means (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Trade (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Income Security

Levin took over as chairman of the Ways and Means committee on March 4, 2010, when Charles B. Rangel of New York stepped aside in due to a number of ethics violations.^[12] Levin served as chairman until January 2011 and currently serves as the committee's ranking member.

Personal life

His wife of 50 years, Vicki, died on September 4, 2008. They had four children and ten grandchildren.

In a private ceremony in July 2012, Levin married Pamela Cole, age 61, a Pennsylvania State University psychology professor who studies emotional development. They met through his late wife Vicki. Cole and Levin worked to create a fund in her name for young professionals researching early childhood development.^[13]

Levin comes from a family that has long been prominent in Michigan politics. His younger brother Carl Levin was the state's senior Senator until his retirement in January 2015. His uncle, Theodore, was a federal judge. His first cousin, Charles, was a Michigan Supreme Court justice, after serving as a Michigan Court of Appeals judge. Another first cousin, Joseph Levin, was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. His son, Andy, was the 2006 Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate in the 13th Senate District, losing in a tight race to John Pappageorge.^[14]

Electoral history

References

1. "MI District 17 - D Primary Race - Aug 03, 1982". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
2. "MI District 17 Race - Nov 02, 1982". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
3. "MI District 12 Race - Nov 03, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
4. "MI District 12 Race - Nov 08, 1994". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
5. "MI District 12 Race - Nov 05, 1996". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
6. "MI District 12 Race - Nov 03, 1998". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
7. "MI District 12 Race - Nov 07, 2000". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
8. "Candidate - Sander Levin". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
9. "Sander Levin pans Republican redistricting map". MLive.com. Associated Press. June 28, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
10. McCarty, Alicia (November 8, 2011). "A look ahead to the key races in the Midwest in 2012". USA Today.
11. "Congressional District 9 - Redistricting (MI-09)". Republican Michigander. June 30, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
12. OHLEMACHER, Stephen; MARGASAK, Larry (March 4, 2010). "Levin is acting chair of Ways and Means panel". Washington Post. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
13. Kaner, David. "Rep. Levin marries Penn State professor". The Hill. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
14. Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
15. "Office of the House Clerk – Electoral Statistics". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
16. "Election Results". Federal Election Commission.
17. http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/12GEN/06009000.html

Further reading

• 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

External links

• Congressman Sandy Levin official U.S. House site
• Sander Levin for Congress
• Sander Levin at DMOZ