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| place of birth=[[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], [[South Carolina]]
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== Early life, education, and early career ==
== Early life, education, and early career ==
Sen. DeMint was born in [[Greenville, South Carolina]], one of four children. DeMint's parents, Tom Eugene DeMint and the former Betty W. (Rawlings) Bonaparte,<ref>[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/demint.htm demint<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> divorced when he was five. His mother operated a dance studio. DeMint was educated at the [[Christ Church Episcopal School, Greenville, South Carolina]] and Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. DeMint played drums for a cover band called Salt & Pepper.<ref>John J. Miller, [http://www.heymiller.com/?p=1141 Senator Tea Party], National Review, February 22, 2010</ref> He received a [[bachelor's degree]] from the [[University of Tennessee]] and an [[Master of Business Administration|M.B.A.]] from [[Clemson University]].
Sen. DeMint was born in [[Greenville, South Carolina]], one of four children. DeMint's parents, Tom Eugene DeMint and the former Betty W. (Rawlings) Bonaparte,<ref>[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/demint.htm demint<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> divorced when he was five. His mother operated a dance studio. DeMint was educated at the [[Christ Church Episcopal School, Greenville, South Carolina]] and Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. DeMint played drums for a cover band called Salt & Pepper.<ref>John J. Miller, [http://www.heymiller.com/?p=1141 Senator Tea Party], National Review, February 22, 2010</ref> He received a [[bachelor's degree]] from the [[University of Tennessee]] and an [[Master of Business Administration|M.B.A.]] from [[Clemson University]].


Prior to entering politics, DeMint worked in the field of [[market research]]. In 1983, he founded his own research firm, the DeMint Group. He was president of this corporation until 1998.
Prior to entering politics, DeMint worked in the field of [[market research]]. In 1983, he founded his own research firm, the DeMint Group. He was president of this corporation until 1998.
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In the Senate, DeMint introduced a failed amendment to change the [[Sarbanes-Oxley]] corporate accountability legislation. {{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
In the Senate, DeMint introduced a failed amendment to change the [[Sarbanes-Oxley]] corporate accountability legislation. {{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}


On the issue of immigration, DeMint favors requiring all illegal immigrants in the United States to return to their home countries and apply for legal residency. He is also against the [[Guest Worker]] program and is in favor of establishing [[English language|English]] as the country's official language.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
On the issue of immigration, DeMint favors requiring all illegal immigrants in the United States to return to their home countries and apply for legal residency. He is also against the [[Guest Worker]] program and is in favor of establishing [[English language|English]] as the country's official language.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}


On February 6, 2008 Jim DeMint was joined by senators [[Saxby Chambliss]], [[Tom Coburn]], [[John Cornyn]], [[James Inhofe]], and [[David Vitter]] for the introduction of the Semper Fi Act of 2008 which would strip federal funding from [[Berkeley, California]] in response to the [[Berkeley Marine Corps Recruiting Center controversy]].<ref name="SJM Lawmakers">{{cite web
On February 6, 2008 Jim DeMint was joined by senators [[Saxby Chambliss]], [[Tom Coburn]], [[John Cornyn]], [[James Inhofe]], and [[David Vitter]] for the introduction of the Semper Fi Act of 2008 which would strip federal funding from [[Berkeley, California]] in response to the [[Berkeley Marine Corps Recruiting Center controversy]].<ref name="SJM Lawmakers">{{cite web
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Following an [[Northwest Airlines Flight 253|attempted terrorist attack]] on December 25, 2009, DeMint criticized President [[Barack Obama]] for lacking focus on terrorism since taking office and for failing to appoint a head of the [[Transportation Security Administration]]. Demint has also had a singular role in blocking a vote on Obama's nominee for the position, [[Erroll Southers]].<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/30/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6037313.shtml DeMint: Obama "Has Downplayed Terrorism"]</ref>
Following an [[Northwest Airlines Flight 253|attempted terrorist attack]] on December 25, 2009, DeMint criticized President [[Barack Obama]] for lacking focus on terrorism since taking office and for failing to appoint a head of the [[Transportation Security Administration]]. Demint has also had a singular role in blocking a vote on Obama's nominee for the position, [[Erroll Southers]].<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/30/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6037313.shtml DeMint: Obama "Has Downplayed Terrorism"]</ref>


== Bibliography ==
==Bibliography==
In 2009, DeMint authored a book entitled ''Saving Freedom: We Can Stop America's Slide into Socialism'' (Fidelis, Nashville, 2009).
In 2009, DeMint authored a book entitled ''Saving Freedom: We Can Stop America's Slide into Socialism'' (Fidelis, Nashville, 2009).


=== Campaign finances ===
===Campaign finances===
From 2001 to 2006, Demint’s largest campaign donors came from the health professionals ($612,923 in donations), lawyers/law firms ($462,418), and real estate ($444,779) industries. <ref> http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00002472&cycle=2006 OpenSecrets, Center for Responsive Politics</ref> From 2003 to 2008, his largest donors once again came from the health professionals ($697,986), lawyers/law firms ($581,598) and real estate ($574,736) industries. <ref> http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2008&type=I&cid=N00002472&newMem=N Cener for Responsive Politics</ref>
From 2001 to 2006, Demint’s largest campaign donors came from the health professionals ($612,923 in donations), lawyers/law firms ($462,418), and real estate ($444,779) industries. <ref> http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00002472&cycle=2006 OpenSecrets, Center for Responsive Politics</ref> From 2003 to 2008, his largest donors once again came from the health professionals ($697,986), lawyers/law firms ($581,598) and real estate ($574,736) industries. <ref> http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2008&type=I&cid=N00002472&newMem=N Cener for Responsive Politics</ref>


== Electoral history ==
==Electoral history==
=== 2004 election ===
=== 2004 election ===
{{Main|United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2004}}
{{Main|United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2004}}
DeMint declared his candidacy the Senate on December 12, 2002, after Hollings announced that he would retire after the 2004 elections. DeMint was supposedly the [[White House]]'s preferred candidate in the Republican primary.
DeMint declared his candidacy the Senate on December 12, 2002, after Hollings announced that he would retire after the 2004 elections. DeMint was supposedly the [[White House]]'s preferred candidate in the Republican primary.


In the Republican primary on June 8, 2004 DeMint placed a distant second, 18 percentage points behind former governor [[David Beasley]]. DeMint won the runoff handily, however.
In the Republican primary on June 8, 2004 DeMint placed a distant second, 18 percentage points behind former governor [[David Beasley]]. DeMint won the runoff handily, however.


DeMint then faced [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic]] state education superintendent [[Inez Tenenbaum]] in the November general election. DeMint led Tenenbaum through much of the campaign and ultimately defeated her by 9.6 percentage points. DeMint's win meant that South Carolina was represented by two Republican Senators for the first time since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]], when [[Thomas J. Robertson]] and [[John J. Patterson]] served together as Senators.
DeMint then faced [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic]] state education superintendent [[Inez Tenenbaum]] in the November general election. DeMint led Tenenbaum through much of the campaign and ultimately defeated her by 9.6 percentage points. DeMint's win meant that South Carolina was represented by two Republican Senators for the first time since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]], when [[Thomas J. Robertson]] and [[John J. Patterson]] served together as Senators.


DeMint stirred controversy during debates with Tenenbaum when he stated his belief that openly [[gay]] people should not be allowed to teach in [[Public school (government funded)|public schools]]. When questioned by reporters, DeMint also stated that [[single mother]]s who live with their boyfriends should similarly be excluded from being educators. He later apologized for making the remarks without specifically retracting their substantive claims, saying they were "distracting from the main issues of the debate." He also noted that these were opinions based on his personal values, not issues he would or could deal with as a member of Congress.<ref>Dan Hoover, [http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2004/10/06/2004100650449.htm "DeMint apologizes after remarks on gays"], ''Greenville News'', October 6, 2004</ref>
DeMint stirred controversy during debates with Tenenbaum when he stated his belief that openly [[gay]] people should not be allowed to teach in [[Public school (government funded)|public schools]]. When questioned by reporters, DeMint also stated that [[single mother]]s who live with their boyfriends should similarly be excluded from being educators. He later apologized for making the remarks without specifically retracting their substantive claims, saying they were "distracting from the main issues of the debate." He also noted that these were opinions based on his personal values, not issues he would or could deal with as a member of Congress.<ref>Dan Hoover, [http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2004/10/06/2004100650449.htm "DeMint apologizes after remarks on gays"], ''Greenville News'', October 6, 2004</ref>


DeMint has since re-tooled his rhetoric regarding homosexuals as a public health initiative.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} In a 2008 interview, he cited the prevalence of certain diseases among homosexuals as his reason for opposing gay marriage. <ref>Demint, Jim, Remarks to Diane Rehm, 'The Diane Rehm Show', National Public Radio, January 31, 2008</ref>


'''2004 South Carolina United States Senate election'''
'''2004 South Carolina United States Senate election'''
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== Footnotes ==
==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|2}}


Revision as of 04:42, 29 March 2010

Jim DeMint
United States Senator
from South Carolina
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2005
Serving with Lindsey Graham
Preceded byErnest Hollings
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 4th district
In office
January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005
Preceded byBob Inglis
Succeeded byBob Inglis
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDebbie DeMint
Residence(s)Greenville, South Carolina
Alma materUniversity of Tennessee, Clemson University
Occupationmarketing consultant

James Warren DeMint (born September 2, 1951) has been a United States Senator from South Carolina since 2005. He had previously represented South Carolina's 4th congressional district from 1999 to 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.[1]

Early life, education, and early career

Sen. DeMint was born in Greenville, South Carolina, one of four children. DeMint's parents, Tom Eugene DeMint and the former Betty W. (Rawlings) Bonaparte,[2] divorced when he was five. His mother operated a dance studio. DeMint was educated at the Christ Church Episcopal School, Greenville, South Carolina and Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. DeMint played drums for a cover band called Salt & Pepper.[3] He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee and an M.B.A. from Clemson University.

Prior to entering politics, DeMint worked in the field of market research. In 1983, he founded his own research firm, the DeMint Group. He was president of this corporation until 1998.

DeMint married his high school sweetheart, Josephine de Beauharnais, on September 1, 1973; the couple have four children.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1998, Fourth District Congressman Bob Inglis kept his promise to serve only three terms, by running against Senator Fritz Hollings.

DeMint won the Republican primary for the district, which includes Greenville and Spartanburg. He then went on to win the general election in November. The district is considered the most Republican in the state, and he did not face a serious or well-funded Democratic opponent in 1998 or in his two re-election campaigns in 2000 and 2002.

U.S. Senate

Committee assignments

Political positions and actions

DeMint's main work has been opposing the increase of Federal government spending, both under the Bush and Obama Administrations. He was opposed to federal bailouts for banks and other corporations. For his stances on budgetary issues, DeMint has been strongly supported by the conservative political group Club for Growth. He was ranked as the most conservative United States Senator by National Journal in 2007[4] and 2008.[5]

DeMint has been a consistent supporter of school prayer and has introduced legislation that would allow schools to display banners such as one stating "God Bless America".[6]

DeMint favors banning all forms of abortion, including in cases of rape and incest.[7]

DeMint is a member of the C Street Family, a Christian prayer group which includes many prominent Republican members of Congress that has been referred to as fundamentalist.[8]

In the Senate, DeMint introduced a failed amendment to change the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate accountability legislation. [citation needed]

On the issue of immigration, DeMint favors requiring all illegal immigrants in the United States to return to their home countries and apply for legal residency. He is also against the Guest Worker program and is in favor of establishing English as the country's official language.[citation needed]

On February 6, 2008 Jim DeMint was joined by senators Saxby Chambliss, Tom Coburn, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, and David Vitter for the introduction of the Semper Fi Act of 2008 which would strip federal funding from Berkeley, California in response to the Berkeley Marine Corps Recruiting Center controversy.[9] The bill would have eliminated $2.1 million in earmarks for the city and the University of California, Berkeley and would have instead directed the funds to the Marine Corps Recruiting Fund. His actions were reprimanded by both the House and Senate leadership as divisive and unnecessary. His bill was defeated by a 74-25 vote.

Jim DeMint speaking at CPAC.

DeMint introduced a 2009 amendment to a multi-billion dollar economic stimulus bill that would have prohibited lawmakers from using any percentage of transportation funds on bicycle, walking, or wilderness trails.[10] Additionally, DeMint opposed the whole bill.

DeMint was one of two Senators, along with David Vitter, to vote against Hillary Clinton's confirmation to become the United States Secretary of State.

DeMint went to Honduras in 2009 and met with de facto president Roberto Micheletti. The White House has explicitly banned meetings with the current leaders. The United States officially viewed ousted president Manuel Zelaya as the legitimately elected president.[11]

Following an attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009, DeMint criticized President Barack Obama for lacking focus on terrorism since taking office and for failing to appoint a head of the Transportation Security Administration. Demint has also had a singular role in blocking a vote on Obama's nominee for the position, Erroll Southers.[12]

Bibliography

In 2009, DeMint authored a book entitled Saving Freedom: We Can Stop America's Slide into Socialism (Fidelis, Nashville, 2009).

Campaign finances

From 2001 to 2006, Demint’s largest campaign donors came from the health professionals ($612,923 in donations), lawyers/law firms ($462,418), and real estate ($444,779) industries. [13] From 2003 to 2008, his largest donors once again came from the health professionals ($697,986), lawyers/law firms ($581,598) and real estate ($574,736) industries. [14]

Electoral history

2004 election

Main article: United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2004

DeMint declared his candidacy the Senate on December 12, 2002, after Hollings announced that he would retire after the 2004 elections. DeMint was supposedly the White House's preferred candidate in the Republican primary.

In the Republican primary on June 8, 2004 DeMint placed a distant second, 18 percentage points behind former governor David Beasley. DeMint won the runoff handily, however.

DeMint then faced Democratic state education superintendent Inez Tenenbaum in the November general election. DeMint led Tenenbaum through much of the campaign and ultimately defeated her by 9.6 percentage points. DeMint's win meant that South Carolina was represented by two Republican Senators for the first time since Reconstruction, when Thomas J. Robertson and John J. Patterson served together as Senators.

DeMint stirred controversy during debates with Tenenbaum when he stated his belief that openly gay people should not be allowed to teach in public schools. When questioned by reporters, DeMint also stated that single mothers who live with their boyfriends should similarly be excluded from being educators. He later apologized for making the remarks without specifically retracting their substantive claims, saying they were "distracting from the main issues of the debate." He also noted that these were opinions based on his personal values, not issues he would or could deal with as a member of Congress.[15]


2004 South Carolina United States Senate election

Jim DeMint (R) 53.7%
Inez Tenenbaum (D) 44.1%
Patrick Tyndall (Constitution) 0.8%
Rebekah Sutherland (Libertarian) 0.7%
Tee Ferguson (United Citizens Party) 0.4%
Efia Nwangaza (Green) 0.3%

Footnotes

  1. ^ "2008 Vote Ratings", National Journal
  2. ^ demint
  3. ^ John J. Miller, Senator Tea Party, National Review, February 22, 2010
  4. ^ Political Arithmetik: National Journal 2006 Liberal/Conservative Scores
  5. ^ NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2007 Vote Ratings (03/07/2007)
  6. ^ http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/jim_demint.htm
  7. ^ http://www.votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=25026#409
  8. ^ Inside The C Street House, Salon.com July 21 2009
  9. ^ Oakley, Doug (2008-02-07). "Lawmakers aim to punish Berkeley over anti-Marines stance". San Jose Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2008-02-07. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  10. ^ Voiland, Adam, "Senator DeMint's Pro-Obesity Legislation", "DC Bicycle Transportation Examiner" March 1, 2009
  11. ^ Democrats target Jim DeMint's Honduras trip
  12. ^ DeMint: Obama "Has Downplayed Terrorism"
  13. ^ http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00002472&cycle=2006 OpenSecrets, Center for Responsive Politics
  14. ^ http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2008&type=I&cid=N00002472&newMem=N Cener for Responsive Politics
  15. ^ Dan Hoover, "DeMint apologizes after remarks on gays", Greenville News, October 6, 2004
U.S. House of Representatives

Template:USRSB

U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 3) from South Carolina
2005–present
Served alongside: Lindsey Graham 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States Senators by seniority
67th 		Succeeded by
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