Redrawn into the 4th district, Upton did not seek reelection in 2022, and retired from Congress upon his 18th term's expiration in 2023. 8297: Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022 -- House Vote #362 -- Jul 15, 2022", "H.R. [citation needed], Upton was one of three Republicans to vote for H.R. Trump then endorsed Huizenga last month. Upton has said Trumps endorsement didn't force his hand, that it was more about redistricting. Upton, who may be best known as the uncle of supermodel Kate Upton, was forced to compete with Huizenga for the same southwestern Michigan district after the Great Lakes State lost a House seat following the 2020 Census. Gov. Michigan Democrats were also affected by redistricting, with Rep. Brenda Lawrence announcing her retirement in January after her hometown was drawn into a district currently represented by fellow Democrat Debbie Dingell. CNN Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, one of the 10 House Republicans to vote for impeachment against former President Donald Trump, announced on the House floor Tuesday that he was not running. Upton, R-St. Joseph, is Michigans longest serving member of Congress. 3301; 113th Congress), a bill that would make changes to permitting requirements for pipelines and other energy infrastructure at international borders. 31 Democrats have announced they will not seek re-election. Fred is a deeply moral person and he stands up when people are being bullied., More:In Michigan and across US, it was a bad night for Trump, More:Rep. Fred Upton announces retirement from Congress, has been in US House since 1987, When the Cass County GOP voted to censure Upton for voting with Democrats to strip U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., of her committee assignments for inflammatory remarks and social media posts including a campaign piece showing her holding a semiautomatic rifle next to a photo of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, he noted she had taunted a Parkland school shooting survivor, argued that California wildfires were started by a Jewish space laser, accused Democratic politicians of running a pedophile ring out of a pizza parlor, and questioned whether 9/11 really happened.. Democrats argued it wasnt enough and would strip many of affordable health care: Upton said his position had always been a consistent one. Four were defeated in primaries, and four, including Upton, opted to retire. Copyright 2023 CQ Roll Call. For other persons with similar names, see, Early life, education, and early political career. Rep. Debbie Dingell, whose late husband John, worked across the aisle with Upton during his career, took the podium immediately after Uptons announcement, to reflect on the work they had accomplished together. He also called for expanded background checks in response to mass shootings and voted to ensure that the federal government recognize legal marriages regardless of the couples sex, race or ethnicity, even going to the White House for the signing ceremony. But no, this was our decision, independent of what I did with Trump, added Upton, who was first elected in 1986. He was a member of the House Problem Solvers caucus. Among other things, it would allocate funding for research into new, non-addictive pain relievers. Hes a good person, said Ornstein. [18], Upton defeated former State Representative Jack Hoogendyk in the Republican primary, 57%43%. Upton won with 55.9% of the vote, defeating Democrat Paul Clements, Libertarian Erwin Haas, and Green Party candidate John Lawrence. Moderate Rep. Fred Upton announced his retirement from Congress in an emotional House floor speech Tuesday, telling his colleagues that "even the best stories have a last chapter." "This is. The act allowed for expedited approval of important drugs and medical devices, and just four years after it was passed, helped shepherd along speedy approval of the nations first COVID-19 vaccine. Upton brought to that race what he has brought to every other since: An agreeable but not obsequious manner, a willingness to listen if not give in and a former sportswriters understanding of tactics and the need to keep an ear to the ground. Stockman, of course, wasnt any ordinary OMB director: He was chief progenitor of Reagans supply-side economics, arguing for deep cuts in taxes and government spending. With the latest redistricting of the states political maps following the 2020 Census, Upton, 68, was drawn into the new 4th District with Rep. Bill Huizenga of Holland. The eNewspaper, a digital replica of the print paper, every day. [88], In 2022, Upton was one of 39 Republicans to vote for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior. He cited several career highlights, including bipartisan passage of the 21st Century Cures . Redrawn into the 4th district, Upton did not seek reelection in 2022, and retired from Congress upon his 18th term's expiration in 2023. Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, a centrist stalwart who later was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 attack, said Tuesday that he would not run for re-election after 18 terms in the House. [56] He has called for Congress to pass a bipartisan red flag law. "These 6 House Democrats voted against the infrastructure bill. But he made no mention of Trump in his speech or his decision to impeach him. A free market no more? After Sander Levin retired at the end of the 115th Congress, Upton became the dean of Michigan's congressional delegation . With the redistricting in Michigan that went into effect this year, Upton would have been forced to run against U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, in the primary, due to new congressional district boundaries that place the two multi-term congressmen in the same district -- Michigans newly created Fourth District. THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. And as a key member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, comprised of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, he helped put forward and pass Biden's signature bill to rebuild roads, bridges and other infrastructure that most House Republicans voted against. 4 down and 6 to. Mack, Julie; David Stockman, former southwest Michigan congressman and Reagan aide, offers dire view of U.S. economy; Michigan Live; April 1, 2013; ;2018 election April 5, 2022 Facing new district lines and a tough primary race, Representative Fred Upton of Michigan, announced his retirement on Tuesday, becoming the fourth House Republican who voted to. He is one of the greatest Michiganders to serve our country., Congressman Bill Huizenga, who would have run against Upton in his next election, said, I want to thank Fred for his commitment, service, and dedication to Michigan over the years. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. A moderate in a 'toxic' place, Fred Upton says goodbye to Congress He built a bipartisan legacy and took flak for impeaching Trump Rep. Fred Upton poses this month in front of his portrait. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In this May 3, 2017, file photo, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., left, speaks to reporters outside the White House in Washington. Perhaps most importantly, however, he wrote along with U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and with help from then-Vice President Joe Biden the 21st Century Cures Act, a sweeping effort to accelerate medical advances. Only two of the 10 Republicans who voted for impeachment, Reps. David Valadao of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, won reelection in November. It's complicated", Congressman Fred Upton condemns Dave Agema's gay marriage comments, "Roll Call 86 Roll Call 86, Bill Number: H. R. 1620, 117th Congress, 1st Session", "House Renews Violence Against Women Act, But Senate Hurdles Remain", "H.R. His retiring is a loss for this country and especially the people of Michigan.. 4 down and 6 to go. The former president took a victory lap just moments after Upton announced his retirement. We've received your submission. The same goes for the Democrats he faced. And she said it would be and they lived happily ever after, Upton said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). News, analysis and scores on Detroit and Michigan sports teams. One reason is the money chase, he said, noting that far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia raised $3.3 million in one quarter this year by appealing to the Trump base in the GOP. He was in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1985, while Stockman served as OMB Director. [14] He won the general election with 69% of the vote. But when confronted with the ugly reality of what Trump did (in denying the outcome of the 2020 election), when push really came to shove and others showed a high level of moral cowardice, he took the right course.. Washington After nearly 36 years in office, Michigan Republican U.S. Rep. Fred Upton said Tuesday he plans to retire at the end of his term, declining to pursue a primary fight with a. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. On Tuesday, after more than 35 years in Congress, Upton declared that he had reached the end of this ideological fight for the soul of the Republican Party. Both did on Nov. 7, the day the Associated Press and other media outlets called the election for the Democrat. [67], During Trump's presidency, Upton voted in line with Trump's stated position 78.6% of the time. "[69][70], On December 18, 2019, Upton voted against both articles of impeachment against Trump. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The negativity, amplified by social media and cable news channels, led to a spate of fringe and in Uptons view, unelectable candidates winning Republican primaries this year. Even the best stories have. Upton won the Republican primary 55%45%[8] and the general election with 62% of the vote. Here we are, two years later, no one has provided the evidence that showed that those states that were in question, that the vote wouldve been overturned., I dont have any regrets, he added. "[45], In 2012, Upton, as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that Congress's refusal to set greenhouse gas limits "constituted a decision and that lawmakers should act now to reverse the EPA emissions rules." Rep. Fred Upton, perennial target of disenchanted conservatives in Michigan's 6th Congressional District, is headed for a pitched battle in the 2022 Republican primary after former President. But this past spring, Upton announced that after 36-years serving the region in Washington, he was retiring. Norm Ornstein, senior fellow emeritus at the American Enterprise Institute and an expert on Congress who knows Upton well, said he doesnt accept the claim of many that the congressman is a moderate knowing that Upton is much more complicated than that. This crap about election denial, overturning Michigan (the vote in 2020), that doesn't sell well with independents it has created mistrust. But he doesnt rule out Trump becoming the partys nominee in 24. Upton agreed with Trump on many points, including his 2017 tax cuts, strengthening border security and immigration reform. Carbon regulation, he said, "threatens to drive energy prices higher, destroy jobs and hamstring our economic recovery. But there was no question that he would have faced a tough, expensive primary race against a Trump-backed Huizenga. I really do, even the few that dont always love me," he said. [44] Due to his environmental policies, The Los Angeles Times wrote in 2011 that Upton "represents one of the biggest threats to planet Earth on planet Earth. If he has taken more nuanced stances than some, he argues it belies the politics of his district generally conservative, but also independent. Rep. Fred Upton (Mich.), one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, revealed on Sunday that he has not yet. Its about 9 oclock at night. [4] He attended Shattuck-Saint Mary's, graduating in 1971. LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Fred Upton, Michigan's most senior lawmaker in Congress, has announced he will retire from the House at the end of his term. U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) is the only other Republican in Michigan's congressional delegation who has stated that Biden is the winner of the 2020 presidential election. For me, (Uptons departure) is more of a personal loss, said Kildee. Hes a friend. When a mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress met in joint session to certify the 2020 presidential election for Biden, Upton was alone in his office nearby. [75] He was later censured by the Cass County Republican Party for voting to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House Education Committee. In the latter, Trump won the district by single digits. [83][84], Upton voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. I mean, they really just sliced me up like Zorro, he said. Zach Gibson/TNS He has his ear to the ground like nobody on Capitol Hill hes got relationships, across the aisle, across the Rotunda with the Senate, like no one.. [The commission] made changes that were over 350,000 so that was really the deciding factor.. ", "To him, bipartisan and compromise are not forbidden words," she said. [11] In the general election, he was reelected to a third term with 58% of the vote. Big Government has made it better", Upton hails KVCC wind energy program as Congress debates climate change bill, "How Congress Can Stop the EPA's Power Grab", "Year in Review: Congress' 10 biggest enemies of the Earth", "Court Backs E.P.A. A moderate in a toxic place, Fred Upton says goodbye to Congress, He built a bipartisan legacy and took flak for impeaching Trump. Dubai 'Butt Squad' model worried for Ukrainian parents aft Woman fatally shot by upstate NY homeowner after pulling into wrong driveway: sheriff, Haribo fans shocked to learn green gummy bear flavor: 'Calling the police', Yuengling takes apparent jab at Bud Light with conspicuous tweet, Bill Hader says Carol Burnett emailed him to say theyre cousins: Its insane, Mike & Molly star Billy Gardell details 150-pound weight loss: My diabetes is gone, Pump Rules alum Billie Lee exits Tom Sandovals home in same clothes from night prior, Larry Brooks previews seventh playoff series between Rangers, Devils, Even AOC Cant Believe Netflix Crashed During Love Is Blind Live Reunion, Viewers pan Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos' 'brutal' first 'Live' show together. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Its something hed like to see more of after he leaves, and is telling incoming lawmakers as much. Starting his career in politics working for the Office of Budget Management in the administration of President Ronald Regan, Upton says hes seen a great change in politics since he first arrived in Washington. Then theres former President Donald Trump, who has labeled Upton as a RINO (Republican in name only) so many times, youd think he has a horn. Upton didnt explicitly say so at the time, but newly drawn congressional lines the result of a voter approved redistricting commission decimated the area he represented since 1986. Upton came to the nations capital in the 1970s to work for a new Michigan congressman his dad had introduced him to Republican David Stockman and was regarded highly enough by Stockman that he took Upton with him when he became head of the Office of Management and Budget for President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He asked his wife, Amey, what their next chapter would be. When we passed it, I called him, and Lonnie, his wife, answered the phone, Upton said. Prior to being elected to Congress in 1986, Upton worked for President Ronald Reagan in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Uptons close friend and Michigan colleague, Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell, spoke on the floor after Upton, calling him a "devoted public servant for southwest Michigan, all of Michigan, and our nation. 3301; 113th Congress), both articles of impeachment against Trump, United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus, "Upton becomes first member of Congress to vote to impeach two presidents", https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/04/david_stockman_former_southwes.html, "Club for Growth Encouraging Upton Primary Challenger", "Fred Upton still faces arrows from the right", "Jack Hoogendyk to challenge U.S. Rep. Fred Upton again for seat in Congress", "Southwest Michigan Politics: Mike O'Brien poll shows challenger in 'dead heat' with Congressman Fred Upton", "Michigan Election Results: Sixth House District", "House votes to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from committee assignments", "With Enrollment Slow, Some Democrats Back Change in Health Law", "The 2 House Republicans who put it all on the line for Obamacare repeal could lose Tuesday", https://www.cbsnews.com/news/21st-century-cures-act-congress-health-care-passed/, https://wdet.org/posts/2018/05/24/86819-rep-fred-upton-and-rep-debbie-dingell-team-up-to-battle-opioid-addiction/, "Long Live the Lightbulb. Upton, 68, is the fourth Republican who backed impeachment to not seek reelection, joining Reps. John Katko of New York, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. Leaders Came to View Climate Change as Fake Science", Scoop: Fred Upton joins bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, A Legislative Solution For Net Neutrality Is At Hand. One of them was the late heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who lived in Uptons district and came to Washington to lobby for the Cures Act, even while suffering from Parkinsons disease. Thinking back on his legacy in Congress, Upton points to his shining accomplishment: the passage of the 21st Century Cares Act in 2016. Part of his political base in southwestern Michigan was parceled into another district. Upton, whose grandfather co-founded Whirlpool Corp. and whose father fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, began his career in politics as an aide to former Rep. David Stockman, R-Mich., and later worked for Stockman when he became President Ronald Reagans budget director. Upton announced his retirement in a speech on the House floor Tuesday morning. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, revealed that he has not yet decided if he will run for reelection in 2022, The Hill reports. Upton did so and the two wrote legislation requiring the government to publicize water quality issues when they arise. The Michigan Republican is one of the longest-tenured Republicans in the House. Fred Upton Mulls Possible Retirement. Legislatively, Upton can point to several significant achievements, writing legislation that increased reporting requirements after hundreds died in accidents linked to Firestone tires mostly in Ford vehicles in the late 1990s and passing tougher pipeline safety standards alongside the late Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, after a catastrophic oil line break in Marshall in 2010. A former chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Upton has played a major role in shaping post-Obamacare health care legislation. A few weeks before Upton announced his decision, Trump who had earlier endorsed a little-known state representative in a race against Upton switched his endorsement to Huizenga. We lost at least five Congressional seats, Upton said. [47][48] He said the bill "is a sincere effort to focus a targeted solution to lessons learned from the Keystone Pipeline No one can rightly argue that the current presidential permit process as the State Department is not broken, no matter what side of the climate debate you're on. Fred is a dear friend to me, he was Johns best friend. Even the best stories have the last chapter, Upton said. People dont really care if you have an R or a D, they just want the job done.. [38] At the time, he noted that the legislation, ultimately signed into law by President George W. Bush, would "help preserve energy resources and reduce harmful emissions, all while saving American families billions of dollars on their electric bills. [68], In July 2019, Upton was one of four Republican House members to vote in support of a motion to condemn comments Trump made on Twitter calling on four Democratic Congresswomen, three of whom were born in the U.S., to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. He told FOX 17 about his decision and his vote to impeach former President Trump after Jan. 6. [77] Before the vote, he was one of few Republican lawmakers to openly express support for the commission. 454 shares By Brad Devereaux | bdeverea@mlive.com Fred Upton, Michigan's longest serving member of Congress, is retiring, he announced today from the House floor. [10], Upton defeated Ed Fredricks in the Republican primary, 63%37%. [55], In 2019, Upton supported a bill that requires background checks for private firearm sales. The other three who have . Debbie Dingell, who has been close friends with the Uptons for decades and said she speaks to Fred almost daily, said she has only seen him angry when people arent treating other people decently., Its just crossing a line, said Dingell, who in the last few weeks of the current Congress, gave Upton a desk in her office as departing members were forced to give up their spaces to prepare for incoming members. For all that, said Dingell, Uptons essential nature is one of fostering camaraderie, an ability to lighten the mood, lighten the situation and make people feel better. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, said he turned to Upton, as a senior member of the House, when he was looking for an ally to help him secure aid for Flint in the wake of lead contamination of its water supply beginning in 2014. I mean, you know, the top three candidates [on the statewide ballot in November] were all election deniers. Upton would have faced Rep. Bill Huizenga, who President Trump endorsed in March, in the Republican primary for Michigans new 4th district. November 14, 2021 at 6:09 pm EST By Taegan Goddard. To him, bipartisan and compromise are not forbidden words, Dingell said. He is a fiscal conservative and an abortion opponent who has also voted multiple times to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He dotes on his wife, Amey, and loudly sings the praises of his staff, calling it the best in the business, all while admitting that, when it comes to the details, Im a little bit of a micromanager.. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)AP. Thats put him in a tough place because he also has wanted to be a loyal member of his party.
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