Gresham Barrett

Gresham Barrett
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by Lindsey Graham
Succeeded by Jeff Duncan
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 1st District
In office
January 13, 1997 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by Bradley Dewitt Cain
Succeeded by William Ramsey Whitmire
Personal details
Born James Gresham Barrett
(1961-02-14) February 14, 1961
Westminster, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Natalie Barrett
Children 3
Residence Westminster, South Carolina
Alma mater The Citadel, B.S. 1983
Occupation furniture store owner
Religion Baptist
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch United States Army, Field artillery
Years of service 1983–1987
Rank Captain
Unit U.S. 1st Cavalry Division
[1]

James Gresham Barrett (born February 14, 1961) is an American politician who was the United States Representative for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district from 2003 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district runs along the Savannah River in the northwestern part of the state.[2]

Early life, education, and business career

Barrett was born in Westminster in Oconee County.[3] Barrett attended The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina and graduated in 1983.[3] He served in the United States Army from 1983 to 1987,[3] attaining the rank of captain in the field artillery.[2][4] Barrett managed the family's furniture store.[2]

South Carolina legislature

He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and served from 1996 to 2002,[3] and was assigned to the Education and Public Works Committee, Labor Commerce and Industry Committee, Rules Committee, and the School Choice Ad Hoc Committee. He was also the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Urban Growth. During the 2000 Presidential Election Barrett was a member of the George W. Bush for President South Carolina State Steering Committee.[5]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Barrett won a congressional seat in 2002 to replace Lindsey Graham, who retired to run for the U.S. Senate, and took office in January 2003. He ran unopposed for reelection in 2004.[6] In 2006, Barrett won reelection by defeating Democratic challenger Lee Ballenger with 63 percent of the vote. Barrett outspent his opponent $857,922 to $27,891.[1][7] In 2008, he defeated Democrat Jane Ballard Dyer,[2] carrying 65 percent of the vote.[8]

Tenure

Barrett missed 571 votes as of March 31, 2010, more than any other member of the 111th House and totalling 43% of the votes since the beginning of this term.[9][10]

According to the National Journal Barrett is among the most conservative members of the U.S. House of Representatives.[11] He was endorsed by the National Rifle Association,[12] National Right to Life Committee,[13] and the National Federation of Independent Business.[14]

In July 2006, Barrett was one of 33 members of the House of Representatives to vote against renewal of the Voting Rights Act.[15] In 2007, he voted against the Democratic version of SCHIP. Barrett supports offshore drilling to make the United States energy independent.[2] On April 15, 2008 Barrett became the 71st Co-Sponsor of the FairTax (H.R. 25). Following a 2009 Congressional pay raise that many felt unmerited, Congressman Barrett protested by giving his pay raise to Anderson Interfaith Ministries.[16]

Barrett is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act[17] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[18] In 2008, he opposed H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act (a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act while the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling").

In 2003, Barrett introduced the Stop Terrorist Entry Program Act (STEP). Barrett has announced he plans to update and reintroduce the act in 2010. The STEP Act updates and amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar the admission of individuals from countries listed by the Department of State as State Sponsors of Terrorism. The STEP Act, as introduced in 2003, would not only bar citizens from the list from ever entering the United States, but would also deport non-immigrant visa holders legally residing in the United States that are citizens of countries on the list.[19] Though Barrett said that the updated STEP Act was in response to the 2009 Fort Hood shooting and the failed bombing attempt on Northwest Airlines Flight 253, Keith Olbermann said neither of the alleged perpetrators would have fallen under its restrictions.[20] Alleged Flight 253 bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is a citizen of Nigeria,[21] which is not listed as a state sponsor of terrorism, and Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan was born in Arlington, Virginia.[22]

Committee assignments

2010 gubernatorial election

In March 2009, Barrett announced his candidacy for Governor of South Carolina in the 2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election. Candidates for the Republican nomination included; State Attorney General Henry McMaster, State Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, Congressman Barrett, and State Representative Nikki Haley.[2] Nikki Haley led the first nomination ballot with 49% of the vote falling just short of the 50% threshold needed to win the nomination outright on June 8, 2010. Haley won the run-off election on June 22, 2010 with 65% to Barrett's 35%.[24]

Personal life

Barrett is married to Natalie Barrett and has three children.[5] He has served as a member of several boards, including as President of the Westminster Rotary Club, Chairman of the Oconee District Boy Scouts, President of the Westminster Chamber of Commerce, board member of the Oconee County Red Cross, member of the Oconee Kids Do Count Board, and coach of the Barrett's Furniture PONY League Baseball team.[5]

Barrett was named one of The Hill's Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill for 2008, placing ninth and becoming the only congressperson or elected official in the top 10.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 Barone, Michael; Richard E. Cohen (2007). The Almanac of American Politics 2008 (paperback ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group and Atlantic Media Company. pp. 1468–1469. ISBN 978-0-89234-117-7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Davenport, Jim (2009-03-04). "Barrett to run for governor". The Post and Courier. Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "J. Gresham Barrett". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  4. ↑ "Veterans in the US House of Representatives 109th Congress" (PDF). Navy League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  5. 1 2 3 "J. Gresham Barrett". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  6. ↑ "2004 Election Report" (PDF). Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  7. ↑ "2006 Election Report" (PDF). South Carolina State Election Commission. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  8. ↑ "2008 General Election". South Carolina State Election Commission. 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  9. ↑ "Inside Congress". New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  10. ↑ "US Congress Votes Database: Members who missed most votes". Washington Post. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
  11. ↑ "2008 House Rankings". National Journal. 2008-02-28. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  12. ↑ "National Rifle Association | Political Victory Fund". Nrapvf.org. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  13. ↑ "National Right To Life Pac Endorses Gresham Barrett – Targeted News Service | HighBeam Research – FREE trial". Highbeam.com. 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  14. ↑ http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_38545.html
  15. ↑ "Rep. Gresham Barrett running for South Carolina Governor at Campaign Diaries". Campaigndiaries.com. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  16. ↑ "S.C. Politics Today". Thestatecom.typepad.com. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  17. ↑ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
  18. ↑ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777
  19. ↑ I"BARRETT TO UPDATE AND REINTRODUCE THE S.T.E.P. ACT". House.gov. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
  20. ↑ Olbermann, Keith (January 12, 2010). "'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Tuesday, January 12th, 2010". Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  21. ↑ Meyer, Josh; Nicholas, Peter (December 29, 2009). "Obama calls jet incident a 'serious reminder'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  22. ↑ McKinley, Jr., James C.; Dao, James (November 8, 2009). "Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2010.
  23. 1 2 3 Biography of Rep. J. Gresham Barrett
  24. ↑ Barone, Michael; Chuck McCutcheon (2011). The Almanac of American Politics 2012 (paperback ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group. p. 1439. ISBN 978-0-226-03808-7. LCCN 2011929193.
  25. ↑ "50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill 2008 – Top 10". The Hill (newspaper). 2008-07-29. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
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United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Lindsey Graham		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 3rd congressional district
2003–2011 		Succeeded by
Jeff Duncan
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