Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter Set to Launch Presidential Campaign Saturday

[Ralph Wiggum]

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter will announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president Saturday at a local Independence Day celebration, multiple sources close to the Michigan Republican confirm to ABC News.

McCotter, a five-term representative from Livonia, will be the keynote speaker at the first annual WAAM Freedom Fest in Whitmore Lake, Mich., where at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET he is expected to throw his hat in the ring.

Sources confirm that the congressman will travel to campaign in New Hampshire the following weekend, and he has also scheduled an upcoming trip to Iowa.

McCotter created a stir last week when one of his representatives anonymously reserved a prime plot at the Ames Straw Poll real estate auction, paying $18,000 to stake out the same position in the Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State University that the last winner, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, had claimed in the 2007 straw poll.

LINK

I know absolutely nothing about this guy.

[franksolich]

Thaddeus George "Thad" McCotter (born August 22, 1965) is the U.S. Representative to Michigan's 11th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.

McCotter was born in Livonia, Michigan and graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School, Redford in 1983. His mother, Joan McCotter, was the City Clerk of Livonia, Michigan. He received a B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1987 and a J.D. from the same school in 1990.

McCotter had a private law practice before being elected to the Wayne County Commission in 1992. While on the Commission, he helped change the county charter to require that new taxes win the approval of two-thirds of the Commission and 60% of voters in order to be passed.

McCotter is a member of both the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership and the conservative Republican Study Committee.

In May 2007, House Minority Leader John Boehner labeled a bill by House Democrats aimed at stopping energy price gouging "as pointless political pandering." McCotter and 55 other Republicans voted for the bill.

McCotter has been an avid supporter of the United States' involvement in the Iraq War. His continued support for the war has led to some community protest. Several groups have joined together under the banner of "Americans Against Escalation in Iraq" to pressure him into voting to end the war. On July 5, 2007, forty of the 662,563 members of his district staged a press conference and a demonstration in front of the congressman's office. Organizers also promised to hold a three-day vigil called "Take a Stand Day" on August 28 in order to convince McCotter that his constituents wanted him to end the war and bring the troops home safely. In late fall 2007, opponents of McCotter hold weekly vigils outside of his Milford office in Oakland County to protest his consistent support of President George W. Bush's policies in Iraq.

On September 22, 2008, McCotter became the first Republican in the House of Representatives to oppose the Paulson bailout plan, calling it "American socialism." A week later, he and 132 other Republicans voted against the $700 billion bailout bill.

A July 24, 2009, press release from McCotter's House website states that McCotter will introduce a House Resolution on July 27, 2009, calling on President Obama to apologize to police Sergeant James Crowley for his remarks about the latter's arresting Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for disorderly conduct on July 16, 2009, if President Obama doesn't first issue an apology on his own.

On November 7, 2009, McCotter voted against the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, along with all but one of the other Republican Congressmen. The bill passed 220–215.

[Rebel]

Who?

Exactly.

Exactly what?

You got it. 


Won't make it to the primaries. There hasn't been a representative elected as President in over 100 years and the only reason Bachmann has a chance is her staunch support from the Tea Party.

[BlueStateSaint]

Won't make it to the primaries. There hasn't been a representative elected as President in over 100 years and the only reason Bachmann has a chance is her staunch support from the Tea Party.

Target.  Re-engage.

[Chris_]

That didn't last long.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/conservative-rep-thaddeus-mccotter-withdraws-from-presidential-race-will-focus-on-re-election