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. And it was, again, the independent voters that really determined the results., The loss of moderates like Upton will reduce the membership of the Problem Solvers Caucus from 58 to around 50 in the next Congress, he predicted. He was in Ann Arbor, alongside Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps (who trained at Michigan) for the coin flip against Penn State and got to remain on the field for the entire game. Upton angered many in his party when he joined nine other House Republicans in voting to impeach President Donald Trump a week after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. "UPTON QUITS! [23][24], Initial polls showed Upton with a sizable lead over O'Brien, but an October poll showed Upton and O'Brien in a dead heat heading into the final stretch of the campaign.[25][26]. If he has taken more nuanced stances than some, he argues it belies the politics of his district generally conservative, but also independent. [citation needed], Upton was one of three Republicans to vote for H.R. He also served in the Subcommittee on Energy as a ranking member, the Subcommittee on Health, and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. [5] He earned a B.A. I look at our district [hugging southern Lake Michigan]. He is the only person in American history to vote to impeach two presidents; he voted for the impeachment of Bill Clinton in 1998 and the second impeachment of Donald Trump in 2021, as one of ten Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. [29] On February 4, 2021, he joined 10 other Republican House members voting with all voting Democrats to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene of her House Education and Labor Committee and House Budget Committee assignments in response to controversial political statements she had made. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A statement on Uptons web site about his career says he remains focused on the issues that matter to folks in Southwest Michigan: Health care, jobs and economic growth, taking care of our military personnel and veterans, education, protecting our Great Lakes, delivering real results for families and businesses here at home, and much more., Homeowner watched via trail cam as man broke into hunting camp in Northern Michigan, stole several items, Alabama Jumpers: these snake-like worms are spreading across US, Powerball results for 04/04/22; jackpot worth $233 million. Upton won the Republican primary 55%45%[8] and the general election with 62% of the vote. During Uptons tenure, though, moderates went from being a dominant force to a dying breed. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Excellence in Education Award Nominations, ELECTION RESULTS: See races across West Michigan. 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. Others losing badly, whos next?. But there was no question that he would have faced a tough, expensive primary race against a Trump-backed Huizenga. [78], In June 2021, Upton was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the AUMF against Iraq. Isnt the country more important than this? The act establishes funds for biomedical research and to develop and implement a strategic plan for biomedical research. Others losing badly, whos next? Trump wrote. [19] In the general election, he defeated Cooney, 62%34%. One important effect of this legislation was to pave the way for faster vaccine approval, including the first Pfizer vaccine produced in Kalamazoo, Upton said. But in retelling stories about important bills, Uptons fondest memories are about the people who helped get them passed. I thought it was important to follow the facts and follow the testimony, and its pretty evident to me, so far, that in fact [Trump] really did try to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, he said. And when he appeared to swing to the right after the Tea Party takeover of the U.S. House in 2011 and led efforts as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to curb greenhouse gas regulations, the American Lung Association went after him and the L.A. Times called him Earths biggest enemy, even though Upton has always maintained he has tried to balance environmental concerns with the economy. [2], Upton was born in St. Joseph, Michigan, the son of Elizabeth B. He cited the 21st Century Cures Act as his biggest accomplishment, which he said survived a Senate filibuster and paved the way for the FDA to approve vaccines for Covid. For a time, it appeared that running in the redrawn district was Uptons plan. "[39] Glenn Beck called Upton "all socialist" for supporting the bill. 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. Fred Upton is retiring after serving Michigan in Congress for 36 years. [87] The bill would also fund Planned Parenthood. In an April 5 speech on the House floor, Upton announced his intent to retire, having served for 18 consecutive terms in the House of Representatives. 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. [31] The essence of his bill was to allow insurance companies to maintain their individual insurance market policies according to state insurance rules that were in effect as of 2013. [15], Upton defeated Democratic nominee Scott Elliott, an art gallery owner, 65%32%. 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. by Kelsey Carolan - 04/05/22 10:33 AM ET Greg Nash Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), a longtime member of Congress who has served in the lower chamber since 1987, announced his retirement Tuesday in. And when Trump in 2019 lashed out at the Dingells both John, who had died earlier that year, and his wife and successor, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor Upton called directly on the president to apologize. Rookie of the Year to cover girl", "Fred Upton- Net Worth - Personal Finances", https://www.pewforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/01/Detailed-tables-NUMBER-CHECK-COMPLETE-1-3.pdf, "Office of the House Clerk Electoral Statistics", "2016 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/08/2016", "GOP Rep. Fred Upton has fended off Democrat Jon Hoadley to win Michigan's 6th Congressional District", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Chairmen of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fred_Upton&oldid=1147594983, Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from August 2011, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from May 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 April 2023, at 00:00. Upton defeated Shugars 66%32%. He and his wife have two children. "These 6 House Democrats voted against the infrastructure bill. [14] He won the general election with 69% of the vote. [59] In 2019, he voted against the Equality Act, which would extend existing civil rights legislation to protect LGBT individuals from discrimination. [40], In April 2009, Upton said that "climate change is a serious problem that necessitates serious solutions. [71], On January 12, 2021, Upton announced he would vote to impeach Trump in the pending vote on a second impeachment, claiming Trump incited the January 6 United States Capitol attack, becoming the fourth House Republican to say they would vote to impeach. The same goes for the Democrats he faced. 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. It wasnt even close. Rep. Upton (R-St. Joseph) made an emotional announcement on the House floor Tuesday morning, reflecting on his career and his past and current colleagues along with the Michiganders he represents. Part of his political base in southwestern Michigan was parceled into another district. He also spent $3.2 million to Alfonsos $35,000 in campaign spending, a margin of more than 90-1. Upton attended the University of Michigan, obtaining a bachelors degree in journalism in 1975. [33], In 2013, Upton introduced a bill that would grant the Food and Drug Administration more power to regulate drug compounding in the wake of the New England Compounding Center meningitis outbreak. 8373: To protect a person's ability to access contraceptives -- House Vote #385 -- Jul 21, 2022", "Democrats' contraception bill would force taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood", "House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled", "H.R. He was a member of the House Problem Solvers caucus. In all but two presidential elections since he has been in office 2012 and 2020 it has backed the national winner. Upton is the fourth of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to announce their retirement. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. [89][90], Upton's grandfather and eponym, Frederick Upton, was co-founder with his brother Louis Upton of appliance manufacturer and marketer Whirlpool Corporation, headquartered in Benton Harbor. WASHINGTON - Michigan Congressman Fred Upton, a Republican who has been serving the 6th district in West Michigan since 1987, says he's retiring from Congress. Washington After 36 years in Congress, Republican U.S. Rep. Fred Upton has emptied his three offices, turned in the keys and shipped 102 boxes of his papers to . Fred really believed that he was an American first - that reaching across the aisle was important, that working together was how to get things done for the American people. [61] This bill expanded legal protections for transgender people, and contained provisions allowing transgender women to use women's shelters and serve time in prisons matching their gender identity. Hed be a friend even if we didnt serve in Congress together. LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Fred Upton, Michigans most senior lawmaker in Congress, has announced he will retire from the House at the end of his term. But Carra later dropped out, and Trump switched his endorsement to GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga, as redistricting put Upton on a collision course with Huizenga for the newly drawn district. After the attack on the Capitol building on January 6th, 2021, Upton was one of only a handful of Republican lawmakers, including freshman Michigan Representative Peter Meijer, to impeach former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the days deadly events. All rights reserved. In 2020, for the 18th time, Upton won reelection to his seat representing Michigans 6th Congressional District. 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. "It is a little bit in that some of the folks here are so beholden to him that they dont accept those of us that are willing to stand up," Upton said. who on Jan. 3 will officially leave Congress, bill to rebuild roads, bridges and other infrastructure, In Michigan and across US, it was a bad night for Trump, Rep. Fred Upton announces retirement from Congress, has been in US House since 1987, secure aid for Flint in the wake of lead contamination, His picks lost badly and Republicans gave up control, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. [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. Rules of the game have changed after banking Trump picks up two more endorsements from Senate Republicans, Here are the House, Senate members who have endorsed Trump for 2024, I consider Clarence Thomas a friend, and Im shocked by recent reports. The other three who have . [27], Upton was reelected with 55.9% of the vote against Democratic nominee Jon Hoadley (40.2%), Libertarian Party nominee Jeff Depoy (2.75%), and Green Party candidate John Lawrence (1.2%). This is it for me, he said about 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 5. When I first ran, I thought Id be here 10.. "[42] He led a failed effort to stop the Obama administration from enforcing the new energy standards. [12], After redistricting, Upton decided to run in the newly redrawn Michigan's 6th congressional district, winning reelection to a fourth term with 62% of the vote. [59], In 2013, Upton condemned controversial anti-gay remarks by Republican National Committeeman David Agema. Asked if it was discouraging to be one of only 29 House Republicans in the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of members equally divided between parties committed to finding common ground on many of the key issues facing the nation, Upton answered in his usual upbeat manner. During his 35-year tenure on Capitol Hill, Upton voted to impeach two presidents: Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, during Trumps second impeachment. He thanked his staff and his supporters. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Known for reaching across the aisle, the former Energy and Commerce chairman and longtime moderate leaves a legacy of crafting bipartisan legislation during his 18 terms, including bills that expanded health research, streamlined approval of drugs and medical products and tackled tough environmental problems. I worked daily on all things Michigan, Upton said. Upton announced his retirement in a speech on the House floor Tuesday morning. [57], In March 2021, Upton was one of eight Republicans to join the House majority in passing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021. Elected to the House in 1986, Upton became dean of the Michigan congressional delegation, and served as the chairman of the influential Energy and Commerce Committee and as a leader of a caucus of centrist Republicans known as the Tuesday Group. 8297: Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022. My decision was really based on redistricting, he said. This bill was designed to protect access to contraceptives and health care providers' ability to provide contraceptives and information related to contraception. Upton was one of ten Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump over the Capitol riots in January of 2021. "UPTON QUITS! Prior to being elected to Congress in 1986, Upton worked for President Ronald Reagan in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). His parents were watching the announcement Tuesday on C-SPAN, Upton said. He cited several career highlights, including bipartisan passage of the 21st Century Cures Act to speed up cures and treatments for many devastating diseases. "[42] In late 2010, he co-authored a Wall Street Journal opinion piece saying he was "not convinced" that "carbon is a problem in need of regulation" and urging Congress to overturn Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Huizenga a few weeks ago and had vowed to try to unseat Upton after he, along with nine other Republicans, voted to impeach Trump for instigating the Jan.. Upton joins 16 other Republican members of the House who will not contest their seat this fall. These folks are truly the salt of the earth, and I love them all. 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. Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Freds statesman-like legacy will be remembered both in Michigan and our nations capital, Huizenga wrote. My district was cut like Zorro three different ways, the Michigan Republican told reporters. [81], Upton voted for the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 which authorizes DHS to nearly double the available H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2020. He was in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1985, while Stockman served as OMB Director. Long-time Republican Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan announced his retirement on Tuesday, and former President Donald Trump found immediate reason to celebrate. "[50], As of 2017, Upton has received more than $2 million in campaign donations from oil and gas companies and electric utilities over the course of his political career. [83][84], Upton voted for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 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. Ten Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump found immediate reason to.... On the House floor Tuesday morning reason to celebrate the Consolidated Appropriations Act ( H.R the announcement Tuesday on,... 14 ] he won the general election with 62 % of the links on our site, we may compensation! 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