Connie Mack IV

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Connie Mack IV
Connie Mack, official portrait, 112th Congress 2.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 14th district
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Porter Goss
Succeeded by Kathy Castor
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 91st district
In office
January 3, 2001 – October 9, 2003
Preceded by Debby Sanderson
Succeeded by Ellyn Bogdanoff
Personal details
Born Cornelius Harvey McGillicuddy IV
(1967-08-12) August 12, 1967 (age 56)
Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Ann Galuzzo (1992–2006)
Mary Bono (2007–2013)
Children Addison
Connie
Alma mater Santa Fe College
University of Florida

Cornelius Harvey McGillicuddy IV[1] (born August 12, 1967), popularly known as Connie Mack, is the former U.S. Representative for Florida's 14th congressional district, serving from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Senate in 2012, but lost to Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.[2] He subsequently became a partner at five lobbying firms[3] and currently represents Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.[4] Mack, born in Fort Myers, Florida, is the son of former Republican U.S. Senator Connie Mack III.

Early life, education, and family

Mack was born in Fort Myers, Florida, the son of cancer prevention advocate Ludie Priscilla (née Hobbs) and former U.S. Senator Connie Mack III.[5][6] His father represented the district from 1983 to 1989 (when it was numbered as the 13th District), before serving two terms in the U.S. Senate.

Through his father, Mack is the great-grandson of Connie Mack, the manager and owner of baseball's Philadelphia Athletics and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame; the great-grandson of Morris Sheppard, U.S. Senator and Representative from Texas; and the great-great-grandson of John Levi Sheppard, a U.S. Representative from Texas.[7]

In June 1988, Mack earned his Associate of Arts from Santa Fe Community College[8] and In 1993, Mack earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida. After college, Mack became a marketing executive, working as a consultant to promote the restaurant chain Hooters.[9]

Florida House of Representatives

In 2000, incumbent Republican State Representative Debby Sanderson decided to retire to run for a seat in the Florida Senate. Mack decided to run for the open seat in the Fort Lauderdale based-91st House District. He defeated Democratic nominee Kevin Rader 56%–44%.[10] In 2002, he won re-election with 79% of the vote.[11]

Mack was Chairman of the Committee on State Administration, and in his second term he became the Deputy Majority Leader.[12]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 2003, incumbent Republican Congressman Porter Goss, who had succeeded Connie III in Congress, announced his intention to retire in order to serve as Director of the CIA. That October, Mack resigned from his seat in the State Legislature and moved back to his hometown of Fort Myers to run for the open seat.[13] Had he not resigned his state house seat, he would have been unable to vote for himself in the primary or general election in the 14th District, as the Florida Constitution requires state legislators to be residents of the district they represent. Mack stated "The people of the 14th District deserve to be represented in Washington by someone who shares our mainstream conservative Republican values in the mold of my father and Congressman Porter Goss".[14] He narrowly won a four-way Republican primary—the real contest in this heavily Republican district—with a plurality of 36% of the vote, defeating more experienced challengers State Representative Carole Green and Lee County Commissioner Andy Coy.[15] He won the general election with 68% of the vote.[16]

Mack consistently won re-election with high margins, with his closest bid in 2008, when he won 59% in a three-way election.[17][18][19]

Tenure

Mack is a vocal supporter of cutting federal spending and lower taxes. He is a signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Additionally, he is a co-sponsor of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget and was one of the most outspoken opponents of federal bailouts. Mack was also been a prominent advocate for greater congressional oversight of government surveillance. He voted against George W. Bush's domestic eavesdropping program in 2006 and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Reform in 2007.[20]

Mack was an outspoken critic of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez,[21] as well as one of the most vocal opponents of the pan-Latin American TV network teleSUR.[22] He is also a member of the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mack helped secure over $81 million to expand Interstate 75 in Southwest Florida, a project of significant concern to the region.

Unlike many members of Congress, Mack has been a vigorous and outspoken defender of the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.[23] Mack said that although WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange "are no heroes", he believes there needs to be more transparency in government, and that he opposes any "attempt to suppress information from the general public".[24]

Committee assignments

2012 U.S. Senate election

Mack speaking to a conservative group in February 2012.

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Main article: United States Senate election in Florida, 2012

Early in the election cycle, Mack was considered a potential candidate against incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in the 2012 Senate election. However, he declined to run on March 25, 2011, citing family and his work in the House of Representatives.[25] On October 26, 2011, it was announced Mack had changed his mind and that he would seek the Republican nomination because he felt no one in the current field was able to defeat Nelson.[26] His opponent in the Primary was former Representative Dave Weldon, whom Mack defeated, winning 58% of the vote. Mack was then defeated by Nelson by over one million votes.

Electoral history

U.S. House, 14th District of Florida (General Election)[27]
Year Winning candidate Party Pct Opponent Party Pct Opponent Party Pct
2004 Connie Mack IV Republican 68% Robert M. Neeld Democratic 32%
2006 Connie Mack IV (inc.) Republican 64% Robert M. Neeld Democratic 36%
2008 Connie Mack IV (inc.) Republican 59% Robert M. Neeld Democratic 25% Burt Saunders Independent 15%
2010 Connie Mack IV (inc.) Republican 69% James L. Roach Democratic 27% William M. St. Claire Independent 4%

Personal life

Mack has been married twice. His wives have been:

  • Ann Galluzzo, whom he married in 1996 and divorced in 2006.[1][28] They have two children:
    • Addison McGillicudy (born 3 March 2000)
    • Cornelius McGillicudy V (born 14 October 2002)
  • Former US Representative Mary Bono (R-CA), former wife of Glenn Baxley and widow of Sonny Bono.[29] They married in 2007 in Asheville, North Carolina.[30] By this marriage, he has two stepchildren, Chesare and Chianna Bono. Mary Bono and Connie Mack IV announced their divorce in a joint press release in May 2013.[31]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Biography – About Connie Mack – Congressman Connie Mack
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ [1] Archived March 7, 2004 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Our Campaigns – FL – District 14 Race – Nov 02, 2010
  20. ↑ Connie Mack IV on the Issues
  21. ↑ RedState <http://www.crosstabs.org/stories/foreign_affairs/rep_mack_free_trade_is_key_to_combating_chavez>
  22. ↑ Congressman works to counter socialist air time, on Connie Mack's HOR website <http://mack.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Articles.View&ContentRecord_id=108>
  23. ↑ Levy-Baker, Cooper Rep. Mack once again stands up for WikiLeaks, Florida Independent
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 14th congressional district
2005–2013		 Succeeded by
Kathy Castor
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Florida
(Class 1)
2012		 Most recent
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