Gary McDowell
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name= Gary McDowell
| image name= Gary McDowell September 2011 (cropped).png
| state_house= Michigan
| state= Michigan
| district= 107th
| term_start= January 1, 2005
| term_end= December 31, 2010
| preceded= Scott Shackleton
| succeeded= Frank Foster
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1952|4|21}}http://www.washingtontimes.com/campaign-2012/candidates/gary-j-mcdowell-24649/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
|birth_place=Rudyard, Michigan
|death_date=
|death_place=
|spouse= Carrie McDowell
|profession=
|party=Democrat
|website=[http://107.housedems.com/ Michigan State Representative Gary McDowell]
}}
Gary J. McDowell (born April 21, 1952) is a U.S. politician from the state of Michigan. He was elected to three, two-year terms in the Michigan House of Representatives and served from January 1, 2005, until January 1, 2011. In 2010 and 2012, he was the Democratic nominee for {{ushr|MI|1}} against Republican Dan Benishek. Prior to serving in the Michigan House of Representatives, McDowell was a member of the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners for 22 years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.themorningsun.com/article/20120930/OPINION03/120939998/a-closer-look-at-interesting-congressional-race|title = A closer look at interesting congressional race|date = 29 September 2012}} He also served on the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors from 1987 until 2004.
Early life, education, and early career
McDowell was born and raised on a farm in Rudyard, Michigan. He is the oldest of ten children. His father was a John Deere salesman and a hay broker. His mother was a homemaker. He graduated from Rudyard High School in 1970 and attended Lake Superior State University.{{Cite web| title =Biography| work =Michigan House Democrats| url =http://107.housedems.com/biography/| accessdate =2010-10-15| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://archive.today/20080627112841/http://107.housedems.com/biography/| archivedate =2008-06-27}}
In addition to being a farmer, he was also a United Parcel Service delivery driver for 23 years. He was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician for 18 years.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mcdowellforcongress.com/home/bio/ |title=Meet Gary | Gary McDowell |access-date=2012-04-27 |archive-date=2012-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501061343/http://www.mcdowellforcongress.com/home/bio |url-status=dead }}
Michigan House of Representatives
=Elections=
In 2002, he ran for Michigan's 107th House District, challenging incumbent Republican Scott Shackleton. He lost 69 percent to 31 percent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=82648|title = Our Campaigns - MI State House 107 Race - Nov 05, 2002}} In 2004, Shackleton was term-limited from the Legislature and McDowell decided to run again. He defeated Walter North, a former member of the state Senate,http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%28eckmu545hqsaav2nx0yfwn55%29%29/documents/publications/manual/2001-2002/2001-mm-0165-0165-north.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} 54 percent to 46 percent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=212522|title=Our Campaigns - MI State House 107 Race - Nov 02, 2004}}
In 2006, he won re-election to a second term by defeating Republican Jay Duggan 59 percent to 41 percent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=310872|title=Our Campaigns - MI State House 107 Race - Nov 07, 2006}} In 2008, he won re-election to a third and final term defeating Republican Alex Strobehn 65 percent to 35 percent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=497619|title=Our Campaigns - MI State House 107 Race - Nov 04, 2008}}
=Tenure=
McDowell introduced 98 bills in six years in the Legislature.{{Cite web|url=http://michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?Keywords=&Results=10&StartDate=1%2F1%2F2001&EndDate=12%2F31%2F2010&EntityID=5359&op=Remove+Filter|title = Search Voting Record}} He has missed a total of 96 votes.{{Cite web|url=http://michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?EntityID=5359&Missed=True&StartMonth=1&StartYear=2005&EndMonth=12&EndYear=2010|title=Search Voting Record}}
=Committee assignments=
;2009
- House Committee on Appropriations
- Community Health subcommittee (Chairman)
- Agriculture subcommittee (Vice Chairman)
- Higher Education subcommittee{{Cite web|url=http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Gary_McDowell|title = Gary McDowell}}
Congressional elections
=2010=
{{See also|United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2010#District 1}}
McDowell faced Benishek, independent Glenn Wilson, Libertarian nominee Keith Shelton, Green nominee Ellis Boal, and UST nominee Patrick Lambert in the general election. Democratic incumbent Bart Stupak had announced his retirement, leaving this an open seat.
=2012=
{{See also|United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2012#District 1}}
On September 15, 2011, McDowell announced his intent to run against Benishek in the 2012 election.McLaren, Noel. [http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=663745#.TtHiVrJCqWo Gary McDowell announces a run for Congress.] Upper Michigan's Source. 15 September 2011. He has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO{{Cite web |url=http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Michigan_AFL-CIO_Backs_Four_Incumbent_US_House_Dems_146030745.html |title=Michigan AFL-CIO Backs Four Incumbent US House Dems |access-date=2012-04-27 |archive-date=2012-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012200410/http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Michigan_AFL-CIO_Backs_Four_Incumbent_US_House_Dems_146030745.html |url-status=dead }} and the Blue Dog Coalition.{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/112729-blue-dog-pac-endorses-three-candidates-in-old-blue-dog-seats/ | title=Blue Dog PAC endorses three candidates in old Blue Dog seats | date=27 April 2012 }} McDowell lost his bid to defeat Benishek for a second straight election, losing to the freshman incumbent by less than 2,000 votes of over 347,000 that were cast.{{cite web |url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/12GEN/06001000.html |title=2012 Official Michigan General Election Results 1st District Representative in Congress 2 Year Term (1) Position |date=January 4, 2013 |accessdate=August 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412112146/http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/12GEN/06001000.html |archivedate=April 12, 2013 }} McDowell considered challenging Benishek for a third time in the 2014 elections, but ultimately declined.
Personal life
McDowell lives in Rudyard with his wife Carrie.{{cn|date=October 2024}} They have three daughters, Alivia, Emily and Rochelle, two grandsons, Garrett and Bruin, and one granddaughter, Shiloh.{{cn|date=October 2024}} He is a member of the Rudyard First Presbyterian Church.{{cn|date=October 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://107.housedems.com/ State Representative Gary McDowell] at Michigan House Democrats
- [http://www.mcdowellforcongress.com/ Gary McDowell for Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425020502/http://mcdowellforcongress.com/ |date=2012-04-25 }} official campaign site
- {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=37387 | fec=H0MI01153 | congress= }}
- [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=MI01 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDowell, Gary}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Category:Lake Superior State University alumni
Category:People from Chippewa County, Michigan