Joe Schwarz

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Joe schwarz.jpg

| state = Michigan

| district = {{ushr|MI|7|7th}}

| term_start = January 3, 2005

| term_end = January 3, 2007

| predecessor = Nick Smith

| successor = Tim Walberg

| office1 = Member of the Michigan Senate

| term_start1 = January 1, 1987

| term_end1 = December 31, 2002

| predecessor1 = Harry A. DeMaso

| successor1 = Patricia L. Birkholz

|constituency1 = 20th district (1987–1994)
24th district (1995–2002)

| office2 = Mayor of Battle Creek

| term_start2 = 1985

| term_end2 = 1987

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|11|15}}

| birth_place = Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.

| party = Independent (2010–present)

| otherparty = Republican (before 2010)

| alma_mater = University of Michigan

| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|physician}}

}}

John Joseph Henry Schwarz{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinamerica0000unse_n2f1/page/832/mode/2up|title=textsWho's Who in American Politics|work=R. R. Bowker Co.|year=1975}} (born November 15, 1937), is an American physician and independent politician from Michigan, who was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2004 as a moderate Republican. He represented Michigan's 7th congressional district from January 2005 to January 2007.

Early life and career

Dr. Schwarz was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, after his family moved there in 1935 so his father could work as a physician in the Veterans Administration Hospital. He has two older siblings, Frank and Janet. He attended Fremont Elementary School, W.K. Kellogg Junior High School, and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School. He played on the baseball, swimming and football teams at B.C. Central. In 1959, he received a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he played on the 1956 reserve football team as a center.{{cite web|title=UM Football Roster Search|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/rosters/search.php?data=football&year_option=equals&year=1956&sortby=lastname%252C+firstname%252C+year&find=FIND|website=bentley.umich.edu|access-date=October 6, 2015}}

Dr. Schwarz graduated from Wayne State University Medical School in 1964 and interned at Los Angeles County Hospital before enlisting in the Navy.{{cite web|title=University of Michigan|url=https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/john-schwarz}} For five years, Dr. Schwarz served in Southeast Asia, first with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam and as an assistant naval attaché in Indonesia.{{cite web|title=University of Michigan|url=https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/john-schwarz}} He was then a member of the Defense Intelligence Agency, before serving with the Central Intelligence Agency for three years in Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam.{{cite web|title=Battle Creek Enquirer|url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/2014/07/11/schwarz-tells-tales-of-his-cia-days/12522585/}}{{cite web|title=Kempf House Museum|url=https://www.kempfhousemuseum.org/events/indonesia-1966-67-when-the-good-guys-won/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312040418/https://www.kempfhousemuseum.org/events/indonesia-1966-67-when-the-good-guys-won/ |access-date=March 12, 2024|archive-date=March 12, 2024 }} During his time in Indonesia, Dr. Schwarz met Suharto on several occasions and, at then-U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Marshall Green’s direction, taught Suharto basic English phrases for about six weeks. Following Indonesia, Schwarz was stationed with the CIA in Laos during the Laotian Civil War{{cite web|title=Battle Creek Enquirer|url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/2014/07/11/schwarz-tells-tales-of-his-cia-days/12522585/}}{{cite web|title=Michigan Political History|url=https://www.mipoliticalhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Schwarz-Joe.pdf}} Schwarz left the CIA in 1970 to attend Harvard University, finishing his residency in otolaryngology in 1973.{{cite web|title=JMH Consulting |url=https://www.jmhconsult.com/peter-mcelroy-copy}}

He returned, with his new family, to Battle Creek in 1974, and has been a practicing physician in Battle Creek since that time. He currently sees patients at the Family Health Center in Battle Creek, a federally qualified health center. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His first wife, Anne, died in 1990, and he is divorced from his second wife. He has one daughter from his first marriage.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22669/ "Joe J.H. Schwarz (R)"], washingtonpost.com > Politics > Elections 2004

Political career

In 1984, Schwarz was elected Mayor of Battle Creek. In 1986, he was elected to the Michigan State Senate. In 2002, he ran for Governor of Michigan, but was defeated in the primary by a wide margin.

In 2006, Schwarz voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Joe_Schwarz.htm|title=Joe Schwarz on the Issues|website=www.ontheissues.org}} which would have banned every state from legally recognizing same-sex marriage. Schwarz is considered to be a moderate Republican who supports abortion rights and favors embryonic stem cell research.[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2006Aug09/0,4670,CongressSchwarz,00.html Rep. Joe Schwarz Beaten in Mich. Primary] FOX News August 9, 2006

Post-congressional life

On the state level, Schwarz was appointed to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's Emergency Financial Advisory Panel, led by former Michigan governors Milliken (R) and Blanchard (D). On the national level, Schwarz was appointed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to serve on the independent panel to investigate the conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital in suburban Washington, D.C. Schwarz was reappointed to the Altarum Institute Board of Trustees, a position he held prior to his congressional service, in February 2007. Altarum Institute is a nonprofit health policy research institute based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He also accepted a teaching position at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, which began in fall 2007.[http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS01/703090331/1002]{{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}

In 2010, Schwarz considered running for governor of Michigan as an independent in that year's election. However, on June 2, 2010, he announced he would not run due to fundraising issues.{{cite news|url=http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2010/06/05/news/srv0000008454215.txt|title=Independent Joe Schwarz drops bid for governor|publisher=The Morning Sun |agency = Associated Press|date=June 5, 2010 |access-date=March 5, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120302004614/https://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2010/06/05/news/srv0000008454215.tx|archive-date = March 2, 2012|url-status = dead}}

{{As of|2012}}, Schwarz is a member of the Michigan State Medical Society's board of directors.{{cite web|url=http://www.msms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Board_of_Directors&CONTENTID=16520&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm|title=2011-12 MSMS Board of Directors|publisher=Michigan State Medical Society|access-date=January 16, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207061705/http://www.msms.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Board_of_Directors&CONTENTID=16520&TEMPLATE=%2FCM%2FContentDisplay.cfm|archive-date=February 7, 2012}}

On June 16, 2014, Schwarz signed a brief in support of same-sex marriage.{{cite news|url=http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/25800003/some-republicans-backing-gay-marriage-in-michigan|title=Some Republicans backing gay marriage in Michigan|work=My Fox Detroit|date=June 17, 2014|access-date=June 17, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703231625/http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/25800003/some-republicans-backing-gay-marriage-in-michigan|archive-date=July 3, 2014}}

From 1991 to 2005 Schwarz served as a trustee for Olivet College. Schwarz also served as campaign chair for the college's previous capital campaign during 2007-2009 academic years for Olivet College.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uolivet.edu/lothamer-and-schwarz-named-to-olivet-board-of-trustees/|title=Board of Trustees » Olivet College}}

Electoral history

2006 Race for the U.S. House of Representatives, 7th District
Tim Walberg (R), 50%
Sharon Renier (D), 46%
David Horn (UST), 1%
Robert Hutchinson (L), 2%
Joe Schwarz, 1% (Write-in candidate)
2006 Race for the U.S. House of Representatives, 7th District – Republican Primary
Tim Walberg (R), 53%
Joe Schwarz (R) (inc.), 47%
2004 Race for the U.S. House of Representatives, 7th District
Joe Schwarz (R), 58%
Sharon Renier (D), 36%
2004 Race for the U.S. House of Representatives, 7th District – Republican Primary
Joe Schwarz (R), 28%
Brad Smith (R), 22%
Tim Walberg (R), 18%
Clark Bisbee (R), 14%
Gene DeRossett (R), 11%
Paul DeWeese (R), 7%
2002 Race for Governor – Republican Primary
Dick Posthumus (R), 81%
Joe Schwarz (R), 19%

References

External links

{{CongBio|S001161}}
{{C-SPAN|1013048}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060829042050/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s001161/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 7th congressional district|years=2005–2007}}

{{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States
{{small|as Former US Representative}}|years=}}

Category:1937 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American physicians

Category:American otolaryngologists

Category:Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy faculty

Category:Mayors of places in Michigan

Category:Michigan independents

Category:Michigan Wolverines football players

Category:Michigan state senators

Category:People from Battle Creek, Michigan