Paul Mitchell (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Paul Mitchell

| image = Paul Mitchell official congressional photo.jpg

| state = Michigan

| district = {{ushr|MI|10|10th}}

| term_start = January 3, 2017

| term_end = January 3, 2021

| predecessor = Candice Miller

| successor = Lisa McClain

| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|11|14}}

| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|8|15|1956|11|14}}

| party = Republican (until 2020)
Independent (2020–2021)

| spouse = {{marriage|Sherry Mitchell|2008}}

| children = 6

| education = Michigan State University (BA)

}}

Paul Mitchell III (November 14, 1956 – August 15, 2021) was an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for {{ushr|MI|10}} from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party for most of his Congressional tenure, he left the party in December 2020, three weeks prior to his departure from Congress, and became an independent.{{Cite web|title=READ: Rep. Paul Mitchell's letter quitting the GOP, fearing 'long-term harm to our democracy' with its support for Trump's actions|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/politics/read-paul-mitchell-republican-party-letter/index.html|access-date=December 14, 2020|website=CNN|date=December 14, 2020 }} In July 2019, Mitchell announced that he would not run for re-election in 2020 to spend more time with his family.

Early life, family and education

Mitchell was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The oldest of six children, he was raised in Waterford Township, Michigan.

Mitchell graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in 1978.{{cite web|title=Michigan State University 1978 Spring Term Commencement |url=http://spartanhistory.kora.matrix.msu.edu/files/1/4/1-4-13E6-54-S201_1978.pdf|access-date=January 29, 2017}}

Career before politics

Paul Mitchell previously owned and operated Ross Medical Education Center.{{cite web |url= http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/07/13/millionaire-mitchell-joins-race-rep-millers-seat/30061617/ |title=Millionaire Mitchell joins race for Rep. Miller's seat|work=Detroit News|first1=Melissa|last1=Nann Burke |first2= Chad |last2= Livengood|date=July 13, 2015|access-date=November 6, 2016}} He ran for the 32nd district seat in the Michigan State Senate in 2013 to succeed Roger Kahn,{{cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/02/saginaw_county_businessman_to.html|title=Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell to run for Sen. Roger Kahn's seat |work=MLive.com |date=February 13, 2013 |access-date=November 6, 2016}} but withdrew from the race.{{cite web |url= http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/05/saginaw_county_businessman_pau.html|title=Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell drops out of 32nd State Senate District race |work=MLive.com|date=May 15, 2013 |access-date=November 6, 2016}} He became the chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition of Michigan, a conservative nonprofit foundation.{{cite web |url= http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/09/former_state_senate_candidate_1.html|title=After millions spent in unsuccessful bid for Congress, Paul Mitchell named chairman of conservative nonprofit|first=Mark|last=Tower|work=MLive.com|date=September 18, 2014|access-date=November 6, 2016}} Mitchell led a campaign opposed to Proposal 1, a ballot proposition proposing a tax plan for roads, on the May 2015 ballot.{{cite web |url= http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/05/angry-voters-reject-proposal-michigan-roads-await-viable-fix/26950451/|title=Michigan voters soundly reject Proposal 1 road tax plan |first1=Paul|last1=Egan |first2=Kathleen |last2=Gray|work=Detroit Free Press|date=May 6, 2015|access-date=November 6, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/07/paul_mitchell_businessman_who.html|title=Paul Mitchell, businessman who fought Michigan roads Proposal 1, making second run for Congress |first=Jonathan |last=Oosting |work=MLive.com|date=July 13, 2015|access-date= November 6, 2016}}

U.S. House of Representatives

Mitchell ran for the United States House of Representatives in {{ushr|MI|4}} in 2014, losing the Republican Party primary election to John Moolenaar.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/08/4th_district_in_congress_race.html|title=Sen. John Moolenaar defeats Paul Mitchell in 4th District congressional Republican primary race|work=MLive.com|date=August 6, 2014 |access-date=November 6, 2016}} He moved to {{ushr|MI|10}} in 2015 to run for the House of Representatives in that district, following Candice Miller's decision not to run for reelection.{{cite web |url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/07/13/paul-mitchell-candice-miller-us-congress/30080365/|title=Businessman Mitchell enters race to replace Miller|work=Detroit Free Press|date=July 13, 2015|access-date=November 6, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/02/paul_mitchell_to_seek_candice.html|title=Paul Mitchell to seek Candice Miller's seat in Congress|first=Mark |last=Tower |work=MLive.com|date=February 9, 2016|access-date=November 6, 2016}} He won the primary, defeating Phil Pavlov and Alan Sanborn.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/wins_10th_congressional_distri.html|title=Paul Mitchell wins 10th Congressional Republican primary, and other U.S. House results| first=Lauren |last=Gibbons | work=MLive.com |date=August 3, 2016 |access-date=November 6, 2016}} Mitchell won the general election, defeating Frank Accavitti.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/republican-paul-mitchell-elected-in-michigans-10th-district|title=Republican Paul Mitchell Elected in Michigan's 10th District|last1=Lesniewski|first1=Niels|date=November 9, 2016|work=Roll Call|access-date=May 15, 2018|last2=Lesniewski|first2=Niels|language=en}}

Mitchell assumed office on January 3, 2017. He was a member of the Republican Study Committee.{{cite web|title=Member List|url=https://rsc-walker.house.gov/|publisher=Republican Study Committee|access-date=January 2, 2018|archive-date=January 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101195017/https://rsc-walker.house.gov/|url-status=dead}} He voted in favor of the unsuccessful American Health Care Act of 2017, which would have repealed the Affordable Care Act and replaced it with another program."[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2017/roll256.xml Final Vote Results for Roll Call 256]". Clerk of the House of Representatives. 2017.

In July 2019, Mitchell announced he would not seek a third term in Congress, citing the "rhetoric and vitriol" of the federal government, a desire to spend more time with his family, and health issues.{{cite web |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/07/24/paul-mitchell-reelection-congress/1812854001/ |title=Rep. Paul Mitchell won't run again, complains of 'rhetoric and vitriol' in Washington |first=Todd |last=Spangler |work=Detroit Free Press |date=July 24, 2019}}

Shortly after a post on Twitter was sent by President Donald Trump on July 14, telling four female, minority, first-term congressional representatives to "go back" to their countries of origin, Mitchell called a fellow House GOP leader and asked him to persuade Trump to cease his rhetoric. Mitchell said, "It's the wrong thing for a leader to say", and he told the leader, "It's politically damaging to the party, to the country."{{cite web|url=https://thecountypress.mihomepaper.com/articles/rep-paul-mitchell-quits-republican-party-2/|title=Rep. Paul Mitchell quits Republican Party|date=December 16, 2020 |publisher=The County Press|accessdate=August 16, 2021}} A few days later, while Mitchell waited to go on to a prime-time television network appearance, he saw a clip of Trump rally attendees chanting, "send her back," aimed at one of the congresswomen, Ilhan Omar. Mitchell asked an aide, "How do I even respond to this on TV?" For Mitchell, the final straw was the refusal of Trump staffers to listen. Mitchell begged Vice President Mike Pence and the Vice President's Chief of Staff Marc Short to arrange a one-on-one conversation between Mitchell and Trump to address his misgivings.{{Cite news |last=Bade |first=Rachael |date=September 22, 2019 |title=Trump's takeover of GOP forces many House Republicans to head for the exits |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-takeover-of-gop-forces-many-house-republicans-to-head-for-the-exits/2019/09/22/d89f99fc-d4bd-11e9-ab26-e6dbebac45d3_story.html |access-date=December 14, 2020 |issn=0190-8286}}[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-takeover-of-gop-forces-many-house-republicans-to-head-for-the-exits/2019/09/22/d89f99fc-d4bd-11e9-ab26-e6dbebac45d3_story.html], Washington Post, September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.

On November 29, 2020, Mitchell tweeted a response to a tweet by Trump claiming rigged elections: "Oh my God. . @realDonaldTrump Please for the sake of our Nation please drop these arguments without evidence or factual basis. #stopthestupid".{{Cite tweet |number=1333214085341712388 |user=reppaulmitchell |title=https://twitter.com/reppaulmitchell/status/1333214085341712388 |author=Paul Mitchell |date=November 29, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |language=en |url=https://twitter.com/reppaulmitchell/status/1333214085341712388 |website=Twitter}} The hashtag is a reference to "stop the steal", a slogan used by Trump supporters who claimed that the election had been stolen from Trump.{{cite web|url=https://religionnews.com/2021/07/28/running-on-stop-the-steal-the-gop-goes-all-in-on-presidential-sedevacantism/|title=Running on 'Stop the Steal,' the GOP goes all in on presidential sedevacantism|date=July 28, 2021 |publisher=Religion News|accessdate=August 16, 2021}}

On December 14, 2020, during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Mitchell announced he would no longer continue as a member of the Republican Party and would serve out the rest of his term in Congress as an independent.{{Cite web |last=Tapper |first=Jake |date=December 14, 2020 |title=Congressman cites Trump's efforts to overturn election in announcing decision to quit GOP |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/politics/paul-mitchell-quits-gop/index.html |access-date=December 14, 2020 |website=CNN}}

=Committee assignments=

Committee on Armed Services{{cite news|url=https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/McClain-will-serve-on-armed-services-15936934.php|title=McClain will serve on armed services subcommittees|newspaper=Huron Daily Tribune |date=February 10, 2021 |publisher=Michigans Thumbs|accessdate=August 16, 2021 |last1=Creenan |first1=Robert }}
Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform{{cite web|url=https://republicans-oversight.house.gov/member/paul-mitchell/|title=Paul Mitchell|accessdate=August 16, 2021|publisher=Republicans Oversight}}
Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits and Administrative Rules
Subcommittee on Information Technology
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure{{cite web|url=https://nbc25news.com/news/local/congressman-paul-mitchell-returns-to-armed-services-transportation-committees|title=Congressman Paul Mitchell returns to Armed Services, Transportation Committees|date=January 17, 2019 |publisher=NBC News|accessdate=August 16, 2021}}
Subcommittee on Aviation (Vice Chair)
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

Personal life and death

Mitchell moved to Saginaw County, Michigan, when he married his wife, Sherry Mitchell, in 2008. A longtime resident of Thomas Township, near Saginaw,{{cite web| url= http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/04/saginaw_county_businessman_pau_1.html|title=Saginaw County businessman Paul Mitchell enters race for Congressman Dave Camp's seat|date=April 7, 2014 |access-date=November 6, 2016}} he purchased a home in Dryden Township to run for the 10th district seat in Congress.

In June 2021, Mitchell announced he had been diagnosed with stage 4 renal cancer and underwent surgery to remove a mass and blood clot near his heart.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/557502-former-rep-paul-mitchell-announces-stage-iv-renal-cancer-diagnosis|title=Former Rep. Paul Mitchell announces renal cancer diagnosis|date=June 9, 2021 |access-date=August 7, 2021}} He died on August 15, 2021, aged 64.{{cite news|url = https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/16/us-rep-paul-mitchell-dies/8150442002/|title = Paul Mitchell, ex-Michigan congressman, dies at 64 after battle with cancer|work = Detroit Free Press|date = August 16, 2021|accessdate = August 16, 2021|last = Egan|first = Paul}}{{Cite web |first=Paul |last= LeBlanc|title=Former Michigan Rep. Paul Mitchell dies at 64 after cancer battle |url= https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/16/politics/paul-mitchell-dies/index.html|access-date=August 17, 2021|website=CNN|date= August 16, 2021}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change |title=2014 Michigan's 4th congressional district Republican primary{{cite news|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/14PRI/#06004000 |title=2014 Michigan Election Results |work=Michigan Department of State |date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = John Moolenaar

| votes = 34,399

| percentage = 52.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Paul Mitchell

| votes = 23,844

| percentage = 36.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Peter Konetchy

| votes = 7,408

| percentage = 11.3

| change = 0

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 10,555

|percentage = 16.1

}}

{{Election box begin no change |title=2016 Michigan's 10th congressional district Republican primary{{cite news|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2016PRI_CENR.html#06010000 |title=2016 Michigan Election Results |work=Michigan Department of State |date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Paul Mitchell

| votes = 30,114

| percentage = 38.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Phillip Pavlov

| votes = 22,018

| percentage = 27.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Alan Sanborn

| votes = 12,640

| percentage = 15.9

| change = 0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Tony Forlini

| votes = 7,888

| percentage = 9.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = David VanAssche

| votes = 6,690

| percentage = 8.4

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 8,096

|percentage = 10.2

}}

{{Election box begin |title=2016 Michigan's 10th congressional district election{{cite news|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2016GEN_CENR.html#06010000|title=2016 Michigan Election Results |work=Michigan Department of State |date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Paul Mitchell

| votes = 215,132

| percentage = 63.1

| change = -5.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Democratic Party (US)

| candidate = Frank Accavitti Jr.

| votes = 110,112

| percentage = 32.3

| change = +2.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Libertarian Party (US)

| candidate = Lisa Lane Gioia

| votes = 10,612

| percentage = 3.1

| change = +3.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Green Party of the United States

| candidate = Benjamin Nofs

| votes = 5,127

| percentage = 1.5

| change = -0.5

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 105,120

|percentage = 30.8

|change = -8.5

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 340,983

|percentage =

|change = +49.1

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin |title=2018 Michigan's 10th congressional district election{{cite news|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html#06010000|title=2018 Michigan Election Results |work=Michigan Department of State |date=November 28, 2018 |access-date=July 24, 2019}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Paul Mitchell (incumbent)

| votes = 182,808

| percentage = 60.3

| change = -2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

| party = Democratic Party (US)

| candidate = Kimberly Bizon

| votes = 106,061

| percentage = 35.0