Jon Porter
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| Jon Porter | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | None (District Created After 2000 Census) |
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| Born | May 16, 1955 Fort Dodge, Iowa |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Divorced |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Jonathan Christopher "Jon" Porter (born May 16, 1955), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, the first representative elected from the new 3rd Congressional District of Nevada, which includes much of suburban Las Vegas. (map) He won re-election in the 2006 midterm election against Democratic Party nominee Tessa Hafen by a 48%-47% margin.
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[edit] Life and career
Porter was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and graduated from Humboldt High School in Humboldt, Iowa. He attended Briar Cliff College and worked in his family business before being elected to the Boulder City, Nevada, City Council in 1983. That year he also became an agent for Farmers Insurance.
In 2000, Porter lost the race for U.S. Congress in Nevada's first congressional district against Shelley Berkley. Porter was elected mayor of Boulder City in 1987 and served in that capacity until 1991. He served in the Nevada State Senate from 1994 until 2002. He was then was elected in November 2002 to the House, representing Nevada's newly created Third District, which encompasses roughly the suburbs of Las Vegas. The creation of the district was the result of rapid growth in the southern part of Nevada. Porter is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Budget Committee. In December, 2005, Porter joined with several other Congressmen to form the Second Amendments, a bipartisan rock and country band set to play for United States troops stationed overseas over the holiday season. In 2006, Porter won re-election over his opponent Tessa Hafen by a 48%-47% margin.
[edit] Committee Assignments
- Budget Committee
- Ways and Means Committee
- Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support
[edit] Close ties with the Bush Administration
At an event for Congressman Jon Porter at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Vice President Dick Cheney made the following comments:
It's my honor to be here today to support Jon Porter's reelection, third district from Nevada. This is, of course, one of the very newest congressional districts in the nation. The voters in Clark County sent Jon to the nation's capital a little over a year ago, and you made an excellent choice. With his background in small business and city government, and in the state senate, Jon came to Congress with a great supply of experience and common sense. He's become a respected member of the committees on education in the work force, and on transportation and infrastructure. And both in committee and on the floor, Jon has won the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
I can tell you the President and I enjoy very much working with Jon. He follows the fine Nevada tradition of public service, a tradition established by people like Paul Laxalt, and John Ensign, and Jim Gibbons. And we're counting on Nevada to send him back to the United States Congress next year.[1]
[edit] Stance on issues and voting record
[edit] Supports continued war in Iraq
Jon Porter has been a strong supporter of the war in Iraq from the beginning of the war in 2003 until the present.
On July 12, 2007, Porter said he will not reconsider his stance on the Iraq war until September 2007, when General Petraeus will present a report on the efficacy of the Iraq troop surge.[2]
[edit] Supports making the PATRIOT Act permanent
In December 2005, Jon Porter voted to make the PATRIOT Act permanent.[3]
[edit] Supports Minimum Wage increase
In May of 2007, Jon Porter voted for raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25. [4]
[edit] Opposed funding for family planning
On July 19, 2007, Jon Porter voted for an amendment that would have cut off funding for Planned Parenthood and other family planning services.[5]
[edit] 2006 Campaign contributors
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Top Contributors to Jon Porter (R) During the 2006 Election Cycle
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Rank
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Donor
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Amount (US Dollars)
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1
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MGM Mirage
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$ 51,200
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2
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Station Casinos
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$ 40,900
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3
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JA Tiberti Construction
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$ 36,000
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4
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Harrah's Entertainment
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$ 35,225
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5
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Focus Property Group
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$ 17,800
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Source: The Center for Responsive Politics' [6]
Note: Contributions are not from the organizations themselves, but are rather from the organization's PAC, employees or owners. Totals include subsidiaries and affiliates. |
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[edit] 2006 campaign expenditures
| Recipient | Total | No. of Payments |
| Autumn Productions, Las Vegas, NV | $1,455,053 | 12 |
| November Inc, Las Vegas, NV | $207,835 | 54 |
| Townsend Group Alexandria, VA | $100,095 | 25 |
| Weeks & Co LLP, Austin, TX | $86,724 | 6 |
| American Express, Los Angeles, CA | $74,065 | 26 |
| Public Opinion Strategies, Alexandria, VA | $72,620 | 8 |
| Foundations Inc, Las Vegas, NV | $66,632 | 37 |
| Majority Strategies, Columbus, OH | $39,798 | 15 |
| Peckman Maureen, Las Vegas, NV | $38,950 | 7 |
| Slanker Mike, Las Vegas, NV | $36,148 | 10 |
| Slanker, Mike, Las Vegas, NV | $35,493 | 35 |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- U.S. Congressman Jon Porter official site
- U.S. Rep. Jon Porter Campaign Site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
| United States House of Representatives | ||
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| New district | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 3rd congressional district 2003 – present |
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