Ander Crenshaw

Ander Crenshaw (born September 1, 1944) is the U.S. Representative for Florida's 4th congressional district, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes Baker, Nassau and Duval counties.

Early life, education and career
Crenshaw was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and earned his (B.A.) at the University of Georgia in 1966 and later received his law degree from the University of Florida. He was an investment banker before being elected to Congress. Crenshaw served in the Florida State House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978 and in the Florida State Senate from 1986 to 1994. He was the first Republican Senate president in 118 years. Crenshaw was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2000.

1978
In 1978, Crenshaw won the Republican primary for Florida Secretary of State. He lost the general election to Democrat George Firestone.

1994
In 1994, he ran to be Florida Governor, but lost the primary to Jeb Bush, who won with a plurality of 46%. Crenshaw got just 12% of the vote in fourth place. State Secretary of State Jim Smith and State Treasurer Tom Gallagher got 18% and 13% of the vote respectively.

House
Crenshaw served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1972 through 1978.

Senate
He returned to public office in 1986, winning a special election for a seat in the Florida Senate that he held through 1994. He became the first Republican elected president of the Senate in 118 years in November 1992, but agreed to serve only one year instead of the usual two, as a compromise between Republicans and Democrats who were evenly split in the Senate that year.

Committee assignments

 * Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Defense
 * Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (Chairman)
 * Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs

Caucus memberships

 * Crohn's and Colitis Caucus (Co-Chair)
 * Effective Foreign Assistance (Co-Chair)
 * International Conservation Caucus (Co-Chair)
 * Nepal Caucus (Co-Chair)
 * Sportsmen's Caucus
 * Tea Party Caucus

Tenure
Crenshaw is currently a Deputy Majority Whip in the Republican leadership.

On September 29, 2008, Crenshaw voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program. He was one of only three Florida Republicans to do so.

Despite his support of the bill, he issued a press release to "applaud the organizers and participants" of the April 15, 2009, First Coast Tax Day Tea Party, in Jacksonville, Florida, one of the many 2009 Tea Party protests which condemned any bailouts.

Political campaigns
In 1980, Crenshaw finished third in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat, earning roughly 13% of the vote behind Paula Hawkins and Louis Frey, Jr..

In 1994, he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor, winning several counties but ultimately losing out to Jeb Bush. Crenshaw finished fourth (12.1%) behind Tom Gallagher and Jim Smith.

In 2000, Crenshaw returned to politics when he won the Republican nomination for the 4th District after Tillie Fowler retired to honor a self-imposed four-term limit. He easily won in November, becoming only the fourth person to represent this district since its creation in 1943 (it was the 2nd District from 1943 to 1967, the 3rd District from 1967 to 1993, and has been the 4th since 1993). He has been reelected five times with no substantive opposition in what has become one of the most Republican districts in Florida. He even ran unopposed in 2002 and 2004, and faced no major-party opposition in 2010.

2010
Crenshaw was challenged by Independent Troy Stanley. Gary L. Koniz and Deborah "Deb" Katz Pueschel also qualified as write-ins.

Personal life
Crenshaw is a son-in-law of former Governor of Florida Claude Roy Kirk, Jr.

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