Mark Schauer
Encyclopedia
Mark Schauer is the former U.S. Representative
for . He is a member of the Democratic Party
.
He was previously a member of the Michigan Senate
, where he served as the Minority Leader
, and the Michigan House of Representatives.
Schauer was defeated for reelection in 2010 by Tim Walberg
in a rematch of their 2008 race. His term ended January 2011.
, the son of Robert and Myra Schauer. He was valedictorian
of his high school class and graduated summa cum laude from Albion College
in 1984, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon
, Phi Beta Kappa and the Gerald R Ford Institute for Public Policy at Albion College
.
Schauer worked as an urban planner
for the Calhoun County Planning Department, 1984–1987, while he completed a Master's Degree
in Public Administration
from Western Michigan University
in Kalamazoo
. A few years after graduating in 1987, he accepted a position in program development for the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek
. Shortly afterwards, the director left for another position and Schauer was selected to run the CAA, which then consisted of 200 employees, had a 21-member board of directors and offered a broad range of programs for the poor, including home weatherization, a foster grandparent program, food assistance and the local Head Start Program for children.
Schauer was also a founding board member of Battle Creek Habitat for Humanity in 1988 and was honored for fifteen years of service by being named the "2003 Public Official of the Year" by Habitat for Humanity of Michigan. Schauer has also been actively involved in the supporting the Food Bank of South Central Michigan and the Urban League of Battle Creek.
He also serves on the board of directors of the Kids 'N' Stuff Children's Museum in Albion
. He was a coordinator of the Calhoun County Human Services Coordinating Council, 1992-1997.
In 1993, Schauer ran for a seat on the Battle Creek City Commission and lost by 200 votes. However, he was later appointed to fill an unexpired term and was then elected to a full term in 1995. He earned a Masters Degree in Political Science
from Michigan State University
in 1997, where he is currently a Ph.D.
candidate in Political Science and Urban Studies.
, representing the 19th District, and served as the Democratic Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006. After being re-elected to the Senate in 2006, Schauer was selected by his Democratic colleagues to be the Senate Minority Leader
.
, who was identified as a top target by the DCCC
. Schauer was considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination and his announcement resulted in David Nacht, who had raised $160K in the first quarter, to drop out of the race.
In September 2007, former State Senator Jim Berryman also dropped out of the Democratic race.
Schauer defeated Walberg with 48.8% of the vote. He is the second Democrat to represent this district since World War I
; the district had been numbered as the 2nd District
prior to the 1990s round of redistricting.
, Libertarian nominee Greg Merle, US Taxpayers nominee Eugene Aughney, and Green Party nominee Richard Wunsch.
Schauer was endorsed by Michigan's largest newspaper, the Detroit Free Press
.
Schauer's reelection bid was considered to be a toss-up by aggregate polling. Likewise, nonpartisan polling showed the race as a dead heat.
In the final days before the election, former President Bill Clinton
headlined a rally for Schauer in Battle Creek, MI.
Schauer was defeated by Walberg on November 2, 2010.
, and state representative Robert Jones
, endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for U.S. President.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for . He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
He was previously a member of the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
, where he served as the Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
, and the Michigan House of Representatives.
Schauer was defeated for reelection in 2010 by Tim Walberg
Tim Walberg
Timothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
in a rematch of their 2008 race. His term ended January 2011.
Early life, education and career
Schauer was born in Howell, MichiganHowell, Michigan
Howell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
, the son of Robert and Myra Schauer. He was valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of his high school class and graduated summa cum laude from Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
in 1984, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
, Phi Beta Kappa and the Gerald R Ford Institute for Public Policy at Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
.
Schauer worked as an urban planner
Urban planner
An urban planner or city planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning/land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically...
for the Calhoun County Planning Department, 1984–1987, while he completed a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Public Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
. A few years after graduating in 1987, he accepted a position in program development for the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
. Shortly afterwards, the director left for another position and Schauer was selected to run the CAA, which then consisted of 200 employees, had a 21-member board of directors and offered a broad range of programs for the poor, including home weatherization, a foster grandparent program, food assistance and the local Head Start Program for children.
Schauer was also a founding board member of Battle Creek Habitat for Humanity in 1988 and was honored for fifteen years of service by being named the "2003 Public Official of the Year" by Habitat for Humanity of Michigan. Schauer has also been actively involved in the supporting the Food Bank of South Central Michigan and the Urban League of Battle Creek.
He also serves on the board of directors of the Kids 'N' Stuff Children's Museum in Albion
Albion, Michigan
Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The population was 9,144 at the 2000 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He was a coordinator of the Calhoun County Human Services Coordinating Council, 1992-1997.
In 1993, Schauer ran for a seat on the Battle Creek City Commission and lost by 200 votes. However, he was later appointed to fill an unexpired term and was then elected to a full term in 1995. He earned a Masters Degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1997, where he is currently a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
candidate in Political Science and Urban Studies.
Michigan Legislature
In 1996, Schauer was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from the state's 62nd District and was re-elected in 1998 and 2000. He served as the Assistant Democratic Leader for the House from 1999 to 2000. In 2002, Schauer was elected to the Michigan SenateMichigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
, representing the 19th District, and served as the Democratic Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006. After being re-elected to the Senate in 2006, Schauer was selected by his Democratic colleagues to be the Senate Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AgricultureUnited States House Committee on AgricultureThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding...
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and ResearchUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and ResearchThe House Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. The subcommittee oversees all agricultural matters relating to soil, water, and resource conservation; small watershed program; energy and biobased energy production; rural...
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on AviationUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on AviationThe Subcommittee on Aviation is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over civil aviation, including most aspects of the Federal Aviation Administration , the Transportation Security Administration, and the National...
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
(Vice Chair) - Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous MaterialsThe Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee...
- Subcommittee on Aviation
2008
In August 2007, Senator Schauer formed a finance committee to challenge freshman Representative Tim WalbergTim Walberg
Timothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
, who was identified as a top target by the DCCC
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
. Schauer was considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination and his announcement resulted in David Nacht, who had raised $160K in the first quarter, to drop out of the race.
In September 2007, former State Senator Jim Berryman also dropped out of the Democratic race.
Schauer defeated Walberg with 48.8% of the vote. He is the second Democrat to represent this district since World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; the district had been numbered as the 2nd District
Michigan's 2nd congressional district
Michigan's 2nd congressional district is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. It consists of the counties of Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Ottawa, and the northern portion of Allegan and the northwest portion of Kent. The 2nd district has...
prior to the 1990s round of redistricting.
2010
Schauer was challenged by Republican nominee Tim WalbergTim Walberg
Timothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
, Libertarian nominee Greg Merle, US Taxpayers nominee Eugene Aughney, and Green Party nominee Richard Wunsch.
Schauer was endorsed by Michigan's largest newspaper, the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
.
Schauer's reelection bid was considered to be a toss-up by aggregate polling. Likewise, nonpartisan polling showed the race as a dead heat.
In the final days before the election, former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
headlined a rally for Schauer in Battle Creek, MI.
Schauer was defeated by Walberg on November 2, 2010.
Electoral history
- 2008 Election for the U.S. Representative - Michigan's 7th District
Name Percent Mark Schauer (D) 48.8% Tim Walberg Tim WalbergTimothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
(R) (Inc.)46.5% - 2006 Election for the Michigan State Senate - 19th District
Name Percent Mark Schauer (D) (Inc.) 61.2% Elizabeth Fulton (R) 38.8% - 2002 Election for the Michigan State Senate - 19th District
Name Percent Mark Schauer (D) 55.14% Mickey Mortimer (R) 44.86% - 2000 Election for the Michigan State House - 62nd District
Name Percent Mark Schauer (D) (Inc.) 67.10% George Perrett (R) 32.90% - 1998 Election for the Michigan State House - 62nd District
Name Percent Mark Schauer (D) 63.78% Mark Behnke (R) 36.21%
Personal life
Schauer lives in Battle Creek with his wife, Christine Schauer and his three stepchildren. In June, 2007, Schauer, along with state senators Liz Brater and Gilda JacobsGilda Jacobs
Gilda Z. Jacobs was a Democratic member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 14th District from 2003 through 2010. The mostly suburban district is in southeastern Oakland County, and includes the cities of Farmington Hills, Huntington Woods, Southfield, and Oak Park. Jacobs was a member of the...
, and state representative Robert Jones
Robert Jones (Michigan politician)
Robert "Bob" B. Jones was a politician from the state of Michigan. He served four consecutive terms as the Mayor of Kalamazoo from 1997 to 2005...
, endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for U.S. President.
External links
- Mark Schauer for U.S. Congress official campaign site