Robert Gosselin
Encyclopedia
Robert Gosselin (born 1951) is a conservative Republican
politician in Oakland County, Michigan
and is an Oakland County Commissioner.
and attended Berkley High School
. He attended, but did not graduate from Lawrence Technological University
, where he studied engineering
. He is also a licensed builder
, licensed realtor and licensed heating contractor.
He is married to Jan Gosselin and has three children.
City Council
in 1993. He served until 1997.
In 1998, he was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent the then-42nd District which included portions of Rochester Hills, Michigan
and Troy. He was re-elected to the same seat in 2000. In 2002, after his district was consolidated into Troy and Clawson
, he ran for and lost a Michigan Senate
seat against incumbent Shirley Johnson in the 13th District. In 2004, Gosselin again sat in the Michigan House, this time representing the new 41st District.
In 2006, Gosselin became a candidate for County Commissioner in in the 13th District which includes the southern portion of Rochester Hills and a northern portion of Troy with a portion of Bloomfield Township
. He narrowly unseated a moderate Republican incumbent, Will Molnar, in the primary. He handily won his general election bid for that seat.
However, with Gosselin term-limited out-of-office, the younger Knollenberg became the Republican nominee for State House in 2006, defeating Mike Bosnic in the August 2006 primary. Bosnic, who also ran in 2004 in a three-way race against Gosselin, was endorsed by Gosselin in 2006. This was seen by many to be due to his neutrality on the alleged solicitation issue. Despite Gosselin's endorsement, Knollenberg won by 7%, or roughly 700 votes, over Bosnic.
as well as a strong libertarian
bloc of Oakland County politics. As such, he has gained the reputation of challenging establishment mainstream, moderate
, and liberal Republicans. This was the case in his 2002 bid for the State Senate as well as his 2004 House election.
Gosselin has traditionally supported a strong relationship between State Government and Judeo-Christian religion
. He has sponsored various legislation to place the words "In God We Trust" and the Ten Commandments
at the Michigan State Capitol
in Lansing
. In support of this legislation, which ultimately failed, Gosselin traveled the state with fellow Republican Representative Jack Hoogendyk
with the 2.6-ton granite tablets involved in the 2003 Justice Roy Moore Ten Commandments controversy. Gosselin holds the controversial belief that the U.S. Constitution does not deliberately dictate a separation between church and state
and instead is a mere protection of all religious beliefs.
Consistent with his conservative philosophy, Gosselin also strongly opposes abortion
. In the legislature he supported bills that would make it illegal to coerce a woman into having a legal abortion, requiring ultrasounds to be shown prior to abortions, to prohibit physicians and health facilities from accepting prepayment for abortions, and to establish a “Choose Life Fund,” funded with revenue from the sale of a “Choose Life” specialty license plate.
Despite his interest in government regulation of abortion and association of government with religion, Gosselin has maintained significant support for and from libertarians. For instance, he endorsed libertarian David Eisenbacher for City Council in Troy. This is because of his strong opposition to state and local regulations, taxation and benefits. While in the legislature, he voted against every single budget citing overspending in State Government. He was the author of a package of legislation known as "Michigan Citizens First," which cut welfare benefits from illegal immigrants. He consistently favored substantial cuts to government welfare programs.
However, with Gosselin term-limited out-of-office, the younger Knollenberg became the Republican nominee for State House in 2006, defeating Mike Bosnic in the August 2006 primary. Bosnic, who also ran in 2004 in a three-way race against Gosselin, was endorsed by Gosselin in 2006. This was seen by many to be due to his neutrality on the alleged solicitation issue. Despite Gosselin's endorsement, Knollenberg won by 7%, or roughly 700 votes, over Bosnic.
. Many state political observers were anticipating a lively free-for-all between these two. This prediction was based upon the open animus between former Senator Shirley Johnson and Gosselin. Gosselin accused Johnson, who is a moderate Republican, of accepting donations from a pro-Gay group. He also attacked her position on abortion. Johnson actively worked for Marty Knollenberg's 2004 campaign against Gosselin. A joke between many observers was that if Gosselin were to win the Republican nomination, Johnson would endorse the Democrat, and one Republican insider seriously acknowledged this possibility.
When Democrat Andy Levin
, son of Congressman Sander Levin and nephew of U.S. Senator Carl Levin
, entered the race, however, Republican leadership became concerned. Former Michigan Senator and fellow Troy State Representative John Pappageorge
was coaxed by the Michigan Republican Party
to run for the 13th District seat, as they believed he was the only one with the name recognition and fundraising ability to retain the seat in the general election. When Pappageorge entered the race, Gosselin dropped out.
Pappageorge defeated Taub in the primary in August 2006 by a two-to-one margin. He narrowly defeated Andy Levin in one of the closest and most controversial state senate races in November, by a margin less than that of the vote totals accumulated by the Green Party candidate.
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 1998 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|20,285
| valign="top"|68%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Jacquelyn Moore
| valign="top"|Democrat
| valign="top"|9,712
| valign="top"|32%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2000 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|27,104
| valign="top"|67%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Jerry Bixby
| valign="top"|Democrat
| valign="top"|13,279
| valign="top"|32%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
Michigan Senate 13th District Republican Primary Election Results, 2002
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2002 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Shirley Johnson
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|13,412
| valign="top"|55%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|11,141
| valign="top"|45%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
Michigan House 41st District Republican Primary Election Results, 2004
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2004 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|3,754
| valign="top"|38%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Marty Knollenberg
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|2,851
| valign="top"|29%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|-
| align=left valign=top|Mike Bosnic
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|2,734
| valign="top"|28%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|-
| align=left valign=top|Kathleen O'Laughlin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|464
| valign="top"|5%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician in Oakland County, Michigan
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
and is an Oakland County Commissioner.
Biography
Gosselin was born in Berkley, MichiganBerkley, Michigan
Berkley is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 14,970.-Downtown, Dream Cruise, etc.:...
and attended Berkley High School
Berkley High School
Berkley High School is a public high school in Berkley, Michigan with a 2005-2006 enrollment of 1,348 students. Berkley High's colors are Maroon and Blue and the school's mascot is the Bears. Berkley is well known for its college prep courses, high standardized test scores, and teachers and...
. He attended, but did not graduate from Lawrence Technological University
Lawrence Technological University
Lawrence Technological University, also known as Lawrence Tech or simply LTU, is a private university located in Southfield, Michigan. The school offers undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs in engineering, science, mathematics, architecture, graphic design, and business...
, where he studied engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. He is also a licensed builder
Builder
Builder may refer to:* General contractor, that specializes in building work**Subcontractor* Construction worker who specializes in building work* Builder a component of modern detergents...
, licensed realtor and licensed heating contractor.
He is married to Jan Gosselin and has three children.
Political career
Gosselin was elected to the TroyTroy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in 1993. He served until 1997.
In 1998, he was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent the then-42nd District which included portions of Rochester Hills, Michigan
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Rochester Hills is an affluent city in northeast Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 70,995. The city of Rochester is bounded on the north, south, and west by Rochester Hills...
and Troy. He was re-elected to the same seat in 2000. In 2002, after his district was consolidated into Troy and Clawson
Clawson, Michigan
Clawson is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,825.-Geography:...
, he ran for and lost a 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....
seat against incumbent Shirley Johnson in the 13th District. In 2004, Gosselin again sat in the Michigan House, this time representing the new 41st District.
In 2006, Gosselin became a candidate for County Commissioner in in the 13th District which includes the southern portion of Rochester Hills and a northern portion of Troy with a portion of Bloomfield Township
Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
Bloomfield Charter Township, known officially as The Charter Township of Bloomfield, is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 41,070....
. He narrowly unseated a moderate Republican incumbent, Will Molnar, in the primary. He handily won his general election bid for that seat.
However, with Gosselin term-limited out-of-office, the younger Knollenberg became the Republican nominee for State House in 2006, defeating Mike Bosnic in the August 2006 primary. Bosnic, who also ran in 2004 in a three-way race against Gosselin, was endorsed by Gosselin in 2006. This was seen by many to be due to his neutrality on the alleged solicitation issue. Despite Gosselin's endorsement, Knollenberg won by 7%, or roughly 700 votes, over Bosnic.
Political philosophy
Gosselin has achieved a reputation of being a conservative who appeals to the religious rightChristian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
as well as a strong libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
bloc of Oakland County politics. As such, he has gained the reputation of challenging establishment mainstream, moderate
Rockefeller Republican
Rockefeller Republican refers to a faction of the United States Republican Party who held moderate to liberal views similar to those of Nelson Rockefeller...
, and liberal Republicans. This was the case in his 2002 bid for the State Senate as well as his 2004 House election.
Gosselin has traditionally supported a strong relationship between State Government and Judeo-Christian religion
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
. He has sponsored various legislation to place the words "In God We Trust" and the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
at the Michigan State Capitol
Michigan State Capitol
The Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing in Ingham County...
in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. In support of this legislation, which ultimately failed, Gosselin traveled the state with fellow Republican Representative Jack Hoogendyk
Jack Hoogendyk
Jacob "Jack" Hoogendyk is a Republican politician, a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives and 2008 Republican candidate for the U.S...
with the 2.6-ton granite tablets involved in the 2003 Justice Roy Moore Ten Commandments controversy. Gosselin holds the controversial belief that the U.S. Constitution does not deliberately dictate a separation between church and state
Separation of church and state in the United States
The phrase "separation of church and state" , attributed to Thomas Jefferson and others, and since quoted by the Supreme Court of the United States, expresses an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States...
and instead is a mere protection of all religious beliefs.
Consistent with his conservative philosophy, Gosselin also strongly opposes abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. In the legislature he supported bills that would make it illegal to coerce a woman into having a legal abortion, requiring ultrasounds to be shown prior to abortions, to prohibit physicians and health facilities from accepting prepayment for abortions, and to establish a “Choose Life Fund,” funded with revenue from the sale of a “Choose Life” specialty license plate.
Despite his interest in government regulation of abortion and association of government with religion, Gosselin has maintained significant support for and from libertarians. For instance, he endorsed libertarian David Eisenbacher for City Council in Troy. This is because of his strong opposition to state and local regulations, taxation and benefits. While in the legislature, he voted against every single budget citing overspending in State Government. He was the author of a package of legislation known as "Michigan Citizens First," which cut welfare benefits from illegal immigrants. He consistently favored substantial cuts to government welfare programs.
However, with Gosselin term-limited out-of-office, the younger Knollenberg became the Republican nominee for State House in 2006, defeating Mike Bosnic in the August 2006 primary. Bosnic, who also ran in 2004 in a three-way race against Gosselin, was endorsed by Gosselin in 2006. This was seen by many to be due to his neutrality on the alleged solicitation issue. Despite Gosselin's endorsement, Knollenberg won by 7%, or roughly 700 votes, over Bosnic.
2006 State Senate election
In 2006, Gosselin initially ran for the Michigan Senate against fellow State Representative Shelley TaubShelley Taub
Shelley Goodman Taub is a Republican politician from Oakland County, Michigan. She resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.-Biography:Taub was born in Detroit in 1939. She received a B.A. in Education from the University of Michigan...
. Many state political observers were anticipating a lively free-for-all between these two. This prediction was based upon the open animus between former Senator Shirley Johnson and Gosselin. Gosselin accused Johnson, who is a moderate Republican, of accepting donations from a pro-Gay group. He also attacked her position on abortion. Johnson actively worked for Marty Knollenberg's 2004 campaign against Gosselin. A joke between many observers was that if Gosselin were to win the Republican nomination, Johnson would endorse the Democrat, and one Republican insider seriously acknowledged this possibility.
When Democrat Andy Levin
Andy Levin
Andrew S. "Andy" Levin is the founder and managing partner of Levin Energy Partners, LLC, a firm he established in 2011 to provide innovative financing tools to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements in American buildings...
, son of Congressman Sander Levin and nephew of U.S. Senator Carl Levin
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, entered the race, however, Republican leadership became concerned. Former Michigan Senator and fellow Troy State Representative John Pappageorge
John Pappageorge
John George Pappageorge is a member of the Michigan State Senate.-Biography:John Pappageorge was born to a Greek family on the east side of Detroit, Michigan....
was coaxed by the Michigan Republican Party
Michigan Republican Party
The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party....
to run for the 13th District seat, as they believed he was the only one with the name recognition and fundraising ability to retain the seat in the general election. When Pappageorge entered the race, Gosselin dropped out.
Pappageorge defeated Taub in the primary in August 2006 by a two-to-one margin. He narrowly defeated Andy Levin in one of the closest and most controversial state senate races in November, by a margin less than that of the vote totals accumulated by the Green Party candidate.
Election history
Michigan House 42nd District Election Results, 1998-2000|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 1998 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|20,285
| valign="top"|68%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Jacquelyn Moore
| valign="top"|Democrat
| valign="top"|9,712
| valign="top"|32%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2000 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|27,104
| valign="top"|67%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Jerry Bixby
| valign="top"|Democrat
| valign="top"|13,279
| valign="top"|32%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
Michigan Senate 13th District Republican Primary Election Results, 2002
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2002 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Shirley Johnson
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|13,412
| valign="top"|55%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|11,141
| valign="top"|45%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
Michigan House 41st District Republican Primary Election Results, 2004
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
! align=left valign=top | 2004 Candidate
! align=right | Party
! align=right | Popular votes
! align=right | Vote percentage
|-
| align=left valign=top|Bob Gosselin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|3,754
| valign="top"|38%
|-
| align=left valign=top|Marty Knollenberg
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|2,851
| valign="top"|29%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|-
| align=left valign=top|Mike Bosnic
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|2,734
| valign="top"|28%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|-
| align=left valign=top|Kathleen O'Laughlin
| valign="top"|Republican
| valign="top"|464
| valign="top"|5%
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|}
External links
- Oakland County Board of Commissioners website. Gosselin represents district 13.