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Marilyn Neoma Musgrave (born January 27, 1949), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 4th District of Colorado (map). The district takes up most of eastern Colorado outside the Denver and Colorado Springs-Pueblo metropolitan areas, but most of its vote is cast in Fort Collins and Greeley. She is best known nationally as the main sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Background and early political career
She was born in Greeley and was educated at Colorado State University. Her career in elective office began in 1991, when she served two terms on the school board of Fort Morgan. She served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1993 to 1997 and in the Colorado Senate from 1997 until her election to Congress.
As a state legislator, Musgrave spent much of her time on social issues, particularly authoring bills to deny marriage rights and parental rights for gay and lesbian families. One of her final, failed bills would have made it much more difficult for same-sex parents to see their children in the hospital during an emergency. Musgrave also cast the only vote against legislation to give battered spouses paid leave from work.
Congressional career
After Congressman Bob Schaffer retired, Musgrave ran for and won the Republican nomination to succeed him. Due to the strong Republican lean of the district (the district has not elected a Democrat since the Republican landslide of 1972) and a large campaign war chest she defeated Democratic state senate president Stan Matsunaka by double digits.
In 2004, she faced Matsunaka again. Even though she outspent Matsunaka by millions of dollars, she only defeated him by six percentage points--the closest margin in the district since 1974. Musgrave lost in Larimer County, home to Fort Collins and the biggest whole county in the district. She also lost the district's share of Boulder County, including Longmont. However, she swamped Matsunaka in Weld County, home to Greeley, allowing her to squeak into a second term. Reasons given for the tight race included her singular focus on gay-marriage legislation (her district received no money for road repair due to her fights with chairman Don Young) and her allegedly poor constituent services. Many observers were surprised at the closeness of the race, which wasn't decided until the last returns arrived.
Musgrave was the subject of negative ads during the 2004 election season funded by Colorado philanthropists such as Tim Gill, featured an actress dressed up like Musgrave picking a corpse's pocket, and stealing from a soldier.
After the 2004 elections, she was put on a National Republican Congressional Committee list of vulnerable incumbents, which is very unusual since the 4th has long been considered a safe Republican seat, or at least a seat where it would take a unique set of circumstances for a Democrat to win. In late August 2005 former Ronald Reagan appointee Eric Eidsness said he might run against Musgrave in the 2006 Republican primary. State representative Angie Paccione is campaigning for the Democratic nomination, and is being backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Wes McKinley is also considering a race for the Democratic nomination. Musgrave is a supporter of President Bush's Guest-Worker Program for Mexican Immigrants.
Musgrave received $30,000 in campaign contributions from former majority leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. After DeLay was indicted, Musgrave's opponents attacked her for not returning the money or donating it to charity. Based in part on her connections with Delay, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington labeled Musgrave one of the "thirteen most corrupt members of Congress".
Musgrave is a devout Pentecostal, and is one of four Pentecostals serving in the 109th Congress. The others, all Republicans, are Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Tim Johnson of Illinois and Todd Tiahrt of Kansas.
Election History
- 2002 - Defeated Stan Matsunaka 55%-42%
- 2004 - Defeated Stan Matsunaka 51%-45%
Congressional Committees
- U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
- U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce
- U.S. House Committee on Small Business
External links
- Official Website
- Musgrave's 2004 Campaign Website
- 2004 campaign finance data
- Bob Kinsey, a Musgrave opponent
- Musgrave cuts wages
| Colorado's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
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