Marilyn Musgrave
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Marilyn_Musgrave.jpg
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 (http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/co04_109.gif)). The district takes up the entire eastern part of the state, 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.
She was born in Greeley and was educated at Colorado State University. Her career in elective office began in 1991, when she served one term 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 authoring bills to deny marriage rights to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Coloradans and their 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.
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 her large campaign warchest, she defeated Democrat Stan Matsunaka by double digits. In 2004, in spite of Musgrave outspending Matsunaka by millions of dollars, observers were surprised at the closeness of the race, with no final decision made until the last returns arrived. Had Matsunaka won Weld County (where Greeley is located), he would have unseated Musgrave. Reasons given for the tight race included her singular focus on anti-gay legislation (her district received no money for road repair due to her fights with chairman Don Young) and her allegedly poor constituent services.
Musgrave also became the unwitting "star" of somewhat notorious attack ads during the 2004 election season. The ads, 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.
She is a devout Pentecostal, and is one of four Pentecostals serving in the 109th Congress (the others being 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 (http://wwwc.house.gov/musgrave/)
- Musgrave's 2004 Campaign Website (http://www.musgrave2004.com/)
- 2004 campaign finance data (http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00025054&cycle=2004)
- Bob Kinsey, a Musgrave opponent (http://www.kinseyforcongress.org/)
- Musgrave cuts wages (http://www.bctd.org/political/media/BTad_c4.pdf)