Education: Baruch Col., B.A. 1994; NY Law Schl., J.D. 2002.
Professional Career: Special agent, FBI, 1997-2006; owner, Healthalicious restaurant, 2006-08; principal, Austin Refuel.
Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Religion: Catholic
Family: Single
The new congressman from the 13th District is Republican Michael Grimm, who unseated freshman Democrat Michael McMahon in 2010. Grimm grew up in Staten Island and left college during his freshman year to join the Marines, serving in the Persian Gulf War. After he left active duty, he joined the FBI, working as a clerk on the midnight shift and taking college classes during the day. Grimm completed the Federal Police Officer Training Program and became a U.S. marshal and uniformed police officer for the FBI. He then got his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Baruch College, and returned to the FBI as a special agent, investigating organized crime and financial fraud. He went undercover for two years as a hedge fund manager investigating fraud and stock manipulation as part of a sting operation that resulted in the arrests of more than 30 traders and brokers in 2003. Grimm left the bureau in 2006 to open a health food restaurant in Manhattan. He is also the director of a Texas-based biofuel company. Read More
The new congressman from the 13th District is Republican Michael Grimm, who unseated freshman Democrat Michael McMahon in 2010. Grimm grew up in Staten Island and left college during his freshman year to join the Marines, serving in the Persian Gulf War. After he left active duty, he joined the FBI, working as a clerk on the midnight shift and taking college classes during the day. Grimm completed the Federal Police Officer Training Program and became a U.S. marshal and uniformed police officer for the FBI. He then got his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Baruch College, and returned to the FBI as a special agent, investigating organized crime and financial fraud. He went undercover for two years as a hedge fund manager investigating fraud and stock manipulation as part of a sting operation that resulted in the arrests of more than 30 traders and brokers in 2003. Grimm left the bureau in 2006 to open a health food restaurant in Manhattan. He is also the director of a Texas-based biofuel company.
He was a political novice when he decided to take on McMahon in 2010. He first had to get through a competitive Republican primary against public policy analyst Michael Allegretti, who attacked him for health code violations at his restaurant and for passing out campaign photos of himself sporting ribbons that Allegretti said Grimm did not earn. Grimm responded that he was awarded some ribbons erroneously because of an Army administrative mistake that was discovered only after the photos were taken. Grimm had the support of tea party groups, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, while Allegretti was backed by the borough Republican Party. Grimm won with a solid 68% of the vote.
In the general election, McMahon had a decisive edge in fundraising. By mid-October, the Democrat had pulled in $2.5 million, compared with Grimm’s $925,231. Democrats did not sense danger until it was too late. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo endorsed McMahon only the day before the election. Grimm attacked McMahon for his support of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus bill and dubbed him “Tax Hike Mike.” McMahon focused on his work to help Staten Island, such as seeking federal transportation funds. He also emphasized his independence from the party, touting his votes against the Democrats’ health care overhaul and the endorsement of independent Michael Bloomberg, New York’s mayor.
Grimm later told the Staten Island Advance that he believes momentum turned in his favor after a candidate debate at which McMahon supporters seated Grimm’s ex-wife in the front row to “psych him out.” Not only did he remain unflustered, he was gracious afterwards, saying his former wife looked as beautiful as the day he met her. With voter sympathy on his side, and a strong Republican tide working in his favor that year, Grimm won 51% to 48%.
National Journal’s rating system is an objective method of analyzing voting. The liberal score means that the lawmaker’s votes were more liberal than that percentage of his colleagues’ votes. The conservative score means his votes were more conservative than that percentage of his colleagues’ votes. The composite score is an average of a lawmaker’s six issue-based scores. See all NJ Voting
More Liberal
More Conservative
2012
2011
Economic
50
(L) : 50 (C)
43
(L) : 56 (C)
Social
53
(L) : 47 (C)
54
(L) : 46 (C)
Foreign
48
(L) : 52 (C)
52
(L) : 48 (C)
Composite
50.3
(L) : 49.7 (C)
49.8
(L) : 50.2 (C)
Interest Group Ratings
The vote ratings by 10 special interest groups provide insight into a lawmaker’s general ideology and the degree to which he or she agrees with the group’s point of view. Some organizations provide just one combined rating for 2009 and 2010, the two sessions of the 111th Congress. About the interest groups.
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The first Almanac of American Politics was published in 1971, and it hasn’t missed an election since.
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Jay Rockefeller Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia stunned political observers when he announced on Jan. 11 that he would not seek a sixth term in 2014. The Democrat is the state's senior senator, and chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Jay Rockefeller Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia stunned political observers when he announced on Jan. 11 that he would not seek a sixth term in 2014. The Democrat is the state's senior senator, and chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
