The new congressman from the 9th District is Tom Graves, a Republican elected in a June 2010 special election to replace 17-year incumbent Nathan Deal, also a Republican, who resigned his seat in March to run for governor. Graves is from the small town of Ranger, with fewer than 100 people, where he still lives with his wife, Julie Graves, and their three children on a farm. He sold off his last bull during his election to Congress, but maintains a variety of animals including horses. Growing up, he lived in a single-wide trailer on a tar and gravel road, the son of a Georgia Power laborer who told him to “dream big and then work hard.” In high school, he wasn’t a top student, but he excelled in math and played both offensive guard and defensive linebacker on the football team. Graves took out loans and worked to pay for college, becoming the first in his family to earn a degree. After graduation, Graves worked for Federated Department Stores, now Macy’s, as an asset recovery specialist. He saved his money, and, in 1995, bought a small landscaping business. Graves eventually sold off portions of the company to begin investing in real estate. Read More

The new congressman from the 9th District is Tom Graves, a Republican elected in a June 2010 special election to replace 17-year incumbent Nathan Deal, also a Republican, who resigned his seat in March to run for governor. Graves is from the small town of Ranger, with fewer than 100 people, where he still lives with his wife, Julie Graves, and their three children on a farm. He sold off his last bull during his election to Congress, but maintains a variety of animals including horses. Growing up, he lived in a single-wide trailer on a tar and gravel road, the son of a Georgia Power laborer who told him to “dream big and then work hard.” In high school, he wasn’t a top student, but he excelled in math and played both offensive guard and defensive linebacker on the football team. Graves took out loans and worked to pay for college, becoming the first in his family to earn a degree. After graduation, Graves worked for Federated Department Stores, now Macy’s, as an asset recovery specialist. He saved his money, and, in 1995, bought a small landscaping business. Graves eventually sold off portions of the company to begin investing in real estate.

He met his future wife at Roswell Street Baptist Church, and she was instrumental in getting him involved in the anti-abortion movement. He says he opposes abortion “without exception,” including cases in which the mother’s life is at stake. In 2001, he and Julie, the founding president of the Gordon County Right to Life chapter, successfully opposed the construction of an abortion clinic in the area. The campaign propelled Graves to a seat on the county board and later in the Georgia Assembly, where he served more than seven years. While a state legislator, he advocated for abortion restrictions and lower taxes, including a successful 2009 business tax cut bill. Of his political philosophy, he says, “There is a spectrum of conservatism from fiscal to social....And I’m a conservative all the way across the board.” He said former President Reagan is the figure he admires most in politics.

In the special election to succeed Deal, Graves bested Republican state Sen. Lee Hawkins, 56% to 44%, in a June 2010 runoff for the remainder of Deal’s term. Then, the two faced off again in the primary for a full term.

During the primary campaign, he called for abolition of the departments of Education and Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. He supported constitutional amendments to balance the budget and to give the president line-item veto power over spending bills. He also opposed amnesty for illegal immigrants and called for stricter enforcement of current immigration laws. Graves and Hawkins staked out similar positions. Both supported the “Fair Tax,” a conservative proposal to replace the income tax with a national sales tax. Both called for the repeal of President Obama’s health care overhaul and railed against the $787 billion economic stimulus package. Hawkins cast Graves as “out of touch” and attacked him for a bank loan that had gone into default. But he could not overcome Graves’ backing by national Republican organizations, House Minority Leader John Boehner and local tea party groups. Graves also outraised Hawkins, $1.3 million to $1 million. Graves won the August primary runoff, 55% to 45%, earning the Republican nomination to run in the general election, which was a pro forma affair with no Democratic opposition.

In Washington, Graves joined the congressional Tea Party Caucus. His first bill was a proposal to deny funding to implement the 2010 health care law.