Ralph Abraham (politician)
| Ralph Lee Abraham, Jr. | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 5th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Vance McAllister |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 16, 1954 Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Dianne Abraham |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | Ralph Lee and Marlene Posey Abraham |
| Residence | Mangham, Louisiana |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation |
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| Religion | Baptist[1] |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Mississippi National Guard |
Ralph Lee Abraham, Jr. (born September 16, 1954)[2] is an American physician and former veterinarian from Mangham, Louisiana, who won election on December 6, 2014, as a Republican to represent Louisiana's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[3] He defeated his Democratic opponent, Mayor Jamie Mayo of Monroe, by a margin of 134,612 votes (64.2 percent) to 75,004 (35.8 percent).[4]
Contents
Background[edit]
Abraham is the son of the former Marlene Posey (1932–2015), a retired educator, and Ralph Abraham, Sr. (1933–1980).[5]
Abraham has served in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Mississippi National Guard. He and his wife, Dianne, have three children. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Louisiana State University School of Medicine.[6][7]
U.S. House of Representatives[edit]
Tenure[edit]
Abraham was sworn into office in the 114th United States Congress on January 3, 2015.
After his election, Abraham announced that Luke J. Letlow, his campaign manager, would become his chief of staff.[8]
Committee assignments[edit]
Political positions[edit]
Abraham believes the Affordable Care Act should be repealed. He opposes the expansion of Medicaid. Regarding illegal immigration, Abraham opposes amnesty and supports strengthening border security. He supports simplifying the tax code, equal pay for women, and approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline.[9]
Election of 2016[edit]
In his bid for reelection in 2016, Abraham defeated one challenger, fellow Republican Billy Burkette[10] of Baton Rouge, a former constable in East Feliciana Parish and a former chairman of the Louisiana Band of Choctaw Indians. Burkette claimed in his campaign that the Environmental Protection Agency has issued overly strict regulations that hamper farming.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ "Members of Congress: Religious Affiliations". Pew Research Center. January 5, 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). Roll Call. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "NELA Doctor Running for Congress". myarklamiss.com. May 30, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- ^ "Runoff election returns, December 6, 2014". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ Greg Hilburn (July 29, 2015). "Congressman Abraham's mother, 83, dies". The Monroe News-Star. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^ Goddard, Valerie (July 15, 2015). "Is there a job Ralph Abraham can't do?". JAVMAnews. American Veterinary Medical Association. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ^ Greg Hilburn (November 22, 2014). "Abraham: 'We remained consistent and persistent'". The Monroe News-Star. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ Greg Hilburn (December 10, 2014). "Letlow named Abraham's chief of staff". The Monroe News-Star. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ Kaleb Causey (November 20, 2014). "Mayo, Abraham face off in 5th District debate". The Monroe News-Star. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
- ^ Mott, Ashley (November 9, 2016). "Abraham reelected in 5th district seat". Monroe News Star. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ Ashley Mott (November 5, 2016). "Incumbent Abraham faces Burkette in 5th district race". Monroe News-Star. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
External links[edit]
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress
- Ralph Abraham at Ballotpedia
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vance McAllister |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 5th congressional district January 3, 2015 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by Frank Guinta R-New Hampshire |
United States Representatives by seniority 374th |
Succeeded by Pete Aguilar D-California |
| 1st district |
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| 2nd district | ||
| 3rd district | ||
| 4th district | ||
| 5th district | ||
| 6th district | ||
| 7th district | ||
| 8th district | ||
| At-large | ||
| Territory |
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Louisiana Republicans
- Politicians from Monroe, Louisiana
- People from Richland Parish, Louisiana
- American veterinarians
- Physicians from Louisiana
- Louisiana State University alumni
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- Baptists from the United States
