Rush Holt, Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 12th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Mike Pappas
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	October 15, 1948 Weston, West Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Margaret Lancefield
Religion	Quaker

Rush Dew Holt, Jr. (born October 15, 1948, Weston, West Virginia) is an American Democratic Party politician and the current U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. He is currently the only Quaker in the Congress and only one of three -- with Vern Ehlers (R-MI) and David Price (D-NC) -- who have earned a doctorate. Official image of Congressman Rush D. Holt This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... For the Bon Jovi album, see New Jersey (album) Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... New Jerseys Twelfth Congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rush D. Holt Jr. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Michael J. Pappas is a former Republican Congressman from New Jersey. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Weston is a city in Lewis County, West Virginia along the West Fork River. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... The Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as Quakers) is a Christian religious denomination that began in England in the 17th century by people who were dissatisfied with the existing denominations and sects of Christianity. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Weston is a city in Lewis County, West Virginia along the West Fork River. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... For the Bon Jovi album, see New Jersey (album) Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... New Jerseys Twelfth Congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rush D. Holt Jr. ... U.S. Congressional districts are determined after each census. ... Vernon James Ehlers (born February 6, 1934), American politician, is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 3rd District of Michigan (map). ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... There have been a number of people named David Price: Sir David Price (British politician) was a British Conservative Member of Parliament in the 1970s and 1980s David Price (Canadian politician) was a Member of Parliament from Quebec David Price (American politician) is a Democratic Congressman representing the 4th district... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ...

Early life, career and family

Rush Holt was born to Rush D. Holt Sr., who served as a United States Senator for West Virginia (1935 – 1941), and his wife Helen Holt, the first woman to be appointed West Virginia Secretary of State (1957 – 1959).^[1] Holt Sr. was the youngest person ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate, at age 29. He died of cancer when Rush was six years old. Rush Dew Holt Sr. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ...

Holt graduated with a BA degree in physics from Carleton College in Minnesota, and holds MS and PhD degrees in physics from New York University. Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College Carleton College is an independent, non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The school was founded on November 14, 1866, by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches as Northfield College. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... Doctor of Philosophy (from Greek , meaning Teacher of Philosophy), typically abbreviated Ph. ... New York University (NYU) is a major research university in New York City. ...

Holt served as a faculty member at Swarthmore College from 1980 to 1988 where he taught physics, public policy, and religion courses. During that time, he also worked as a Congressional Science Fellow for U.S. Representative Bob Edgar of Pennsylvania. From 1987 until 1989, Holt headed the Nuclear and Scientific Division of the Office of Strategic Forces at the U.S. Department of State. Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,450 students. ... Rev. ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ...

From 1989 until his successful congressional campaign in 1998, Holt was the Assistant Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University, the University's largest research facility and the largest center for energy research in New Jersey. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science. ... Princeton University is a coeducational private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States of America. ...

Holt is married to Margaret Lancefield, a physician and Medical Director of the charity clinic of the University Medical Center at Princeton. They have three grown children: Michael, Dejan and Rachel; and six grandchildren: Noah, Niala, Boaz, Varun, Cecile, and Rohan.

United States House of Representatives

Holt's first race was in 1996, where he finished in third place in the Democratic party primary. Holt ran again in 1998 and won the primary, pitting him against conservative Congressman Mike Pappas in the general election. Pappas' campaign experienced a setback after he read a poem, set to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", praising Kenneth Starr on the floor of the House of Representatives. Holt won the election by a 51-48% margin, becoming the first Democrat to represent the district in two decades.^[2] The U.S. House election, 1996 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1996 which coincided with the re-election of Bill Clinton as President. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... A primary election is an election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election (nominating primary). ... Michael J. Pappas is a former Republican Congressman from New Jersey. ... Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is one of the most popular English nursery rhymes. ... Kenneth Winston Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (born July 21, 1946) is an American lawyer and former judge who was appointed to the Office of the Independent Counsel to investigate the death of the deputy White House counsel Vince Foster and the Whitewater land transactions by President Bill Clinton. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ...

Holt was challenged by former Republican Congressman Dick Zimmer in the 2000 election; Holt's prior win was thought by Republicans to be a fluke, and the race attracted considerable money and advertising. The election was hotly contested, with Zimmer ahead on election night, but Holt ahead the next day. Ten days after the election, Holt declared himself the winner by 481 votes. Zimmer challenged the results, but conceded after the count began to go against him.^[3][4] Richard A. Dick Zimmer is an American politician of the Republican Party. ... The elections for the United States House of Representatives in 2000 coincided with the disputed election of George W. Bush as President. ...

Redistricting before the 2002 elections made Holt safer, in part by adding much of Trenton. While Holt faced a fairly well-funded challenge from New Jersey Secretary of State Buster Soaries, an African-American, he defeated Soaries handily with 61% of the vote. He was reelected again in 2004 over Bill Spadea (59-41%) and in 2006 over former Helmetta, New Jersey Council President Joseph Sinagra (65-35%). The process known as redistricting in the United States and redistribution in many Commonwealth countries is the changing of political borders (in many countries, specifically the electoral district/constituency boundaries) usually in response to periodic census results. ... The Elections for the United States House of Representatives on 5 November 2002 was in the middle of President George W. Bushs first term. ... Nickname: Trent, T-Town Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area    - City 21. ... Reverend DeForest B. Soaries is an American Baptist minister, politician, author, and public advocate, from Franklin Park, New Jersey. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Predominantly Christianity and Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Summary of party change of U.S. house seats in the 2004 House election. ... Bill Spadea was the Republican nominee for United States Congress in New Jerseys 12th congressional district in 2004. ... This article discusses only races that resulted in a seats party switch in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2006 (mid-term) election. ... Helmetta is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. ... Joseph Sinagra (born December 20, 1946, New Brunswick, New Jersey) is and American Republican Party politician, who is the candidate for the United States House of Representatives in New Jerseys 12th congressional district. ...

On May 22, 2003, Holt introduced legislation to require electronic voting machines to produce a paper record in time for the 2004 elections. The bill entitled Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003 is designed to address concerns that there is no way to verify vote counts on electronic touch screen voting machines, should a similar situation arise as did in Florida during the 2000 presidential election. May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Electronic voting machine by Diebold Election Systems used in all Brazilian elections and plebiscites. ... The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003 (VCIAA) bill was introduced to the House on May 22, 2003 as H.R. 2239 by Rush D. Holt, Jr. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 162 miles (260 km)  - Length 497 miles (800 km)  - % water 17. ... Presidential election results map. ...

In Congress, Holt serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was appointed Chairman of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Policy by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at the start of the 110th Congress. Congressman Holt is the only representative from New Jersey to serve on the committee. ^[5]He also serves on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Holt received a grade of 100% on the progressive Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.^[6] He is currently the only Quaker in Congress.^[7] The U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Peter Hoekstra. ... Nancy Patricia DAlesssandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland) is the 60th and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ... The 110th United States Congress will be in session from noon on January 3, 2007 until noon on January 3, 2009. ... The Committee on Education and Labor is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-partisan, non-profit policy institute founded during the civil rights movement. ...

At the first meeting of the 110th Congress Rush Holt was the first Congressman to bring an issue to the Speaker. He has been active in contested elections especially the current one in Florida. The 110th United States Congress will be in session from noon on January 3, 2007 until noon on January 3, 2009. ...

References

External links

• Official House of Representatives site
• Official campaign site
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress