Jody Hice

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jody Hice
Jody Hice 116th Congress official photo.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 10th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byPaul Broun
Personal details
Born
Jody Brownlow Hice

(1960-04-22) April 22, 1960 (age 61)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Dee Dee Hice
​
(m. 1983)​
Children2
EducationAsbury University (BA)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv)
Luther Rice College & Seminary (DMin)
OccupationPastor
WebsiteHouse website

Jody Brownlow Hice (born April 22, 1960) is an American politician, radio show host, and political activist serving as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 10th congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Hice is a candidate in the 2022 Georgia Secretary of State election, running against incumbent Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican. Raffensperger had refused to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia after former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including Hice, made claims of fraud. After announcing his run, Hice was endorsed by Trump.[1]

Early life and education[]

Hice is a native of Atlanta and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia.[2]

Early career[]

Hice was senior pastor of Bethlehem First Baptist Church, until April 2010[3] in Bethlehem, Georgia. In addition, he was first vice president of the Georgia Baptist Convention (2004–05) and Professor of Preaching at Luther Rice Seminary. Hice was senior pastor at The Summit Church, a Southern Baptist church, in Loganville, Georgia from 2011 until December 2013, when he stepped down to run for office.

Hice started Let Freedom Ring, a talk radio show originally heard on WIMO 1300 AM, Bethlehem, Georgia.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives[]

Official freshman portrait (114th Congress)

Elections[]

2010[]

Main article: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 7

Hice unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia's 7th congressional district in 2010.[5]

2014[]

Main article: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 10

Georgia's 10th congressional district became an open seat when the sitting representative, Paul Broun, announced his bid for U.S. Senate in 2014.[6] Hice was the second to formally enter the race on April 15, 2013, citing government spending as his foremost concern.[7] Hice was soon joined by 5 other candidates, leading to a seven-way primary election campaign. Hice placed first in the primary on May 20, 2014 with 34% of the vote, followed closely by Collins who won 33%.[8]

No candidate won 50% of the vote, triggering a primary runoff election between the top two candidates, Hice and Mike Collins. The close race quickly grew heated amid accusations of campaign sign theft from both sides and reports of supporters being harassed at debates.[9] Hice ultimately won the run-off, grabbing 54% of the vote.[10]

Hice faced a Democratic opponent in November election, which he won (66.52%-33.48%) in a Republican wave on November 4, 2014.[11]

2018[]

Main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 10

After winning the Republican primary with 78% of the vote, Hice faced off in the 2018 general election against Democratic challenger, Tabitha A. Johnson-Green.[12]

During an October 2018 campaign event in which he appeared with Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, Hice decried former President Obama as having "pushed his own socialist agenda" during his two terms in office. Hice urged the small crowd gathered to oppose the resurgence of Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, declaring "it's time for this so-called blue wave to be body slammed!" [13]

Hice defeated Johnson-Green in the general election.[14]

2020[]

Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 10

After winning the Republican primary, Hice once again faced off in the 2020 general election against Democratic challenger, Tabitha A. Johnson-Green. Hice defeated Johnson-Green in the general election.[15]

In January 2021, Hice made an unsuccessful objection to the counting of Georgia's electoral votes. Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler had planned on objecting to the Georgia electors, but withdrew her objection after a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier in the day. Hice was one of the 139 Republican representatives who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Congress that day.[16]

Committee assignments[]

Caucus memberships[]

2022 Georgia Secretary of State election[]

On March 22, 2021, Hice announced that he would run against incumbent Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, in 2022.[22] Raffensperger had refused to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia after Trump and his Republican allies, including Hice, made false claims of fraud.[23][24][1] After Hice announced his run, Trump endorsed him.[1][25] During his campaign, Hice continued to make numerous false claims about the 2020 election.[26]

Political positions[]

Hice calls himself a "constitutional conservative."[27] He has a history of repeatedly sharing quotes falsely attributed to the Founding Fathers.[27] He has been described as a staunch Donald Trump loyalist and an America First (policy) Republican[28]

Economic issues[]

Hice supports a balanced budget amendment.[29]

Hice supports auditing the federal reserve and its activities around mortgages. He co-sponsored the Federal Reserve Transparency Act.[29]

Hice voted for the 2017 Republican tax legislation.[30][31]

Abortion[]

Hice opposes abortion.[32] Hice has said that supporters of abortion rights are worse than Adolf Hitler.[32] Hice believes that life begins at fertilization or cloning. He opposes family planning assistance that includes abortion.[33]

U.S. Capitol Police[]

In June 2021, Hice was among 21 House Republicans who voted against a resolution to give the Congressional Gold Medal to police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6.[34]

Foreign policy[]

In 2021, during a House vote on a measure condemning the Myanmar coup d'état that overwhelmingly passed, Hice was among fourteen Republican Representatives who voted against it, for reasons reported to be unclear.[35]

Congressman Hice meeting with Fort Gordon official.

In July 2021, Hice voted against the bipartisan ALLIES Act, which would increase by 8,000 the number of special immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S. military during its invasion of Afghanistan, while also reducing some application requirements that caused long application backlogs; the bill passed in the House 407–16.[36]

Interest group ratings[]

Hice has a "D" rating from pro-marijuana legalization group NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related issues.[37]

LGBT rights[]

Hice opposes same-sex marriage.[38] According to Right Wing Watch, Hice compared homosexuality to alcoholism and opposed a ban on gay conversion therapy.[39] He has promoted pseudoscientific claims and myths about gay people.[40] In a 2012 book, Hice alleged that gay people were plotting to recruit and sodomize children.[32] He has compared gay relationships to incest and bestiality.[32]

Religious issues[]

Hice was a leading supporter of the public display of the Ten Commandments in government buildings; he founded Ten Commandments Georgia, Inc., a group advocating for the display of the Ten Commandments in every Georgia county courthouses. Hice began the initiative as a pastor, waging a fight against the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over a display in the Barrow County Courthouse, and later supported similar efforts in the Morgan County Superior Courthouse.[41]

In September 2008, Hice was one of 33 pastors across America who participated in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday"[42] in opposition to the Johnson Amendment, a provision of the tax code that prohibits tax-exempt organizations (such as churches) from endorsing or opposing political candidates. In the sermon, Hice endorsed Senator John McCain for President.[43]

Hice has argued that Christians have been "tricked" into a "false belief" in separation of church and state.[44][45] Hice asserted that church-state separation led to government corruption.[44]

In his 2012 book A Call to Reclaim America, Hice claimed that "Although Islam has a religious component, it is much more than a simple religious ideology. It is a complete geo-political structure and, as such, does not deserve First Amendment protection."[46] In his book It's Now or Never, Hice also quoted former U.S. general William G. Boykin as stating that there is a Muslim Brotherhood plot to take over the United States.[47]

Texas v. Pennsylvania[]

In December 2020, Hice was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[48] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[49][50][51]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Hice and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[52][53] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Hice and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit. Pascrell argued that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[54]

DC statehood[]

In March 2021, in a statement on the House floor, Hice argued against statehood for the District of Columbia and HR 51 by claiming that DC would be the only state "without an airport, without a car dealership." Hice was criticized for his statements as airports and car dealerships are not prerequisites to statehood and that DC does, in fact, have car dealerships. His Democratic colleague Jamie Raskin called his argument "frivolous" and accused Republicans of attempting to "gin up whatever arguments they can think of" to oppose DC statehood.[55]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Haberman, Maggie (March 22, 2021). "Trump endorses Jody Hice, a congressman, to run against Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bio of Jody Hice". Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "Jody Hice Pastors First Baptist Church of Bethlehem, GA". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  4. ^ "Current Stations Airing The Jody Hice Show". Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  5. ^ "Congressional candidates court Barrow voters". BarrowNewsJournal.com. June 9, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  6. ^ Killough, Ashley (February 6, 2013). "Georgia Rep. Paul Broun to run for Senate". CNN.
  7. ^ Galloway, Jim (April 15, 2013). "Jody Hice enters GOP race to replace Paul Broun". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  8. ^ "Ga Election Results". GA Secretary of State Page. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  9. ^ Cochran, Kelsey (July 20, 2014). "Hice, Collins campaign heats up with reports of sign thefts, 'shenanigans'". Athens Banner-Herald.
  10. ^ "Georgia – Summary Vote Results". Associated Press. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  11. ^ "covnews.com, Jody Hice wins seat in U.S. House, November 4, 2014". covnews.com. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  12. ^ Webb, Ashlyn. "Georgia's 10th Congressional District: Democratic candidate Tabitha Johnson-Green". The Red and Black. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  13. ^ Gambino, Lauren (October 29, 2018). "Republican congressman: time to 'body-slam' Democrats' midterm hopes". The Guardian. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  14. ^ Holland, Maggie (November 6, 2018). "Breaking: Jody Hice seals third term as Georgia District 10 Representative". Red and Black. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  15. ^ Raffensperger, Brad. "November 3, 2020 General Election Official Results - Totals include all Absentee and Provisional Ballots". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  17. ^ "What is the House Freedom Caucus, and who's in it?". Pew Research Center. October 20, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  18. ^ "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Members of the Veterinary Medicine Caucus". Veterinary Medicine Caucus. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  20. ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  21. ^ "Committees : Congressman Jody Hice". hice.house.gov. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  22. ^ Bluestein, Greg (March 22, 2021). "Hice launches challenge to Raffensperger in race for Secretary of State". AJC. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  23. ^ Salamy, Elissa (December 31, 2020). "Congressman Hice: I'm totally convinced' of voter fraud in Georgia". KECI. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  24. ^ "VERIFY: Video Trump tweeted about Fulton re-scan report is wrong". 11Alive.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  25. ^ Fowler, Stephen. "Rep. Jody Hice, Who Pushed False Election Conspiracies, Announces Secretary Of State Run". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  26. ^ Dale, Daniel. "Fact check: Trump-backed candidate for Georgia elections chief begins campaign with false claims about 2020 election". CNN. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b Kaczynski, Andrew (August 26, 2014). "Nearly Every Founding Fathers' Quote Shared By A Likely Future Congressman Is Fake". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  28. ^ Zanona, Melanie. "Trump's House GOP fans don his mantle as they seek higher office". POLITICO.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b "Doug Collins on Budget & Economy". On the Issues. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  30. ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  31. ^ Yeomans, Curt. "POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Gwinnett's Republican representatives in Washington celebrate tax bill passage". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Murphy, Tim. "GOP House candidate: there's a gay plot to recruit and sodomize your kids". Mother Jones. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  33. ^ "Doug Collins on Abortion". On The Issues. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  34. ^ Grayer, Annie; Wilson, Kristin (June 16, 2021). "21 Republicans vote no on bill to award Congressional Gold Medal for January 6 police officers". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  35. ^ Diaz, Daniella; Wilson, Kristin (March 19, 2021). "14 House Republicans vote against a measure condemning military coup in Myanmar". CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  36. ^ Quarshie, Mabinty (August 17, 2021). "These 16 Republicans voted against speeding up visas for Afghans fleeing the Taliban". USA Today. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  37. ^ "Georgia Scorecard". NORML. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  38. ^ Jody Hice is likely headed to Congress, Sean Sullivan, July 23, 2014, Washington Post
  39. ^ Sarlin, Benjy. "Anti-Islam pastor Jody Hice wins Georgia primary". MSNBC.
  40. ^ Tribune, David Clemons | The. "Hice claims 'voter fraud' with Trump losing election". WaltonTribune.com. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  41. ^ Tia Lynn Ivey, Commandments placed inside courthouse, Morgan County Citizen (September 2, 2020); Tia Lynn Ivey, [1], Morgan County Citizen (March 11, 2020); Carol McLeod, Historical documents now on display in courthouses, Augusta Chronicle (April 4, 2012).
  42. ^ "Jody Hice Returns To National Spotlight With Presidential Endorsement". onlineathens.com. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  43. ^ "Churches await IRS response after protest". NBC News. April 24, 2009. Retrieved May 20, 2009.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b "Rep. Jody Hice: Church-State Separation Encourages Corruption". Right Wing Watch. People for the American Way.
  45. ^ "Congressman Jody Hice: Christians 'Tricked' Into Believing Separation Of Church And State". Fox News Radio. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015.
  46. ^ Bookman, Jay (June 23, 2014). "Is the First Amendment only for Christians?". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014.
  47. ^ Hice, Jody. It's Now or Never, pg. 155
  48. ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  49. ^ Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  50. ^ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  51. ^ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  52. ^ Smith, David (December 12, 2020). "Supreme court rejects Trump-backed Texas lawsuit aiming to overturn election results". The Guardian. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  53. ^ "Pelosi Statement on Supreme Court Rejecting GOP Election Sabotage Lawsuit" (Press release). Speaker Nancy Pelosi. December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  54. ^ Williams, Jordan (December 11, 2020). "Democrat asks Pelosi to refuse to seat lawmakers supporting Trump's election challenges". TheHill. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  55. ^ Dorman, John L. "GOP Rep. Jody Hice argued against DC statehood by incorrectly citing a lack of car dealerships". Business Insider. Retrieved March 23, 2021.

External links[]

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Paul Broun 		Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 10th congressional district
2015–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Glenn Grothman 		United States representatives by seniority
220th 		Succeeded by
French Hill
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Georgia's delegation(s) to the 114th-present United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)
114th
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House:
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Senate:
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