Rick W. Allen

Rick Allen
Rick Allen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Georgia's 12th district
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 3, 2015
Preceded by	John Barrow
Personal details
Born	November 7, 1951 (age 69); Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Robin Allen (m. 1975)
Children	4
Education	Auburn University (BS)
Net worth	$11.7 million (2018)
Website	House website

Richard Wayne Allen (born November 7, 1951) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Career[]

Allen attended Auburn University and earned a degree in building construction. He is the founder of R.W. Allen and Associates, a construction company headquartered in Augusta.^[2]

U.S. House of Representatives[]

Elections[]

Allen ran in the Republican primary for the 12th district against three other candidates. Allen advanced to the runoff, but lost to State Representative Lee Anderson, 49.7% to 50.3%.^[3] Anderson went on to lose the general election to incumbent John Barrow.

Allen ran again in 2014, this time making it to the general election. Allen defeated Barrow in the November election, in a result considered an upset even though the 12th district had been made significantly more Republican in redistricting.^[4]^[5]

Allen was re-elected with 62% of the vote in 2016.

After winning the Republican primary with 75.99% of the vote, Allen faced off in the 2018 general election against Democratic challenger, lawyer and pastor Francys Johnson.^[6] He was re-elected with 61% of the vote.

Allen was re-elected with 58% of the vote in 2020.

Committee assignments[]

Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training
- Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions

Caucuses[]

Republican Study Committee^[7]

Tenure[]

LGBT rights[]

During a closed-door Republican meeting discussing an amendment that prohibited discrimination against LGBT workers, Allen read a Bible verse that says about homosexuals "they which commit such things are worthy of death."^[8] Allen told the assembled Republicans that they are "going to Hell" if they vote for the proposed anti-discrimination amendment.^[9]

After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Allen offered prayers to the family of the victims but did not apologize or retract his past comments.^[10]^[8]

Texas v. Pennsylvania[]

Congressman Rick Allen speaking to the Georgia State Senate in 2017.

In December 2020, Allen 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^[11] 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.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Foreign policy[]

In 2019, Allen was one of 60 Representatives that voted against condemning former president Trump's withdrawal from Syria.^[15]^{[non-primary source needed]}

In 2020, Allen voted against the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 which would prevent the president from withdrawing soldiers from Afghanistan without congressional approval.^[16]^{[non-primary source needed]}

Personal life[]

Allen lives in Augusta, Georgia. A Methodist, he is married to Robin Allen and has four children.

References[]

^ "Ranking the Net Worth of the 115th". Retrieved August 5, 2019.
^ "Project Vote Smart – The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
^ McCord, Susan (September 5, 2012). "Vote recount certifies Lee Anderson as winner of GOP runoff for U.S. District 12 seat". The Augusta Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
^ Galloway, Jim (November 4, 2014). "Nunn, Carter, and Barrow defeated; Georgia's Democratic revolution is stillborn". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ Davis, Janel (November 5, 2014). "Rick Allen upsets John Barrow for Georgia congressional seat". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ Suggs, Ernie (July 25, 2017). "Georgia NAACP president steps down with an eye toward politics". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Shutt, Jennifer (May 26, 2016). "Homosexuals 'Worthy of Death' Bible Verse Read Before Key Vote". Roll Call. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ Badash, David (May 26, 2016). "GOP Congressman Quotes Bible, Tells Republicans They Are 'Going to Hell' if They Vote for LGBT Bill". The New Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
^ Shutt, Jennifer (June 15, 2016). "Congressman Who Read Anti-Gay Bible Verse Prays for Orlando Victims' Loved Ones". Roll Call. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ "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.
^ 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.
^ "H.J.Res. 77: Opposing the decision to end certain United States ... -- House Vote #560 -- Oct 16, 2019".
^ "H.R. 6395: William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act ... -- House Vote #152 -- Jul 21, 2020".

External links[]

Congressman Rick Allen official U.S. House website
Rick Allen for Congress
Rick Allen at Curlie
Appearances on C-SPAN
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Profile at Vote Smart
Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by John Barrow	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 1st congressional district 2015–present	Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Pete Aguilar	United States representatives by seniority 207th	Succeeded by Brian Babin

[1] "Ranking the Net Worth of the 115th". Retrieved August 5, 2019.

[2] "Project Vote Smart – The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 10, 2015.

[3] McCord, Susan (September 5, 2012). "Vote recount certifies Lee Anderson as winner of GOP runoff for U.S. District 12 seat". The Augusta Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2018.

[4] Galloway, Jim (November 4, 2014). "Nunn, Carter, and Barrow defeated; Georgia's Democratic revolution is stillborn". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

[5] Davis, Janel (November 5, 2014). "Rick Allen upsets John Barrow for Georgia congressional seat". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

[6] Suggs, Ernie (July 25, 2017). "Georgia NAACP president steps down with an eye toward politics". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

[7] "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

[divide-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b Shutt, Jennifer (May 26, 2016). "Homosexuals 'Worthy of Death' Bible Verse Read Before Key Vote". Roll Call. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

[9] Badash, David (May 26, 2016). "GOP Congressman Quotes Bible, Tells Republicans They Are 'Going to Hell' if They Vote for LGBT Bill". The New Civil Rights Movement. Retrieved June 16, 2016.

[10] Shutt, Jennifer (June 15, 2016). "Congressman Who Read Anti-Gay Bible Verse Prays for Orlando Victims' Loved Ones". Roll Call. Retrieved June 16, 2016.

[11] 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.

[12] 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.

[:1-13] "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.

[14] 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.

[15] "H.J.Res. 77: Opposing the decision to end certain United States ... -- House Vote #560 -- Oct 16, 2019".

[16] "H.R. 6395: William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act ... -- House Vote #152 -- Jul 21, 2020".

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show v t Georgia's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators	▌Jon Ossoff (D) ▌Raphael Warnock (D)
Representatives (ordered by district)	▌Buddy Carter (R) ▌Sanford Bishop (D) ▌Drew Ferguson (R) ▌Hank Johnson (D) ▌Nikema Williams (D) ▌Lucy McBath (D) ▌Carolyn Bourdeaux (D) ▌Austin Scott (R) ▌Andrew Clyde (R) ▌Jody Hice (R) ▌Barry Loudermilk (R) ▌Rick Allen (R) ▌David Scott (D) ▌Marjorie Taylor Greene (R)

show v t Georgia's delegation(s) to the 114th-present United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)
114th	Senate: ▌J. Isakson (R) ▌D. Perdue (R)	House: ▌J. Lewis (D) ▌S. Bishop (D) ▌D. Scott (D) ▌T. Price (R) ▌L. Westmoreland (R) ▌H. Johnson (D) ▌T. Graves (R) ▌A. Scott (R) ▌R. Woodall (R) ▌D. Collins (R) ▌R. Allen (R) ▌B. Carter (R) ▌J. Hice (R) ▌B. Loudermilk (R)
115th	Senate: ▌J. Isakson (R) ▌D. Perdue (R)	House: ▌J. Lewis (D) ▌S. Bishop (D) ▌D. Scott (D) ▌T. Price (R) ▌H. Johnson (D) ▌T. Graves (R) ▌A. Scott (R) ▌R. Woodall (R) ▌D. Collins (R) ▌R. Allen (R) ▌B. Carter (R) ▌J. Hice (R) ▌B. Loudermilk (R) ▌D. Ferguson (R) ▌K. Handel (R)
116th	Senate: ▌J. Isakson (R) ▌D. Perdue (R) ▌K. Loeffler (R)	House: ▌J. Lewis (D) ▌S. Bishop (D) ▌D. Scott (D) ▌H. Johnson (D) ▌T. Graves (R) ▌A. Scott (R) ▌R. Woodall (R) ▌D. Collins (R) ▌R. Allen (R) ▌B. Carter (R) ▌J. Hice (R) ▌B. Loudermilk (R) ▌D. Ferguson (R) ▌L. McBath (D) ▌K. Hall (D)
117th	Senate: ▌K. Loeffler (R) ▌J. Ossoff (D) ▌R. Warnock (D)	House: ▌S. Bishop (D) ▌D. Scott (D) ▌H. Johnson (D) ▌A. Scott (R) ▌R. Allen (R) ▌B. Carter (R) ▌J. Hice (R) ▌B. Loudermilk (R) ▌D. Ferguson (R) ▌L. McBath (D) ▌C. Bourdeaux (D) ▌A. Clyde (R) ▌M. Greene (R) ▌N. Williams (D)