Bob Gibbs

Robert Brian Gibbs[1] (born June 14, 1954) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 7th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Bob Gibbs
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Zack Space
Constituency	18th district (2011–2013) 7th district (2013–present)
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 22nd district
In office January 5, 2009 – December 31, 2010
Preceded by	Ron Amstutz
Succeeded by	Larry Obhof
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 97th district
In office January 3, 2003 – December 31, 2008
Preceded by	Bryan Flannery
Succeeded by	Dave Hall
Personal details
Born	Robert Brian Gibbs June 14, 1954 Peru, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Jody Cox ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	3
Education	Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (AAS)

Early life, education, and agricultural career

Gibbs was born on June 14, 1954 in Peru, Indiana. His family moved to Cleveland in the 1960s, and Gibbs graduated from Bay Village Senior High School. In 1974, he graduated from the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute[2] and moved to Lakeville, Ohio where he co-founded Hidden Hollow Farms, Ltd. Formerly a producer of swine, Hidden Hollow Farms currently produces corn and soybeans.[3]

Gibbs served as president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation,[4] Ohio's largest agriculture organization which has over 210,000 members. Gibbs first joined the Ohio Farm Bureau board of trustees in 1985. Gibbs also served as a board member of the Farm Bureau Bank, the Ohio Livestock Coalition, the Ohio Cooperative Council, and the Ohio Farm Bureau Alliance. Gibbs was also president of the Loudonville Farmers Equity Company[5] in Loudonville, Ohio, where he served on the board for 12 years. Gibbs has also served as president of the Holmes County (Ohio) extension advisory committee, the Holmes County Farm Bureau, and as a supervisor for the Holmes County Soil & Water Conservation Service.[6]

Ohio House of Representatives

Elections

Gibbs was first elected to the Ohio General Assembly in 2002, defeating Democrat Tom Mason of Ashland for a newly drawn district in the Ohio House.[7] He was re-elected in 2004 in a rematch against Mason.[8] During the 2006 statewide election, Gibbs was re-elected, receiving 60% over Democratic challenger James P. Riley,[9] a former township trustee from Sullivan, Ohio. Gibbs began his third term in the Ohio House of Representatives on January 2, 2007 and decided to run for Ohio Senate in 2009 to fill the seat vacated by state senator Ron Amstutz, due to term limits.

Tenure

In 2006 Gibbs was appointed to serve as a member of the special task force to study eminent domain and its use and application in Ohio. The committee spent most of the year studying the issue and issued its final report in August 2006 with recommendations to the General Assembly.[10]

Committee assignments

During his last term Gibbs was chairman of the House ways and means committee. He was also a member of the agriculture & natural resources committee, financial institutions, real estate and securities committee, health care access and affordability committee, and the insurance committee.

Ohio Senate

Elections

Gibbs won election to the Ohio Senate in 2008, and began his first term in 2009. On August 16, 2007, Gibbs formally announced that he would be a candidate for the 22nd district senate seat being vacated by the term limited incumbent senator, Ron Amstutz, (R- Wooster). Gibbs originally expected to face a primary challenge from state representative Jim Carmichael (R-Wayne County), but Carmichael dropped out of the race on October 21, 2007 in order to run for Wayne County commissioner. Gibbs faced Democrat James E. Riley, a job/security representative for the U.A.W. international union. Gibbs won with 59% of the vote.[11]

However, due to winning election to Congress in 2010, Gibbs resigned from the senate only serving half of one term.[12]

U.S. House of Representatives

2010

Gibbs faced Democratic incumbent Zack Space and Constitution Party nominee Lindsey Sutton in the general election. He won the Republican primary in an 8-way field. Following close results and a recount, Gibbs was certified the winner on June 4, 2010, a month after the primary election.[13]

On November 2, 2010, Gibbs defeated Space in the general election by nearly 14%. Gibbs won 14 of the 16 counties in the 18th congressional district.[14]

2012

After redistricting, Gibbs decided to run in the newly redrawn Ohio's 7th congressional district.[15][16] He faced Joyce Healy-Abrams, the Democratic nominee.[17] Gibbs went on to defeat Healy-Abrams in the November general election.[18]

2014

Gibbs won re-election to a third term unopposed.[19]

2016

Gibbs won re-election to a fourth term, defeating Democrat Roy Rich and independent Dan Phillip with 64% of the vote.

2018

Gibbs won re-election to a fifth term, defeating Democrat Ken Harbaugh with 58.7% of the vote.

2020

Gibbs won re-election to a sixth term, defeating Democrat Quentin Potter and Libertarian Brandon Lape with 67.5% of the vote.

Tenure

On March 4, 2013, Gibbs introduced the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2013 (H.R. 935; 113th Congress), a bill that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and states authorized to issue a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) from requiring a permit for some discharges of pesticides authorized for use under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).[20][21] In 2018, Gibbs was supported by the Great America Committee, a political action committee registered by Vice President Mike Pence.[22]

In December 2020, Gibbs 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[23] 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.[24][25][26]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Gibbs 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."[27][28] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Gibbs 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."[29]

On January 7, 2021, Gibbs objected to the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results in Congress based on spurious allegations of widespread voter fraud.[30]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment (chairman)

Gibbs is a member of the Republican Study Committee,[31] the Republican Main Street Partnership,[32] the Congressional Constitution Caucus[33] and the Congressional Western Caucus.[34]

Personal life

He is married to Jody Cox of Wooster, Ohio. They have three grown children and are members of the Nashville United Methodist Church in Nashville, Ohio.

Electoral history

Election results[35]
Year	Office	Election		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
2002	Ohio House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	18,182	62.44%		Thomas Mason	Democratic	10,939	37.56%
2004	Ohio House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	30,097	64.80%		Thomas Mason	Democratic	16,352	35.20%
2006	Ohio House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	21,853	60.48%		James E. Riley	Democratic	14,280	39.52%
2008	Ohio Senate	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	90,111	59.05%		James E. Riley	Democratic	62,504	40.96%
2010	U.S. House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	107,426	53.86%		Zack Space	Democratic	80,756	40.49%		Lindsey Sutton	Constitution	11,244	5.64%	*
2012	U.S. House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	178,104	56.40%		Joyce Healy-Abrams	Democratic	137,708	43.60%
2014	U.S. House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	143,959	100.00%
2016	U.S. House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	198,221	64.04%		Roy Rich	Democratic	89,638	28.96%		Dan Phillip	Independent	21,694	7.01%
2018	U.S. House of Representatives	General		Bob Gibbs	Republican	150,317	58.85%		Ken Harbaugh	Democratic	105,105	41.15%

*In 2010, write-in candidate Mark Pitrone received 20 votes.

References

1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-10-28. Retrieved 2012-08-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. "U. S. Rep. Bob Gibbs '74 to speak at 40th Commencement". ati.osu.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
3. "New Members 2010". The Hill. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
4. Crowell, Susan (2000-12-07). "McClure unseats OFB president in state leadership shake-up - Farm and Dairy". Farm and Dairy. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
5. "Agricultural Success". Loudonville Farmers Equity.
6. "Full Biography". House.gov. Archived from the original on 2011-03-03. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
7. "State Representative - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
8. "Ohio House of Representatives: November 2, 2004 - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
9. "Ohio House of Representatives: November 7, 2006 - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
10. "Legislature weighs eminent domain". Farm and Dairy. 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
11. "State Senator: November 4, 2008 - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
12. "Gongwer News Service - Ohio". www.gongwer-oh.com. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
13. "Representative to Congress - Republican: May 4, 2010 - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
14. "Representative to Congress: November 2, 2010 - Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
15. "Our Campaigns - OH District 07 - R Primary Race - Mar 06, 2012". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2012-02-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
17. "Ohio Secretary of State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-18. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
18. Genson, Loren (7 November 2012). "U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs wins re-election in 7th District". medinagazette.northcoastnow.com. Medina Gazette. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
19. "Ohio House results -- 2014 Election Center -- Elections and Politics from CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
20. "CBO – H.R. 935". Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
21. "H.R. 935 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
22. "Pence's PAC gives to 30 House members in second round of donations". POLITICO. Retrieved 2018-07-25.
23. 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.
24. Liptak, Adam (2020-12-11). "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 2020-12-12.
25. "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. 2020-12-11. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
26. 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.
27. Smith, David (2020-12-12). "Supreme court rejects Trump-backed Texas lawsuit aiming to overturn election results". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
28. "Pelosi Statement on Supreme Court Rejecting GOP Election Sabotage Lawsuit" (Press release). Speaker Nancy Pelosi. December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
29. Williams, Jordan (2020-12-11). "Democrat asks Pelosi to refuse to seat lawmakers supporting Trump's election challenges". TheHill. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
30. Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (2021-01-07). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
31. "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
32. "Members". Republican Main Street Partnership. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
33. "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
34. "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
35. "Election Results". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2016.

External links

• Congressman Bob Gibbs official U.S. House website
• Bob Gibbs for Congress
• Bob Gibbs 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