Bob Latta | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's5th district | |
| Assumed office December 13, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Gillmor |
| Member of theOhio House of Representatives | |
| In office January 7, 2003 – December 13, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Schaffer |
| Succeeded by | Randy Gardner |
| Constituency | 6th district |
| In office January 2, 2001 – December 31, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Randy Gardner |
| Succeeded by | John R. Willamowski |
| Constituency | 4th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Edward Latta (1956-04-18)April 18, 1956 (age 69) Bluffton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Bowling Green State University (BA) University of Toledo (JD) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Robert Edward Latta (/ˈlætə/LAT-ə; born April 18, 1956) is an American politician who is theUnited States representative forOhio's 5th congressional district. Currently in his 10th term, Latta has served in Congress since 2007, and prior to that he served four terms in theOhio House of Representatives. He is a member of theRepublican Party. The fifth district includes many ofToledo's suburbs, as well asFindlay,Bowling Green,Napoleon,Sylvania,Defiance andVan Wert, and a sliver of Toledo itself.
Born inBluffton, Ohio, Latta earned hisBachelor of Arts atBowling Green State University in 1978 and hisJuris Doctor at theUniversity of Toledo College of Law in 1981. Latta was inducted intoOmicron Delta Kappa in 1995 as an alumnus of Bowling Green State University. His father,Del Latta, represented the 5th from 1959 to 1989 and served as ranking Republican on theHouse Budget Committee from 1975 to his retirement. Latta worked as a private practice attorney before entering politics.
Latta served as aWood County Commissioner from 1991 to 1996. He then represented the2nd Senate District in theOhio Senate from 1997 to 2001 and the 6th house district in theOhio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007.
In 2018, the Conservative Review gave him a 58% rating.Americans for Prosperity has given him a lifetime rating of 90%. In 2017, the Campaign for Working Families gave him a rating of 100%. In 2017, theJohn Birch Society gave him a Freedom Index rating of 60%. TheAmerican Conservative Union has given him a lifetime rating of 91%.
On July 22, 2014, Latta introduced a bill that would direct theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow manufacturers ofelectronic devices with a screen to display information required by the agency digitally on the screen rather than on a label affixed to the device.[1][2]
In 2015, Latta cosponsored a resolution toamend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[3]
In December 2020, Latta was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election, in whichJoe Biden defeated[4] incumbentDonald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[5][6][7]
On May 19, 2021, Latta voted against establishing an independent commission to investigate thestorming of the U.S. Capitol. In 2021, he introduced legislation to prohibit municipalities from building their own broadband networks.[8]
Latta is Catholic.[15] He is an avid sportsman and lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio. He and his wife, Marcia, live in Bowling Green and have two daughters.[16] He is the son of former CongressmanDel Latta and Rose Mary Kiene Latta and serves in the seat his father held in Congress from 1959 to 1989.
Latta ran in the Republican primary for the congressional seat that opened up in 1988 after his fatherDel announced his retirement. He lost by 27 votes to thenOhio State Senate presidentPaul Gillmor, who won the general election.
After Gillmor's sudden death in September 2007, Latta ran again for the seat. He defeated State SenatorSteve Buehrer, among other candidates, in the special primary. In the December 11special general election, Latta defeatedDemocratic nomineeRobin Weirauch, 57% to 43%. He was sworn in on December 13, 2007.[17]
Latta defeated Democratic nominee Caleb Finkenbiner and Libertarian nominee Brian L. Smith.
Latta defeated Democratic nominee Angela Zimmann and Libertarian nominee Eric Eberly.[18][19] He was endorsed by theUnited States Chamber of Commerce, the NFIB, theNRA Political Victory Fund and National Right to Life.[20][21][22][23][24]
| Election results[25] | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | Office | Election | Name | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||||
| 1996 | Ohio Senate | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 77,796 | 54.8% | Chris Redfern | Democratic | 64,279 | 45.2% | ||||||||
| 2000 | Ohio House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 31,461 | 64.6% | Dean Clarke | Democratic | 15,731 | 32.3% | Milton Mann | Libertarian | 1,483 | 3.0% | ||||
| 2002 | Ohio House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 25,493 | 68.1% | Scott McCarty | Democratic | 11,932 | 31.9% | ||||||||
| 2004 | Ohio House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 36,625 | 62.5% | Scott McCarty | Democratic | 21,971 | 37.5% | ||||||||
| 2006 | Ohio House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 25,494 | 56.9% | Jeffrey Bretz | Democratic | 19,346 | 43.1% | ||||||||
| 2007 | U.S. House of Representatives | Special General | Bob Latta | Republican | 56,114 | 57.0% | Robin Weirauch | Democratic | 42,229 | 42.9% | John Green | Write-in | 167 | 0.17% | ||||
| 2008 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 188,905 | 64.1% | George Mays | Democratic | 105,840 | 35.9% | ||||||||
| 2010 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 140,703 | 67.8% | Caleb Finkenbiner | Democratic | 54,919 | 26.5% | Brian Smith | Libertarian | 11,831 | 5.7% | ||||
| 2012 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 201,514 | 57.3% | Angela Zimmann | Democratic | 137,806 | 39.2% | Eric Eberly | Libertarian | 12,558 | 3.6% | ||||
| 2014 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 134,449 | 66.5% | Robert Fry | Democratic | 58,507 | 28.9% | Eric Eberly | Libertarian | 9,344 | 4.6% | ||||
| 2016 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 244,599 | 70.9% | James Neu | Democratic | 100,392 | 29.1% | ||||||||
| 2018 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 173,894 | 62.46% | J. Michael Galbraith | Democratic | 97,352 | 34.96% | ||||||||
| 2020 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 257,019 | 68.0% | Nick Rubando | Democratic | 120,962 | 32.0% | ||||||||
| 2022 | U.S. House of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 187,303 | 66.9% | Craig Swartz | Democratic | 92,634 | 33.1% | ||||||||
| 2024 | U.S. House Of Representatives | General | Bob Latta | Republican | 255,633 | 67.5% | Keith Mundy | Democratic | 123,024 | 37.5% | ||||||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's 5th congressional district 2007–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 63rd | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| People | |
