Dave McCurdy | |
|---|---|
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| Chair of theHouse Intelligence Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Beilenson |
| Succeeded by | Dan Glickman |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's4th district | |
| In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Steed |
| Succeeded by | J. C. Watts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Keith McCurdy (1950-03-30)March 30, 1950 (age 75) Canadian, Texas, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Pam McCurdy |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BA,JD) University of Edinburgh |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Air Force Reserve Command |
David Keith McCurdy (born March 30, 1950) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and former politician who was theDemocratic U.S. Representative fromOklahoma's 4th congressional district, in office from 1981 to 1995. Described as a moderate or conservative Democrat, McCurdy was a chair the centristDemocratic Leadership Council. In1994, he ran for the U.S. Senate, but lost to fellow RepresentativeJim Inhofe.
After leaving Congress, McCurdy became a lobbyist. He is a former president of theAmerican Gas Association.
McCurdy was born in the city ofCanadian, Texas. He received an undergraduate degree from theUniversity of Oklahoma in 1972 and aJD there three years later. He studiedinternational economics atScotland'sUniversity of Edinburgh as aRotary International Graduate Fellow.[1]
McCurdy served in theUnited States Air Force Reserve, attaining the rank ofmajor and serving as aJudge Advocate General (JAG). He was an AssistantAttorney General for the State of Oklahoma from 1975-77.[2]
McCurdy served for seven terms, from 1981-95.[2] In 1980 he ran forOklahoma's 4th congressional district seat in Congress, succeeding sixteen-term congressmanTom Steed fromShawnee. He trailed Oklahoma House Majority Leader James B. Townsend, also fromShawnee, in the Democratic primary 40% to 34%, then won 51.2% of the vote in the runoff election. McCurdy defeated Townsend with campaign commercials espousing prayer in public and support for a statue of Jesus Christ in the Wichita mountains, nearLawton.
He defeated Republican Howard Rutledge 74,245 to 71,339 in the general election, and again in 1982 by a vote of 84,205 to 44,351. He won a third term in 1984 by defeating Jerry Smith 109,447 to 60,844, with Libertarian Gordon Mobley picking up 1% of the vote. After winning 81.9% of the Democratic primary vote in 1986, McCurdy coasted to a fourth term with 94,984 votes (76.1%) over Republican Larry Humphreys. McCurdy had no Republican opponent in 1988, and won in 1990 with 73.6% of the vote in the general election. In 1992 he received 70.7% of the final tally.[citation needed]
Specializing innational security andintelligence issues, McCurdy was appointed to leadership positions in the field including chairmanships of the House Intelligence Committee,[3] Military Installations and Facilities Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee[4] and the Transportation Aviation and Materials Subcommittee of the Science and Space Committee.[5]
McCurdy founded and chaired a group of moderate and conservative House Democrats called the Mainstreet Forum. At its height in 1994, it counted seventy-two members.[6]
In Congress, McCurdy played a major role in the following pieces of legislation: the 1988 National Superconductivity Competitiveness Act,[7] the 1985Goldwater-Nichols Act, which re-organized theU.S. Department of Defense,[8] theNunn-McCurdy Amendment of 1982, requiring congressional notification of Defense cost overruns of 15% or more,[9] and the 1993 National Service Legislation, which originated in a bill introduced by Congressman McCurdy and formerGeorgia SenatorSam Nunn.[10]
In the 1990s, McCurdy was a national chairman of theDemocratic Leadership Council, a group that sought tomoderate the Democratic Party.[5] McCurdy was seen as a "rising national star."[11] According toGeorge Stephanopoulos in his political memoir,All Too Human, McCurdy at one point considered his ownpresidential campaign in 1992, although he eventually supported fellow DLC memberBill Clinton, and delivered a speech seconding his nomination at the Democratic Party National Convention.[12] During the speech, "'McCurdy2000' signs could be seen in the crowd."[11]
Following Clinton's election, McCurdy was considered forUnited States Secretary of Defense,[13] a job which ultimately went toLes Aspin. McCurdy was offered the role ofDirector of Central Intelligence, but turned it down.[14]
In 1994, whenU.S. SenatorDavid L. Boren decided to leave theU.S. Senate before the expiration of his term, McCurdy decided not to seek re-election to theHouse of Representatives; instead, heran for the Senate. He campaigned on military preparedness and family values. He lost the general election to fellow congressmanJim Inhofe, whose campaign ads played clips of McCurdy's speech seconding Clinton's nomination for president. McCurdy took only 39 percent of the vote, and even lost his own congressional district. He sent his congressional records and papers to theCarl Albert Center for Congressional Studies at theUniversity of Oklahoma.[15]
McCurdy was chairman and chief executive officer of the McCurdy Group LLC. In 1998 he was elected President of theElectronic Industries Alliance (EIA) a national trade organization representing the electronics industry, even thoughHouse Majority LeaderTom DeLay held up legislation of benefit to the EIA and threatened it with a loss of access if it did not hire a Republican instead.[16] DeLay was later rebuked by the House Ethics Committee.[17]
He is chairman of theCenter for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments[18] and has served on theDefense Policy Board under presidentsGeorge W. Bush andBarack Obama.[19]
On February 12, 2007, McCurdy became president of theAlliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM).[20] Under McCurdy's leadership, AAM supported Obama's National Program to reducecarbon emissions and increasefuel economy standards[21] and a federal ban ontexting while driving.[22]
In February 2011, McCurdy became president and CEO of theAmerican Gas Association. In August 2011, McCurdy began service as a member of theBoard of Directors of LMI, a not-for-profit studies and analysis consulting firm headquartered inMcLean, Virginia.[citation needed] He also serves on the board of directors of theCommittee for a Responsible Federal Budget.[23]
McCurdy lives with his wife, Dr. Pam McCurdy inMcLean, Virginia; the couple has three children.[citation needed]
mainstream forum and dave mccurdy.
mccurdy.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's 4th congressional district 1981–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Intelligence Committee 1991–1993 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| New office | Chair of theHouse Democratic Mainstream Forum 1990–1995 Served alongside:Tim Penny | Position abolished |
| Preceded by | Chair of theDemocratic Leadership Council 1993–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromOklahoma (Class 2) 1994 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
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