Tim Walberg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of theHouse Education Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Virginia Foxx |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Mark Schauer |
| Constituency | 7th district (2011–2023) 5th district (2023–present) |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Schwarz |
| Succeeded by | Mark Schauer |
| Constituency | 7th district |
| Member of theMichigan House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | James Hadden |
| Succeeded by | Doug Spade |
| Constituency | 40th district (1983–1992) 57th district (1992–1999) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timothy Lee Walberg (1951-04-12)April 12, 1951 (age 73) Chicago,Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Western Illinois University Moody Bible Institute Taylor University (BA) Wheaton College (MA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website |
Timothy Lee Walberg (born April 12, 1951)[1] is an American politician serving as aU.S. representative from Michigan since 2011, representing the state's5th congressional district since 2023. A member of theRepublican Party, he previously represented the7th district from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2023 as the longest tenured member fromMichigan.
Walberg is the dean of Michigan's congressional delegation.[2]
Walberg was born and raised inChicago, Illinois, the son of Alice Ann and John A. Walberg. His paternal grandparents were Swedish.[3] In 1964, Walberg served theBarry Goldwater 1964 presidential campaign as a volunteer. Walberg graduated fromThornton Fractional North High School in 1969 and briefly served theU.S. Forest Service. From 1973 to 1977, Walberg served as pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in New Haven, Indiana.[4]
Walberg was a member of theMichigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1998. He also spent time as a pastor and as a division manager for theMoody Bible Institute inChicago while continuing to live in Michigan.[5]
After six years out of politics, Walberg ran in a field of six candidates in the 2004 Republican primary for the 7th District after six-term incumbentNick Smith retired. Walberg finished third in the primary.State SenatorJoe Schwarz won the primary and the general election.[6]
Walberg defeated Schwarz in the Republican primary.[7] In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Sharon Renier, 50%–46%.[8]
In 2007, there was a failed recall effort against Walberg.[9][10][11]
Entering the 2008 race, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairmanChris Van Hollen identified Walberg as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in Congress.[12] On August 23, 2007, State Senate Minority LeaderMark Schauer announced he would challenge Walberg.[13] The previous occupant of the seat,Joe Schwarz, who lost to Walberg in the 2006 Republican primary, declined to run but on September 30 endorsed Schauer.[14]
Schauer narrowly defeated Walberg in the November election, 49% to 47%. Between the two candidates, around $3.5 million was spent on the campaign,[15] making it one of the most expensive House races in the 2008 election. Schauer outspent Walberg by nearly $300,000.[16]
On July 14, 2009, Walberg announced that he would challenge incumbentMark Schauer.[17] He defeated Marvin Carlson and Brian Rooney in the Republican primary.
Polling showed the race as a dead heat.[18] Walberg defeated Schauer, 50%–45%.[19]
Wahlberg defeated Democratic nominee Kurt Haskell, 53%–43%.[20]
Walberg defeated former Democratic State RepresentativePam Byrnes with 54% of the vote.[21]
Walberg defeated Doug North in the August 2 Republican primary and Democratic nominee State RepresentativeGretchen Driskell[22] in the general election, with 55% of the vote.[23]
Walberg defeated Driskell again, with 53.8% of the vote.[24]
Walberg defeated Driskell a third time, with 58.7% of the vote.
Due to redistricting, Walberg, the incumbent of the 7th congressional district, faced Democratic opponent Bart Goldberg, an attorney, inthe 5th congressional district. Walberg was re-elected with 62.4% of the vote.[25]
Walberg faced no opposition in the Republican primary.[26] He defeated Democratic candidate Libbi Urban with 65.7% of the vote.[27]
Walberg rejects thescientific consensus on climate change.[32][33][34] On the subject, he said in May 2017, "I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us. And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, He can take care of it."[32]
Walberg has repeatedly voted to repeal thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[35][36] Walberg shares an office withJackson Right to Life, which was vandalized byabortion rights activists in June 2022, just before theDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision.Fox News attributed the attack to the groupJane's Revenge.[37]
In 2015, Walberg cosponsored a resolution toamend the US constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[38] Walberg also cosponsored a resolution disagreeing with the Supreme Court decision inObergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution.[39]
Walberg voted against theRespect for Marriage Act codifyingLoving v. Virginia andObergefell v. Hodges, recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."[40]
On October 8, 2023, Walberg gave a keynote speech at the National Prayer Breakfast inUganda, at the invitation of Ugandan legislatorDavid Bahati. Walberg's trip to Uganda was paid for byThe Fellowship, which sponsored the breakfast. During his speech, Walberg urged Uganda to "stand firm" against international pressure to "change you", apparently referencing sanctions by the United States government against Uganda over the recently enactedAnti-Homosexuality Act of 2023, which prescribes lengthy prison sentences and in certain instances thedeath penalty for homosexual activities. “Worthless is the thought of the world, worthless, for instance, is the thought of the World Bank, or the World Health Organization, or the United Nations, or, sadly, some in our administration in America who say, ‘You are wrong for standing for values that God created,’ for saying there are male and female and God created them," said Walberg. Bahati, the original sponsor of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, stated that Walberg had told him “Uganda is on the right side of God,” when he asked Walberg if he were comfortable associating with Bahati. Walberg additionally praised Uganda's PresidentYoweri Museveni, who also spoke at the breakfast, and who signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act into law.[41][42][43][44]
Walberg has repeatedly invokedbirther conspiracy theories about PresidentBarack Obama, arguing that Obama should have been impeached over his birth certificate.[45]
In December 2020, Walberg 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[46] 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.[47][48][49]
In March 2024, responding to a question about "why are we spending our money to build a port for them,"[50][51] referring to the Biden Administration's plan to build atemporary port off the coast of Gaza to facilitate delivery ofhumanitarian aid in theIsrael-Hamas War,[51][52] Walberg told the crowd the U.S. "shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid" and instead “should be likeNagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick."[50][51][52] TheCouncil on American-Islamic Relations, a U.S.-based Muslim civil rights group, condemned Walberg's comments as a "clear call to genocide."[53] Dawud Walid, Chief director of CAIR's Michigan chapter, said: "This ... should be condemned by all Americans who value human life and international law." "To call indifferently for the killing of every human being in Gaza sends a chilling message," Walid added.[54][55]
Tadatoshi Akiba, a member ofthe Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) and former mayor of Hiroshima City, and others held a press conference at City Hall on April 10. The letter of request, which was read out loud, criticized the Hibakusha for their suffering from radiation damage and psychological damage, and said "We regret your ignorance and insensitivity to the unjust suffering and human misery that occurred as a result of the atomic bombings."[56]Japanese Diet memberJin Matsubara criticized the event as a "defeat for diplomacy". In response, Japanese Foreign MinisterYoko Kamikawa stated that she was not considering protesting.[57][58]
In response, Walberg denied advocating the use of nuclear weapons, claiming that he merely "used a metaphor to convey the need for both Israel and Ukraine to win their wars as swiftly as possible" despite his reference to the US dropping atomic bombs on two Japanese cities to bring an end to WWII.[53][59]
Walberg also opposes humanitarian aid to Ukraine in theRusso-Ukrainian War. “Instead [of] 80 percent in Ukraine being used for humanitarian purposes, it should be 80 [to] 100 percent to wipe out Russia — if that’s what we want to do.”[51][52] Walberg also voted against aid to Ukraine in 2022.[60]
2014 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 7th District[62]
2016 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 7th District[63]
2018 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 7th District[64]
2020 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 7th District[65]
2022 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 5th District[66]
2024 election for the U.S. House of Representatives – 5th District[67]
Walberg and his wife, Sue, have been married since 1974. They have three adult children: Matthew, Heidi, and Caleb.[68]
Walberg is an ordained pastor. Ordained as aBaptist, he currently identifies asnondenominational[69] and attends a church affiliated with theChurch of the United Brethren in Christ.[70]
| Michigan House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James E. Hadden | Member from the40th district 1983–1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theMichigan House of Representatives from the57th district 1993–1999 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 7th congressional district 2007–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Mark Schauer | Member from Michigan's 7th congressional district 2011–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member from Michigan 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Education Committee 2025–present | |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 77th | Succeeded by |
| Education and Labor (1867–1883) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Education (1883–1947) | ||
| Labor (1883–1947) | ||
| Education and Labor* (1947–) | ||
| Note | * Alternately namedEconomic and Educational Opportunities in 104th Congress andEducation and the Workforce in 105th through 109th and 112th through 115th Congresses. | |
