Stephen Lee Fincher
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Stephen Lee Fincher (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Tennessee's 8th Congressional District.
Fincher (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Tennessee. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary on August 2, 2018.
Biography
Fincher graduated from Crockett County High School.[1] Fincher is a managing partner in Fincher Farms, a seventh generation West Tennessee-based agribusiness.[2]
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Fincher's academic, professional, and political career:[3]
- 2011-2017: U.S. Representative from Tennessee's 8th Congressional District
- 1990: Graduated from Crockett County High School, Alamo, Tenn.
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2015-2016
Fincher served on the following committees:[4]
2013-2014
Fincher served on the following committees:[5]
- Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition
- Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
- United States House Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
2011-2012
Fincher served on the following committees:
- Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
- Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Credit
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Aviation
Key votes
114th Congress
The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[6][7] For more information pertaining to Fincher's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.[8]
Economic and fiscal
Trade Act of 2015
Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Fincher was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA.[9][10]
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Fincher was one of 191 Republicans to support the measure.[11][12]
Trade promotion authority second vote
After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining their original positions on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Fincher was one of 190 Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment.[13][14]
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Fincher was one of 132 Republicans to vote against HR 1295.[15][16]
Defense spending authorization
On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Fincher voted with 227 other Republicans and 41 Democrats to approve the bill.[17] The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.[18]
On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.[19][20] Fincher voted with 234 other Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill.[21] On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.[22]
2016 Budget proposal
On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Fincher voted with 225 other Republicans to approve the bill.[23][24][25]
2015 budget
On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.[26] Fincher voted with 166 Republicans against the bill.[27] It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015.[28] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.
Foreign Affairs
Iran nuclear deal
- See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015
On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Fincher voted with 222 other Republican representatives to approve the bill.[29][30]
Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Fincher voted with 243 Republicans and 25 Democrats against the bill.[31][32]
Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Fincher voted with 244 Republicans and two Democrats for the bill.[33][34]
Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Fincher voted with 244 Republicans for the resolution.[35][36]
Export-Import Bank
On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods.[37] Fincher voted with 126 Republicans and 186 Democrats in favor of the bill.[38]
Domestic
USA FREEDOM Act of 2015
On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Fincher voted with 195 Republicans and 142 Democrats to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.[39][40]
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Fincher voted with 237 Republicans in favor of the bill.[41][42]
Cyber security
On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies.[43] Fincher voted with 219 Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill.[44]
On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116.[45] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Fincher voted with 201 Republicans and 105 Democrats in favor of the bill.[46]
Immigration
On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137.[47] The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Fincher voted with 241 Republicans and 47 Democrats in favor of the bill.[48]
113th Congress
The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[49] For more information pertaining to Fincher's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.[50]
National security
NDAA
Fincher voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.[51]
DHS Appropriations
Fincher voted in support of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.[51]
Keystone Pipeline Amendment
Fincher voted in opposition of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.[51]
CISPA (2013)
Fincher voted in support of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities.[52] The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.[51]
Economy
2014 Farm bill
On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[53] The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.[54][55] It also cut the food stamp program an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[55] Fincher voted with 161 other Republican representatives in favor of the bill.
2014 Budget
On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[56][57] The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582-page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill.[57] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[58] It increased the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel by 1 percent, increased Head Start funding for early childhood education by $1 billion, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Fincher voted with the majority of the Republican Party in favor of the bill.[56]
2013 Farm bill
- See also: United States Farm Bill 2013
Fincher supported the July 11, 2013 Farm Bill. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote.[59] The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps.[60]
Government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[61] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[62] Fincher voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[63]
The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[64] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Fincher voted against HR 2775.[65]
Immigration
Morton Memos Prohibition
Fincher supported House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status.[66] The vote largely followed party lines.[67]
Healthcare
Repealing Obamacare
Fincher supported all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[68]
Social issues
Abortion
Fincher supported HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.[69]
Government affairs
HR 676
On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit.[70] Fincher joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.[71][72]
Previous congressional sessions
Fiscal cliff
Fincher voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003, while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.[73]
Campaign themes
2012
According to Fincher's website, his campaign themes included:
- Jobs: "We should work toward a flatter, fairer tax system that does not penalize work, wealth creation and savings."
- Healthcare: "Social Security and Medicare are a commitment we made to older Americans - a commitment I intend to keep."
- Energy: "Energy taxes and more regulation are not the answer to providing for our energy needs."[74]
Elections
2018
The filing deadline was on April 5, 2018, and the primary election took place on August 2, 2018.
| U.S. Senate in Tennessee, General election | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Phil Bredesen (D) | Marsha Blackburn (R) | Undecided/Other | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| East Tennessee State University October 22-29, 2018 | 44% | 44% | 12% | +/-4.0 | 610 | ||||||||||||||
| SSRS October 24-29, 2018 | 45% | 49% | 6% | +/-4.3 | 764 | ||||||||||||||
| Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research October 27-30, 2018 | 41% | 50% | 5% | +/-3.0 | 850 | ||||||||||||||
| Marist Poll October 23-27, 2018 | 46% | 51% | 4% | +/-4.0 | 910 | ||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt University October 8-13, 2018 | 44% | 43% | 12% | +/-4.9 | 800 | ||||||||||||||
| Reuters October 4-11, 2018 | 44% | 47% | 10% | +/-3.4 | 1,108 | ||||||||||||||
| NYT Upshot/Siena College October 7-11, 2018 | 40% | 54% | 6% | +/-4.2 | 593 | ||||||||||||||
| YouGov October 2-5, 2018 | 42% | 50% | 8% | +/-3.4 | 1,002 | ||||||||||||||
| Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research September 29-October 2, 2018 | 43% | 48% | 10% | +/-3.5 | 806 | ||||||||||||||
| Triton Polling and Research September 10-12, 2018 | 45% | 48.3% | 6.7% | +/-3.0 | 1,038 | ||||||||||||||
| SSRS September 11-15, 2018 | 50% | 45% | 5% | +/-4.3 | 723 | ||||||||||||||
| NBC News/Marist August 25-28, 2018 | 48% | 46% | 6% | +/-5.1 | 538 | ||||||||||||||
| Gravis August 9-11, 2018 | 44% | 48% | 8% | +/-3.9 | 620 | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling July 10-11, 2018 | 44% | 41% | 15% | +/-4.1 | 583 | ||||||||||||||
| Middle Tennessee State University March 22-29, 2018 | 45% | 35% | 20% | +/-4.0 | 600 | ||||||||||||||
| Garin-Hart-Yang (commissioned by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) October 20-22, 2017 | 46% | 41% | 13% | +/-4.1 | 601 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to [email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Stephen Lee Fincher did not seek re-election to his seat in 2016. Twenty-one candidates filed in the race to replace him. David Kustoff (R) defeated Rickey Hobson (D), and independents Shelia Godwin, James Hart, Adrian Montague, Mark Rawles, and Karen Free Spirit Talley-Lane in the general election on November 8, 2016. Hobson defeated Gregory Alan Frye in the Democratic primary, while Kustoff defeated 12 other candidates in the Republican primary. The primary elections took place on August 4, 2016.[75][76][77]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  David Kustoff |
68.8% | 194,386 | |
| Democratic | Rickey Hobson | 25.1% | 70,925 | |
| Independent | Shelia Godwin | 2.3% | 6,442 | |
| Independent | James Hart | 1.4% | 4,057 | |
| Independent | Adrian Montague | 0.9% | 2,497 | |
| Independent | Mark Rawles | 0.9% | 2,445 | |
| Independent | Karen Free Spirit Talley-Lane | 0.7% | 1,981 | |
| Total Votes | 282,733 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rickey Hobson |
54.8% | 7,774 | ||
| Gregory Frye | 45.2% | 6,413 | ||
| Total Votes | 14,187 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
David Kustoff |
27.4% | 16,889 | ||
| George Flinn Jr. | 23.1% | 14,200 | ||
| Mark Luttrell | 17.7% | 10,878 | ||
| Brian Kelsey | 12.9% | 7,942 | ||
| Brad Greer | 11.1% | 6,819 | ||
| Tom Leatherwood | 4.3% | 2,620 | ||
| Hunter Baker | 1.6% | 1,014 | ||
| Ken Atkins | 0.7% | 410 | ||
| Raymond Honeycutt | 0.4% | 231 | ||
| George Howell | 0.3% | 211 | ||
| David Wharton | 0.2% | 131 | ||
| David Bault | 0.2% | 109 | ||
| David Maldonado | 0.1% | 76 | ||
| Total Votes | 61,530 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State |
||||
In his retirement announcement, Fincher stated, "I have decided not to seek re-election to the 8th Congressional District seat this year. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of West Tennessee, but I never intended to become a career politician. The last six years have been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am honored to have been given the chance to serve. I will be returning to Frog Jump and my family and business, but intend to stay involved to the extent I can. I want to thank every citizen of the 8th District for the privilege of serving."[78]
2014
Fincher ran in the 2014 election for the U.S. House to represent Tennessee's 8th District. Fincher defeated Dana Matheny and John Mills in the Republican primary.[79] He defeated Wes Bradley (D), Mark Rawles (Constitution) and James Hart (I) in the general election on November 4, 2014.[80]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Stephen Lee Fincher Incumbent |
70.8% | 122,205 | |
| Democratic | Wes Bradley | 24.6% | 42,403 | |
| Constitution | Mark Rawles | 2.6% | 4,450 | |
| Independent | James Hart | 2% | 3,446 | |
| Total Votes | 172,504 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State Vote totals above are unofficial and will be updated once official totals are made available. | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stephen Fincher Incumbent |
79% | 68,465 | ||
| Dana Matheny | 13.6% | 11,819 | ||
| John Mills | 7.3% | 6,337 | ||
| Total Votes | 86,621 | |||
| Source: Results via Associated Press |
||||
2012
Fincher ran for re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Tennessee's 8th District. Fincher defeated Annette Justice in the August 2 Republican primary. He defeated Timothy Dixon (D), James Hart (I) and Mark Rawles (I) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[81]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Timothy Dixon | 28.4% | 79,490 | |
| Republican | Stephen Lee Fincher Incumbent |
68.3% | 190,923 | |
| Independent | James Hart | 2.2% | 6,139 | |
| Independent | Mark Rawles | 1% | 2,870 | |
| Total Votes | 279,422 | |||
| Source: Tennessee Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Stephen Lee Fincher Incumbent |
86.7% | 60,355 |
| Annette Justice | 13.3% | 9,288 |
| Total Votes | 69,643 | |
Full history
To view the full congressional electoral history for Stephen Lee Fincher, click [show] to expand the section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
2010 On November 2, 2010, Stephen Fincher won election to the United States House. He defeated Roy Herron (D) in the general election.[82]
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal Gain Index
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:
PGI: Change in net worth
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Fincher's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-1,149,999 to $204,995. That averages to $-472,502, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican House members in 2012 of $7,614,097.96. Fincher ranked as the 437th most wealthy representative in 2012.[83] Between 2010 and 2012, Fincher's calculated net worth increased from $-3,477,248.38 to $-472,502. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.[84]
| Stephen Fincher Yearly Net Worth | |
|---|---|
| Year | Average Net Worth |
| 2010 | $−3,477,248.38 |
| 2012 | $−472,502 |
| Growth from 2010 to 2012: | N/A |
| Average annual growth: | N/A |
| Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.[85] | |
The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.
PGI: Donation Concentration Metric
Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Fincher received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Crop Production & Basic Processing industry. Comparatively, the top industry employer in Tennessee's 8th Congressional District was Educational services, and health care and social assistance, according to a 2012 U.S. Census survey.[86]
From 2009-2014, 31.22 percent of Fincher's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.[87]
| Stephen Lee Fincher Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $6,408,347 |
| Total Spent | $3,996,322 |
| Top industry in the district | Educational services, and health care and social assistance |
| Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Crop Production & Basic Processing | $927,623 |
| Retired | $312,077 |
| Commercial Banks | $280,965 |
| Insurance | $268,595 |
| Leadership PACs | $211,482 |
| % total in top industry | 14.48% |
| % total in top two industries | 19.35% |
| % total in top five industries | 31.22% |
Analysis
Like-minded colleagues
The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.[88]
|
Fincher most often voted with: |
Fincher least often voted with: |
Ideology and leadership
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Fincher was a "rank-and-file Republican," as of July 30, 2014.[89] This was the same rating Fincher received in June 2013.[90]
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Fincher missed 151 of 3,358 roll call votes from January 2011 to September 2015. This amounted to 4.5 percent, which was higher than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.[91]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Fincher paid his congressional staff a total of $762,325 in 2011. Overall, Tennessee ranked 39th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[92]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.
2013
Fincher was one of two members of Congress who ranked 38th in the conservative rankings in 2013.[93]
2012
Fincher ranked 63rd in the conservative rankings in 2012.[94]
2011
Fincher was one of 10 members of congress who ranked 1st in the conservative rankings in 2011.[95]
Voting with party
The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.
2014
Fincher voted with the Republican Party 95.4 percent of the time, which ranked 61st among the 233 House Republican members as of July 2014.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
2013
Fincher voted with the Republican Party 97.8 percent of the time, which ranked 42nd among the 234 House Republican members as of June 2013.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Fincher and his wife, Lynn, have three children: John Austin, Noah and Sarah. He is a lifetime member of the NRA, and he attends Archer's Chapel Methodist Church.[2]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Stephen Lee Fincher Tennessee Senate. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2018
- United States House of Representatives
- Tennessee's 8th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Tennessee's 8th Congressional District
External links
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial (federal level):
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
Footnotes
- ↑ Votesmart, "Fincher," accessed December 19, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted through Ballotpedia's photo submission form on October 23, 2014
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, "Fincher," accessed June 26, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk, "Committee Information," accessed February 20, 2015
- ↑ CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress," accessed March 3, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 113th Congress," accessed April 29, 2015
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 114th Congress," accessed January 5, 2017
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress," April 13, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 361," June 12, 2015
- ↑ Roll Call, "Deadline for TAA Do-Over Vote Extended to July 30 (Updated)," June 15, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 362," June 12, 2015
- ↑ Roll Call, "Deadline for TAA Do-Over Vote Extended to July 30 (Updated)," June 15, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 374," June 18, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Trade turnaround: House backs new power for Obama," June 18, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 388," June 24, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Obama signs trade bills," June 29, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 239," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R. 1735," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Redone defense policy bill sails through House," accessed November 12, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S. 1356," accessed November 12, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 618," accessed November 12, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1356)," accessed November 12, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Con.Res.11," accessed May 5, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 183," accessed May 5, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Republicans pass a budget, flexing power of majority," accessed May 5, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015," accessed November 1, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 579," accessed November 1, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314)," accessed November 1, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1191 - Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015," accessed May 16, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 226," accessed May 16, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 3461," accessed September 11, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 493," accessed September 11, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 3460," accessed September 10, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 494," accessed September 11, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H Res 411," accessed September 10, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 492," accessed September 10, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 597," accessed November 2, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 576," accessed November 2, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2048," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 224," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 36 - the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act," accessed May 16, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "HR 36," accessed May 16, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1731," accessed November 2, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 173," accessed November 2, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1560 - Protecting Cyber Networks Act," accessed November 1, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 170," accessed November 1, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 4038 - the American SAFE Act of 2015," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 643," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 112th Congress," accessed September 5, 2013
- ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 113th Congress," accessed March 4, 2014
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 Project Vote Smart, "Representative Fincher's Voting Records on National Security," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Bill Summary & Status - 113th Congress (2013 - 2014) - H.R.624," accessed August 27, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 31: H.R. 2642," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "House clears farm bill," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 New York Times, "Senate passes long-stalled farm bill, with clear winners and losers," accessed February 12, 2014
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 CNN.com, "House passes compromise $1.1 trillion budget for 2014," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote 21," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "House passes $1.1 trillion omnibus," accessed January 15, 2014
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Fincher on agriculture," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ New York Times, "House Republicans Push Through Farm Bill, Without Food Stamps," accessed September 17, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "H.AMDT.136," accessed August 28, 2013
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Representative Fincher's Voting Records on Immigration," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Representative Fincher's Voting Records on Issue: Health and Healthcare," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Fincher on abortion," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "House Resolution 676," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Suing Obama: GOP-led House gives the go-ahead," July 31, 2014
- ↑ Washington Post, "House clears way for lawsuit against Obama," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
- ↑ Stephen Fincher for Congress, "Issues," accessed September 11, 2012
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 7, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 8, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Tennessee House Primaries Results," August 4, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedresign - ↑ Associated Press, "Tennessee - Summary Vote Results," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Election 2014," accessed November 6, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Tennessee 2012 primary results"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Fincher, 2012," accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.
- ↑ This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.
- ↑ Census.gov, "My Congressional District," accessed September 25, 2014
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Rep. Stephen Lee Fincher," accessed September 25, 2014
- ↑ OpenCongress, "Stephen Lee Fincher," archived February 25, 2016
- ↑ GovTrack, "Stephen Fincher," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ GovTrack, "Stephen Fincher," accessed June 26, 2013
- ↑ GovTrack, "Fincher," accessed October 19, 2015
- ↑ LegiStorm, "Steve Fincher," accessed September 18, 2012
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," July 30, 2014
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," February 28, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Tanner |
U.S. House of Representatives - Tennessee District 8 2011–2017 |
Succeeded by David Kustoff (R) |
