Robert William Davis

Robert William Davis (born July 31, 1932) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He represented Michigan's 11th congressional district, which included the Upper Peninsula and a large portion of Northern Michigan, in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1993.

Early life

Davis was born in Marquette, Michigan. His family moved to St. Ignace soon after his birth, where he attended public schools. He graduated from LaSalle High School in 1950. He attended Northern Michigan University, Hillsdale College, and the College of Mortuary Sciences at Wayne State University. Before entering politics, Davis served as Funeral Director at the Davis Funeral Home in St. Ignace.

Political career

In 1966, Davis was elected as a Republican to the Michigan House of Representatives from the state's 106th District and was reelected in 1968. In 1970, Davis was elected to the Michigan State Senate from the 37th District and was reelected in 1974. He served as the Majority Whip, 1970–1974, and as Senate Republican Leader, 1974–1978. In 1978, Davis was elected to the 96th United States Congress and was subsequently re-elected to the six succeeding Congresses. Davis did not seek re-election in 1992.

For the elections of 1992, after redistricting due to the 1990 Census, most of what had been 11th congressional district became Michigan's 1st congressional district, while the 11th district was apportioned to represent a part of the Metro Detroit area. In 1992, Democrat Bart Stupak was elected from 1st district, succeeding to succeed Davis as U.S. Representative for the U.P. and Northern Michigan. Davis currently lives in Gaylord, Michigan.

He is now a lobbyist for K&L Gates. His biography there advises that he was active in the Bush campaign, having served on the Michigan Bush Committee. He is a friend, former colleague and classmate of Vice President Dick Cheney.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times of May 31, 1989, Davis revealed that he hired a woman with whom he now lives for his committee staff, but he said he had not violated House rules. Davis was separated from his third wife, Marty Davis and had filed for divorce. He acknowledged recommending that Brook Ball, 27, be hired for the House Merchant Marine staff.

References

* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/davis7.html#R9M0IUIOH The Political Graveyard]