Obediah Maysfield

From Usgovsimulation

Obediah Maysfield
th_Cantor.jpg
Junior Senator of the Bluegrass
Serving with Bryan T. McLaggen
In Office:
2013 - Present
Preceded by Esther Cullen
Succeeded by Incumbent
US Congressman
In Office:
2008 - 2013
Preceded by Regionalization
Succeeded by James Whittenberg (D)
Mayor of Knoxville
In Office:
1998 - 2006
Preceded by James McDaniels (R)
Succeeded by Emily Vance (D)
Born

October 23, 1963
La Follette, Tennessee
Political Party Democrat
Spouse Janet Maysfield
Profession {{{Profession}}}
Children {{{Children}}}
Religion Southern Baptist


Obediah Jason "Obie" Maysfield (born 23 October 1963) is a lawyer and Junior Senator from the Bluegrass. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Contents

Biography

Obediah grew up in La Follette, TN, the third of five children, having two older brothers and two younger sisters. His father was a blue-collar worker who managed to put his children through college. Obediah attended The University of the South and earned a B.A., doubling majoring in history and global studies. This is where he met his wife, Janet. They married after college, and he went on to attend the University of Tennessee, where he earned his J.D.

Obediah and Janet maintain a home in Knoxville and in Washington, although they regularly visit Obediah's parents in La Follette, and Janet's parents in Somerset, Kentucky. Janet has a degree in English from the University of the South and taught high school English in the Knox County Public School District until her husband was elected to Congress. She now teaches in D.C. public schools. They have three children: Their oldest, Meredith, is 22 and recently graduated from the University of the South, where she majored in art history. Cody, 18, has begun his freshman year at the University of Tennessee. Their youngest is Jessica, 16, who lives in D.C. with her parents and attends high school in D.C. public schools.

Political Career

He practiced law for several years in Knoxville, and won a seat on the city council in 1994, and again in 1996. In 1998 he ran for mayor of Knoxville, winning in a narrow victory. He retired in 2006, after completing his second term, and in 2008 ran to fill the seat of the in the Second Congressional District of Tennessee for the U.S. House of Representatives, and is in his second term.

In the 112th Congress, Maysfield was appointed as a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary.

On November 6, 2012, he was elected to the United States Senate, representing the region of the Bluegrass.

Political Positions

Maysfield is a member of the Democratic Leadership Council, and tends to align himself liberal or libertarian on most social issues, although can sometimes lean conservative on certain moral issues, and is economically progressive. He tends to favor small government when possible, but has stated he would support a temporary tax raise if necessary. He supports entitlement programs and tax cuts for all when possible, but especially the middle class. On government spending, he seeks to cut wasteful programs, including optional programs such as museums, when they cannot be self-sufficient. He supports a Balanced Budget Amendment.

Education has always been an important issue for Maysfield, being married to a teacher. He supports more state involvement with public education, and a smaller Federal Department of Education. As mayor, he urged less standardized testing in the Knox County School District, focusing more on writing and critical thinking, and co-sponsored the Standardized Teaching Reform Act in the House. He also supported a greater curriculum for writing and social studies that would rival math and reading in importance. He's a big proponent of school teachers, co-sponsored the Teacher Tax Deduction Reform Act, and voted in favor of the Teacher Tax Credit Act.

On energy, Maysfield has been supportive of environmentalism, seeking the use of alternative fuels and supporting more efficient fuel. He has supported legislation such as the Green Government Act, the American Renewable Energy Act, and the Green Building Act of 2011. However, he is also a big proponent of the coal industry, and has supported initiatives for clean coal. In the House he sponsored the Coal Miner Postage Stamp Concurrent Resolution to commemorate coal miners, and also introduced the Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Energy Act to the House on behalf of Senator Sebastian Williams (D-NC). He also supported the Steel and Coal Industry National History Act.

Maysfield is for comprehensive immigration reform, but also wants a more secure border. Both of these desires are shown through his support of both the Secure Our Boarders Act of 2011 and the American Fair Immigration Act.

In opposition to most of his fellow Democrats, Maysfield is strong on pro-life, and co-sponsored the Abstinence Promotion Act of 2011, and has supported other pro-life measures.

He supports civil unions for same-sex couples, opposes offshore drilling, and is a proponent of the farming industry and labor unions.


Electoral History

Election Result for Bluegrass United States Senate, 2012
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Angela Alcott Challenger 32%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Challenger 67%


Election Result for Tennessee Second Congressional District, 2010
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Jonathan Green Challenger 43%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Incumbent 56%


Election Result for Tennessee Second Congressional District, 2008
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Michael Ester Challenger 47%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Challenger 52%


Election Result for Knoxville Mayor, 2002
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Teresa Yoder Challenger 46%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Incumbent 54%


Election Result for Knoxville Mayor, 1998
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Brandon Harris Challenger 48%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Challenger 51%


Election Result for Knoxville City Council, 1996
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Jessica Vance Challenger 38%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Incumbent 60%


Election Result for Knoxville City Council, 1994
Party Candidate Status %
Republican Stephen Gilmore Incumbent 40%
Democratic Obediah Maysfield Challenger 59%


Personal tools
Navigation