Dan Benishek
| Dan Benishek | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st district |
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In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Bart Stupak |
| Succeeded by | Jack Bergman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Daniel Joseph Benishek April 20, 1952 Iron River, Michigan |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Judy Benishek |
| Children | 5 children |
| Residence | Crystal Falls, Michigan |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Official website |
Daniel Joseph "Dan" Benishek (born April 20, 1952) is an American physician and politician who was the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Benishek was born in Iron River, Michigan in 1952, the son of Helen (née Kovaleski) and Joseph Benishek. Three of his paternal great-grandparents were Bohemian (Czech) immigrants, while his maternal grandparents were Polish immigrants. His father was killed in local iron mines in 1957, so Benishek was raised by his widowed mother and extended family. He worked in the family business, the Iron River Hotel, until he went to college. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology. From there, he graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1978. Prior to his election to Congress, he was a general surgeon in the Dickinson County Healthcare System.
Benishek formally announced his candidacy for Congress on March 16, 2010, running against incumbent Democrat Bart Stupak. Stupak's vote in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act fueled an outpouring of support for Benishek, who had no Internet presence aside from a basic website on the day the bill was passed. He received more than $50,000 in unsolicited donations in the first 48 hours after Stupak's vote for the bill on March 21, 2010. "It's amazing, I just can't believe it," he said regarding the support he has gotten. "I need to use this momentum to repeal this health care bill and I'm going to do it. We're going to take over, the Republicans are going to regain the House of Representatives and we're going to repeal this health care bill."The American Spectator called him "The Most Popular Republican in America" on March 21, in the wake of Stupak's yea vote. Stupak announced his retirement on April 9, 2010. Benishek won the Republican primary against State Senator Jason Allen by 15 votes.
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