Joe Walsh (Illinois politician)
| Joe Walsh | |
|---|---|
Official congress portrait, 2011
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 8th district |
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In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Melissa Bean |
| Succeeded by | Tammy Duckworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Joseph Walsh December 27, 1961 North Barrington, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Laura Walsh (1987–2002) Helene Miller |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater |
Grinnell College University of Iowa University of Chicago |
| Occupation |
Radio personality, Political commentator |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | walshfreedom |
William Joseph Walsh, known as Joe Walsh (born December 27, 1961), is an American conservative talk radio host and former congressman. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives for Illinois' 8th congressional district. He served from January 2011 through January 2013, after defeating three-term incumbent Democratic Representative Melissa Bean by a margin of 291 votes in a surprising upset. He is a member of the Republican Party. While he received little Republican Party support in his bid against Bean, he was popular with the Tea Party movement. Walsh ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and for the Illinois General Assembly in 1998. In the 1990s, he called himself a moderate Republican, but he is now a conservative and a Tea Party activist.
During his first months in Congress, Walsh emerged as a sharp critic of the Obama Administration, accusing the president of abandoning the U.S.–Israel alliance and bankrupting the country. He also challenged President Barack Obama to secure the borders with "moats and alligators" if necessary. Walsh maintained a no-compromise approach to legislating that included rejecting any tax increases. He consistently voted against raising the federal debt ceiling and authored a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.
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