James T. Walsh
Encyclopedia
James Thomas "Jim" Walsh (born June 19, 1947) is an American
Republican
politician
from Syracuse, New York
. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York
, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District
, in the United States House of Representatives
for twenty years.
and graduated from St. Bonaventure University
. He served in the Peace Corps
in Nepal
1970–72.
Walsh's father, William F. Walsh
, served as Mayor of Syracuse (1961–69) and represented Central New York and the Finger Lakes region in the U.S. House of Representatives (1973–79).
Walsh was then elected to the Syracuse common council. He ran as a Republican
and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1988 in what was then the 27th District, handily defeating state Public Service Commissioner Rosemary Pooler.
attorney Marty Mack and was held to only 53 percent of the vote. In 2006, however, he was nearly defeated by former congressional aide Dan Maffei
, winning by only a 51% to 49% margin. Only a strong showing in the more rural areas of the district allowed Walsh to keep his seat.
. He was chairman of the Subcommittee on the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies from 2001 to 2007, thus making him one of the so-called "Cardinals" of the House. It is considered very difficult to unseat an Appropriations Committee member, especially if he or she is a "Cardinal."
and Republicans for Environmental Protection.
He is a firm supporter of the Destiny USA
project in Syracuse. Walsh has been a firm advocate of stem cell research, although he is opposed to using embryos as a source of the stem cells for such research.
Walsh is considered an influential figure in the sustaining of Syracuse University
(SU). He has helped get funding for many projects run by SU, including Chancellor Nancy Cantor
's Connective Corridor project.
Walsh is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.
On September 10, 2007, Jim Walsh stated that he now favors a gradual withdraw of American forces from Iraq
. This announcement came months after Walsh opposed President Bush's troop surge, and the Congressman claims that it was a result of personally going to Iraq and finding that the Iraqi government and military have not done enough on their end. Walsh stated, "We've done enough. No country has done more than we have for Iraq. The question I kept coming up with is how much do we have to give Iraq to make things work? I think we have given enough." Walsh supports a bipartisan bill that would set a withdrawal date for American troops.
Walsh was a prominent endorser of Rudy Giuliani's
presidential campaign. He said of the candidate:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District
New York's 25th congressional district
The 25th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives that stretches from Syracuse to the northeastern suburbs of Rochester. The district comprises all of Onondaga and Wayne counties, the northernmost portion of Cayuga County and the...
, in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for twenty years.
Early life
Walsh was born in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and graduated from St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
. He served in the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
1970–72.
Walsh's father, William F. Walsh
William F. Walsh
William Francis Walsh was a Republican-Conservative member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.-Biography:...
, served as Mayor of Syracuse (1961–69) and represented Central New York and the Finger Lakes region in the U.S. House of Representatives (1973–79).
Walsh was then elected to the Syracuse common council. He ran as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1988 in what was then the 27th District, handily defeating state Public Service Commissioner Rosemary Pooler.
Elections
Walsh was reelected nine times, usually by fairly comfortable margins. The district, which was renumbered as the 25th District after the 1990 census, swung heavily to the Democrats during the 1990s at all levels. He faced a reasonably well-financed challenge from CortlandCortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
attorney Marty Mack and was held to only 53 percent of the vote. In 2006, however, he was nearly defeated by former congressional aide Dan Maffei
Dan Maffei
Daniel Benjamin "Dan" Maffei is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011, and currently a senior adviser at law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. He is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for his old seat in 2012.-Early life, education and career:Maffei was born in...
, winning by only a 51% to 49% margin. Only a strong showing in the more rural areas of the district allowed Walsh to keep his seat.
Committees
Despite the growing Democratic trend in his district, Walsh was able to hold onto his seat due to his long tenure on the House Appropriations CommitteeUnited States House Committee on Appropriations
The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
. He was chairman of the Subcommittee on the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies from 2001 to 2007, thus making him one of the so-called "Cardinals" of the House. It is considered very difficult to unseat an Appropriations Committee member, especially if he or she is a "Cardinal."
- Appropriations Committee
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus
- Co-Chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Ireland
Awards
In June 2003, The Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems (an industry group) presented Congressman Walsh with the Syracuse University Willis H. Carrier Award. This award serves to honor Walsh for his years of service and commitment to protecting the environment and for helping to foster an economic hub for environmental technology through his financial support of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems (CoE-ES) and the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center (NYIEQ).Platform
Walsh is a member of the Republican Main Street PartnershipRepublican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
and Republicans for Environmental Protection.
He is a firm supporter of the Destiny USA
Destiny USA
Destiny USA is a retail and entertainment complex under construction in Syracuse, New York, United States. The project's developer, The Pyramid Companies, predicts that Destiny USA will become a major tourist destination and will have an economic impact throughout the Central New York region...
project in Syracuse. Walsh has been a firm advocate of stem cell research, although he is opposed to using embryos as a source of the stem cells for such research.
Walsh is considered an influential figure in the sustaining of Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
(SU). He has helped get funding for many projects run by SU, including Chancellor Nancy Cantor
Nancy Cantor
Nancy Cantor is the 11th chancellor and president of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. She received her A.B. in 1974 from Sarah Lawrence College and her Ph.D. in psychology in 1978 from Stanford University. She became chancellor upon the retirement of Kenneth "Buzz" Shaw...
's Connective Corridor project.
Walsh is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.
On September 10, 2007, Jim Walsh stated that he now favors a gradual withdraw of American forces from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. This announcement came months after Walsh opposed President Bush's troop surge, and the Congressman claims that it was a result of personally going to Iraq and finding that the Iraqi government and military have not done enough on their end. Walsh stated, "We've done enough. No country has done more than we have for Iraq. The question I kept coming up with is how much do we have to give Iraq to make things work? I think we have given enough." Walsh supports a bipartisan bill that would set a withdrawal date for American troops.
Retirement
With Maffei priming for a rematch against Walsh in 2008, Walsh announced that January that he would not run for an 11th term. Maffei won the seat in November.Walsh was a prominent endorser of Rudy Giuliani's
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
presidential campaign. He said of the candidate:
I know what Rudy Giuliani can do. I was proud to work with Rudy while he was Mayor and I’ve seen the direct results of his actions and his demands for accountability and high standards. When times are tough, he’s the leader you want, and I’m proud to support him for President.
External links
- Federal Election Commission — James T Walsh campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Jim Walsh issue positions and quotes
- Peace Corps biography of James Walsh news clips
- OpenSecrets.org — James T. Walsh campaign contributions
- SourceWatch Congresspedia - James Walsh profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: James T. Walsh voting record