Mike Kennedy (politician)

Mike Kennedy
Member of the Utah House of Representatives
from the 27th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2013
Preceded by John Dougall
Personal details
Born 1969 (age 48–49)
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Katrina
Children 8
Education Brigham Young University (BA, JD)
Michigan State University (MD)
Website Official website

Michael S. Kennedy[1] (born 1969) is an American physician, attorney, and politician. He is a Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives, elected in 2012.[2][3]

Kennedy was a candidate in the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Utah. He received the most votes among delegates at the Utah State Republican Convention (finishing 57 votes ahead of Mitt Romney) but was soundly defeated by Romney in the subsequent primary by more than 40 percentage points for the Republican nomination.

Early life and career

Kennedy earned his BS from Brigham Young University. While a student at BYU Kennedy took two years off to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4]

He earned his MD from Michigan State University, and his JD from Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School. Kennedy lives in Alpine, Utah, where he works as a family doctor for Premier Family Medical Group.[5][6]

Political career

When District 27 incumbent Republican Representative John Dougall ran for state auditor and left the seat open, Kennedy was selected as one of two candidates from five by the Republican convention for the June 26, 2012 Republican primary which he won with 2,586 votes (52.9%)[7] and won the November 6, 2012 general election with 14,335 votes (92.1%) against Constitution candidate Scott Morgan.[8]

During the 2014 general election, Kennedy faced Democratic nominee William McGree, winning with 6,997 votes (88.4%).

During the 2016 legislative session, Kennedy served on the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House Political Subdivisions Committee.[9]

On March 9, 2018, Kennedy distributed a letter to members of District 27 announcing that he would not seek re-election for the Utah House of Representatives. He instead opted to run for the U.S. Senate. On April 22, 2018, Kennedy edged out Mitt Romney at the Republican Convention with 50.88% of the delegate votes. Romney came in a close second with 49.12%, allowing both to compete in the primary on June 26, 2018.[10][11][12]

Kennedy decisively lost the primary, however, garnering less than 30 percent of the vote.[13] Jenny Wilson appears on the November ballot for the Democrats.[14] As a physician, Dr. Kennedy has worked with health care issues and opposes Obamacare. He received attention for an earlier comment that, "Sometimes access to health care can be damaging and dangerous..that we're killing up to a million, a million and a half people every year in our hospitals. And it's access to hospitals that's killing those people."[15] He has supported President Trump's immigration policies and admires Antonin Scalia as a jurist.[15] Kennedy drew attention as a vocal supporter of gun rights, even meeting with UtahGunExchange.com, a private gun exchange that had a presence at March For Our Lives near the Utah Capitol and the 2018 Chicago Peace March and Rally, where their militaristic vehicle included a dummy .50-caliber sniper rifle.[16][17]

2016 sponsored legislation

Bill NumberBill NameBill Status
HB0081Government Employees Insurance Offerings AmendmentsGovernor Signed - 3/21/2016[18]
HB0113Health Care Sharing Ministry AmendmentsHouse/ filed - 3/10/2016[18]
HB0307Termination of Parental Rights AmendmentsHouse/ filed - 3/10/2016[18]
HJR010Joint Resolution Authorizing the Lease of a Portion of the Utah State Developmental Center's LandHouse/ to Lieutenant Governor - 3/7/2016[18]

Kennedy passed two of the four bills he introduced, giving him a 50% passage rate. He also floor sponsored three bills.[18] He has a 92.7% lifetime rating from the Utah Taxpayers Association.[19] Kennedy stresses that he has an "A rating" on gun legislation from the NRA.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Kennedy's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Michael S. Kennedy (R)". Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Legislature. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Michael S. Kennedy". Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah House of Representatives. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  4. ↑ Kennedy campaign bio
  5. ↑ "Conflict of Interest Form" (PDF). Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah House of Representatives. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Michael S. Kennedy, M.D., J.D." Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Health Care. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  7. ↑ "2012 Primary Canvass Reports". Salt Lake City, Utah: Lieutenant Governor of Utah. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  8. ↑ "2012 General Canvass Report". Salt Lake City, Utah: Lieutenant Governor of Utah. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Committees". le.utah.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  10. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/politics/romney-utah-gop-convention/index.html/
  11. ↑ "Mitt Romney comes in second place at Utah GOP convention, forced into primary". Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  12. ↑ "Utah Republican delegates force Mitt Romney into a primary election with state lawmaker Mike Kennedy in the race for the U.S. Senate". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  13. ↑ http://fox13now.com/2018/06/26/mitt-romney-wins-utah-gop-primary-race-against-mike-kennedy/
  14. ↑ "Romney defends attacks from opponent in Utah debate".
  15. 1 2 3 "Who is that guy who beat Mitt Romney at the GOP convention".
  16. ↑ "Gehrke: The guy behind Utah's school safety effort embraces the gun fringe, oh, and he's also running for Senate".
  17. ↑ "Members of Utah gun group detained in Chicago during 'March For Our Lives' tour".
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "2016GS Bill Search Results". Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  19. ↑ http://www.utahtaxpayers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/F2018-Scorecard.pdf
Utah House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Dougall		 Member of the Utah House of Representatives
from the 27th district
2013–present		 Incumbent


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