Vern Buchanan, Republican from Florida’s 13th District is 56 years old, received an M.B.A. from the University of Detroit in 1986, was in the Michigan Air National Guard, 1970-1976; currently a businessman, lives in Sarasota. He and the owner of a Michigan printing company founded American Speedy Printing which grew though franchising to more than 730 stores in 44 states. In 1989, a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch loaned Buchanan $15.4 million guaranteed by his ownership in the company. In 1992, the company filed for bankruptcy, three days after Buchanan resigned; at the time he owned all the company’s stock. Also in 1992, he bought a Honda and Acura dealership in Ocala, Florida. In late 1999, he bought two more dealerships. He continued to acquire dealerships after that, but in 2006 he sold five dealerships, plus his interest in a clothing store and a spa to concentrate on his House campaign. Buchanan is currently worth more than $50 Million. When he filed financial disclosure forms in the fall of 2005, he had interests in more than 50 companies.

Buchanan won his seat with a 346 vote victory over Democrat Christine Jennings. Pos-election analysis showed that 18,000 people in a district that heavily favored Jennings did not cast votes for the seat, despite voting in other statewide elections. There were also reports of malfunctions with electronic voting machines. Following a recount that certified Buchanan the winner, Jennings sued, demanding a new election.

He has voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 91.2 percent of the time and has missed 17 votes [1.5 percent] during the current Congress.

Vern Buchanan, Congressman from Florida’s 13th District has been given a pass by the House Republican leadership so far. As a result he has voted for some of the Democratic agenda including the minimum wage and SCHIP the school childrens health insurance program, In fact he voted to override the President’s veto of SCHIP. He also supports the GI Bill extension to educate returning vets, the latest being for those who have served post 9/11. It could be pointed out that the Congressman was seated despite questionable returns from Sarasota County and his errant votes when one less Republican vote was meaningless didn’t make a difference in the house this year but could make a big difference in a house where the voting was tighter.

"This nation owes a great debt to its veterans who have been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation,"Buchanan said at a news conference in the rotunda of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus building. The current program doesn’t cover the cost of today’s college education , said Buchanan.

Sources:

1.Carl Mario Nudi, THE BRADENTON HERALD, SECTION C, LOCAL, 1C, G I bill would school 9/11 vets. Tuesday November 13, 2007

2.projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b001260/

3.www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Vern_Buchanan