Kathryn Christine Cammack ( ; born February 16, 1988) is an American politician and political advisor serving as the U.S. representative for
Florida's 3rd congressional district
Florida's 3rd congressional district is an electoral district of the United States House of Representatives located in Florida. It presently comprises a large section of northern Florida, including the entire counties of Alachua, Clay, Putnam, ...
. A member of the
Republican Party, Cammack previously served as deputy chief of staff to her predecessor, Representative
Ted Yoho
Theodore Scott Yoho ( ; born April 13, 1955) is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman who served as the U.S. representative from from 2013 until 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.
In the 2012 Republican primary elec ...
, who retired in 2020. She is the second-youngest woman elected to Congress in the
2020 election cycle, behind
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
Sara Jacobs
Sara Josephine Jacobs (born February 1, 1989) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for . Her district includes central and eastern portions of San Diego, California, San Diego, as we ...
.
Early life and education
Cammack was born in
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, and raised on a 55-acre cattle ranch.
In 2006, she graduated from Douglas County High School in Castle Rock, Colorado. Cammack earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from the
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver or Metro State) is a public university in Denver, Colorado. MSU Denver is located on the Auraria Campus, along with the University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver, in d ...
and a Master of Science in national defense and strategic studies from the
Naval War College
The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
. She has said she lived with her mother in an extended-stay motel for four months.
Career
Cammack has said that her family's experience with the federal Home Affordable Modification Program in 2011 inspired her interest in politics.
In 2009, she interned with U.S. Representative
Mike Coffman
Michael Harold Coffman (born March 19, 1955) is an American politician, businessman, and veteran of the United States Army, U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps serving as Mayor of Aurora, Colorado since 2019. A Republican ...
. She later joined Ted Yoho's congressional campaign. After Yoho was elected, Cammack served as his deputy chief of staff from 2013 to 2019.
In 2019, she left Yoho's office in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
and returned to
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. Yoho did not seek reelection in 2020, fulfilling his pledge to serve only four terms. Cammack announced her candidacy for Yoho's seat in December 2019.
Cammack also operates an independent political consulting firm. After winning the primary, she was heavily favored to win the general election. In September 2020,
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
endorsed her. After her primary win, Cammack established a leadership
PAC.
Cammack ran for chair of the
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is a study group of conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives. As of 2021, the Chairman of the RSC is Representative Jim Banks of Indiana.
Although the prim ...
but later withdrew her bid for the position and endorsed
Kevin Hern
Kevin Ray Hern (born December 4, 1961) is an American businessman and politician from the state of Oklahoma. A Republican, he is a member of the United States House of Representatives for . He was first elected in 2018. Hern was ranked number 7 i ...
.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2020
Cammack defeated Democratic nominee Adam Christensen. She assumed office on January 3, 2021.
2022
Cammack ran for reelection. In the primary, she received 84.8% of the vote to her opponent Justin Waters's 15.2%. A third candidate, Manuel Asensio, dropped out before Election Day. Cammack won the general election with 62.5% of the vote to Democratic nominee Danielle Hawk's 36.3% and NPA Linda Brooks's 1.2%.
Caucus memberships
*
Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is a study group of conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives. As of 2021, the Chairman of the RSC is Representative Jim Banks of Indiana.
Although the prim ...
* Campus Free Speech Caucus
* Congressional Pro-Life Caucus
Political positions
Abortion
Cammack is
anti-abortion
Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respons ...
and co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus.
She believes states should determine their abortion laws, and abortion should be allowed only in extreme cases in the first trimester.
In 2022, she cosponsored a bill to ban abortions nationwide past 15 weeks. During her campaign, she released an advertisement in which she said that, when her mother was pregnant with her, she was advised by doctors to have an abortion, but chose not to.
Congressional term limits
In March 2020, Cammack signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge. She said that a "limit on the time an individual can serve brings new ideas to Capitol Hill."
Economy
Cammack cosponsored a bill to expand federal home loans for first responders and educators. The bill, introduced in May 2021, has not passed out of committee.
2020 Election and storming of the United States Capitol
Cammack was one of the 139 representatives to vote to overturn the results of the
2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
on January 7, 2021. On the House floor, she said the
January 6, 2021, attacks "furthermore resolved" her objection to the certification process and as that as representatives of the people, members of Congress must stand for a free and fair election for all Americans. There was no evidence that the election was not free or fair to an extent that would change the outcome, despite numerous inquiries.
Law Enforcement
Cammack said it is reassuring that the Capitol Police are expanding into Florida and will work with local law enforcement.
Energy and environment
Cammack cosponsored the PROTECT Florida Act to prohibit oil and gas drilling off the coast of Florida until 2032. The bill, introduced in October 2021, has not passed out of committee. On March 14, 2022, Cammack said the U.S. needs to produce more oil.
Firearms
Cammack is a board member of the Alachua County Friends of the
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...
. In 2020, the NRA endorsed her. In 2021, she voted for the
National Defense Authorization Act
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is the name for each of a series of United States federal laws specifying the annual budget and expenditures of the U.S. Department of Defense. The first NDAA was passed in 1961. The U.S. Congress o ...
, which contained
anti-gun provisions.
Foreign affairs
In June 2021, Cammack was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the
AUMF against Iraq. She voted for the
Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022.
Immigration and border security
Cammack has supported the construction of a border wall along the
Mexico–United States border
The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...
.
During the
2022 United States infant formula shortage
In 2022, the United States experienced a severe shortage of infant formula as a result of the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis compounded by a large scale product recall after two babies allegedly died after consuming Abbott infant formula, ...
, Cammack criticized the Biden administration for sending baby formula to detention facilities on the U.S.-Mexico border. White House Press Secretary
Jen Psaki
Jennifer Rene Psaki (; born c. 1978) is an American television political analyst who currently works for MSNBC. Previously, she was a political advisor who served under both the Obama and Biden administrations. Immediately prior to working for ...
said that under the
Flores Settlement Agreement, the U.S. is required to provide adequate and age-appropriate food, "hence formula for kids under the age of 1." During an interview with
Sean Hannity
Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of ''The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a commentar ...
on
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
, Cammack showed pictures of baby formula she said she had received from a
CBP CBP may refer to:
Business parks
* Cebu Business Park, a central business district in Cebu City, Philippines
* Changi Business Park, an eco-friendly industrial park in Singapore
* Chiswick Business Park, a business park in Gunnersbury, West London
...
agent. Tommy Christopher wrote that some of the images used in Cammack’s interview with Hannity were not of baby formula but of powdered milk for children older than one. Hannity later acknowledged on Twitter that two of the pictures he aired during Cammack’s appearance were milk products for children over one.
LGBT rights
Cammack has called the
Equality Act, a bill that would amend the
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...
(including titles
II,
III,
IV,
VI,
VII VII or vii may refer to: the Roman numeral 7
Art and entertainment
* The Vii, a video game console
* vii, leading-tone triad, see diminished triad
* ''VII'' (Blitzen Trapper album)
* ''VII'' (Just-Ice album)
* ''VII'' (Teyana Taylor album)
* ...
, and
IX) to prohibit
discrimination
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...
on the basis of
sex
Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
,
sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...
and
gender identity
Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the i ...
in
employment
Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...
,
housing
Housing, or more generally, living spaces, refers to the construction and assigned usage of houses or buildings individually or collectively, for the purpose of shelter. Housing ensures that members of society have a place to live, whether it ...
,
public accommodations
In United States law, public accommodations are generally defined as facilities, whether publicly or privately owned, that are used by the public at large. Examples include retail stores, rental establishments, and service establishments as well ...
,
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
,
federally funded programs,
credit
Credit (from Latin verb ''credit'', meaning "one believes") is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt), ...
, and
jury service
Jury duty or jury service is service as a juror in a legal proceeding.
Juror selection process
The prosecutor and defense can dismiss potential jurors for various reasons, which can vary from one state to another, and they can have a specifi ...
, a "farce" that will strip people of faith and private organizations of the right to decide for themselves how to live, work, and conduct business. She voted against the act and numerous other protections for
LBGTQ
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is an ...
Americans during her time in Congress. On July 19, 2022, Cammack and 46 other Republican representatives voted for the
Respect for Marriage Act
The Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA; ) is a landmark United States federal law passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden. It repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), requires the U.S. federal governm ...
, which would repeal the
Defense of Marriage Act
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a United States federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage by limiting the definition of marr ...
and codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law. Cammack wrote that she supported the bill because, under the
Fourteenth Amendment, the law cannot treat one group of citizens differently from another.
Personal life
Cammack's husband, Matt Harrison, is a firefighter.
Cammack is a
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
.
See also
*
Women in the United States House of Representatives
Women have served in the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber, since the 1916 election of Republican Jeannette Rankin from Montana, the first woman in Con ...
References
External links
Representative Kat Cammackofficial U.S. House website
Campaign website*
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cammack, Kat
1988 births
Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Living people
Metropolitan State University of Denver alumni
Naval War College alumni
People from Denver
People from Castle Rock, Colorado
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida
United States congressional aides
Women in Florida politics
Conservatism in the United States
Christians from Florida
21st-century American women