Ralph Warren Norman Jr. (born June 20, 1953) is an American
real estate developer
Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re- lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to othe ...
and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...
serving as the
U.S. representative for since 2017.
His district includes most of the
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
side of the
Charlotte metropolitan area
The Charlotte metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as Metrolina, is a metropolitan area of the U.S. states of North and South Carolina, within and surrounding the city of Charlotte. The metropolitan area also includes the cities of Gasto ...
, along with outer portions of
the Upstate
The Upstate is the region in the westernmost part of South Carolina, United States, also known as the Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerc ...
and
Midlands
The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the In ...
. A member of the
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
* Republican Party (Liberia)
*Republican Party ...
, Norman served as the
South Carolina state representative for the 48th district from 2005 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2017.
Norman won a
special election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
after
Mick Mulvaney
John Michael Mulvaney (born July 21, 1967) is an American politician who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from February 2017 until March 2020, and as acting White House Chief of Staff from January 2019 until March ...
vacated his seat in Congress upon being appointed director of the
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
by President
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 P ...
. As of 2019, with a net worth of $18.3 million, Norman is the 28th
wealthiest member of Congress.
Early life and career
Norman was born in
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 282,090, making it the seventh most populous county in the state. Its county seat is the city of York, and its largest city is Rock Hill. The ...
, and resides in
Rock Hill, where he is a real estate developer at the Warren Norman Company, a business founded by and named after Norman's father. He and his wife, Elaine, have 4 children and 17 grandchildren. He received a bachelor's degree in business from Presbyterian College in 1975.
South Carolina House of Representatives
In 2004, Norman was elected to serve District 48 in the South Carolina House of Representatives, winning a three-way Republican primary outright with 52% of the vote. After one term, Norman chose not to run for reelection so he could become the 2006 Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in
South Carolina's 5th congressional district
The 5th congressional district of South Carolina is a congressional district in northern South Carolina bordering North Carolina. The district includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counti ...
against
John Spratt
John McKee Spratt Jr. (born November 1, 1942) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 1983 to 2011. The 5th Congressional District covers all or part of 14 counties in north-central South Carolina. The largest cities a ...
. He lost to Spratt.
On November 3, 2009, Norman defeated Democrat Kathy Cantrell in a special election to reclaim his old seat.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2017 special election
In December 2016, President
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 P ...
nominated
Mick Mulvaney
John Michael Mulvaney (born July 21, 1967) is an American politician who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from February 2017 until March 2020, and as acting White House Chief of Staff from January 2019 until March ...
for Director of the
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
(OMB). At the time, Mulvaney represented
South Carolina's 5th Congressional District
The 5th congressional district of South Carolina is a congressional district in northern South Carolina bordering North Carolina. The district includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counti ...
in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
. Shortly after the nomination, and in anticipation that Mulvaney's seat in Congress would be vacated once the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and po ...
confirmed him, Norman announced his intention to resign from the South Carolina House of Representatives to run for Congress.
On May 16, 2017, Norman won a Republican primary runoff election against
Tommy Pope
Tommy Pope (né Papa; born November 21, 1979) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor.
He is best known for his digital content as part of the sketch comedy troupes BirdText and Deer Prom, who were responsible for the web series ' ...
by a margin of 0.6%, triggering an automatic recount per South Carolina state law. Following that recount, the South Carolina State Election Commission certified Norman as the Republican nominee on May 19, 2017. With 35,425 votes cast, Norman received 17,823 to Pope's 17,602, a 221-vote difference.
Having secured the Republican nomination, Norman faced Democratic nominee
Sumter Sumter may refer to:
People Given name
* Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist
* Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general
Surname
* Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer
* Shavonda E. Sumter ( ...
attorney
Archie Parnell
Archie William Parnell Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for the June 20, 2017, special election for South Carolina's 5th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives. He ...
in a
special election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
on June 20. Norman received 51.0% of the vote to Parnell's 47.9%.
Norman was sworn into office on June 26, 2017.
2018
On March 19, 2018, Norman filed for reelection with the South Carolina Election Commission. Facing no primary challengers, he secured the Republican party nomination after the primary election on June 12.
Meanwhile, Parnell chose to run again for
South Carolina's 5th Congressional District
The 5th congressional district of South Carolina is a congressional district in northern South Carolina bordering North Carolina. The district includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counti ...
seat. He defeated three opponents to win the Democratic nomination, and faced Norman again in the general election.
The general election was on November 6. Norman was
reelected with 57.0% of the vote to Parnell's 41.5%. State and national Democrats had distanced themselves from Parnell after news broke that he had abused his first wife.
2020
Norman filed for reelection on March 16, 2020. He secured the Republican nomination after facing no Republican challengers in the primary election on June 12.
Norman went on to defeat Democrat Mauricus "Moe" Brown in the
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
on November 3. He received 60.1% of the vote to Brown's 39.9%.
Tenure
Sexual assault joke
On September 20, 2018, at an election debate for the Republican nomination, Norman joked about
sexual assault
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
allegations against
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
nominee
Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael Kavanaugh ( ; born February 12, 1965) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 9, 2018, and has served since O ...
. He kicked off the debate asking the audience, "Did y'all hear this latest late-breaking news on the Kavanaugh hearings? ...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg ( ; ; March 15, 1933September 18, 2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. She was nominated by Presiden ...
came out saying she was groped by
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
."
Firearm incident
At a public meeting for constituents on April 6, 2018, Norman engaged in a conversation with representatives from
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was created in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined for ...
(MDA).
During that conversation, he placed his
.38-caliber Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American firearm manufacturer headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States.
Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the "Smith & Wesson Revolver Company" in 1856 ...
handgun
A handgun is a short-barrelled gun, typically a firearm, that is designed to be usable with only one hand. It is distinguished from a long gun (i.e. rifle, shotgun or machine gun, etc.), which needs to be held by both hands and also braced ag ...
on the table to illustrate his belief that "gun violence is a spiritual, mental or people issue, not a gun issue."
According to Norman, the loaded firearm was visible for "maybe a minute, or two minutes" and was never pointed at any individual,
but MDA representatives who were seated at the table with Norman said the firearm was visible for "five to 10 minutes" and that they felt unsafe.
Norman holds a
concealed weapons
Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's p ...
permit issued by South Carolina.
The incident sparked widespread criticism of Norman. On April 9, 2018,
South Carolina Democratic Party
The South Carolina Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina.
History
The Democratic Party thrived during the Second Party System between 18 ...
Chair Trav Robertson wrote the
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division a letter requesting felony charges against Norman for his conduct. The case was originally assigned to South Carolina 16th Solicitor Kevin Brackett, but Brackett recused himself, citing a "personal friendship" with Norman. The issue was then forwarded to
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who declined to press charges, stating that Norman's actions did not "warrant a criminal investigation" or constitute "a prosecutable offense."
Conservative Political Action Conference attendance
In late February 2021, Norman and a dozen other Republican House members skipped votes and
enlisted others to vote for them, citing the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. But he and the other members were actually attending the
Conservative Political Action Conference
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC; ) is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States and beyond. CPAC is hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU) ...
, which was held at the same time as their slated absences. In response, the
Campaign for Accountability
Campaign for Accountability (CfA) is a liberal 501(c)(3) non-profit ethics watchdog group headquartered in Washington, D.C.Andy SherSen. Corker bites back at watchdog group's second ethics complaint against him ''Chattanooga Times Free Press'' (M ...
, an ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the
House Committee on Ethics and requested an investigation into Norman and the other lawmakers.
Conservative Opportunity Society
In 2021, Norman was elected chair of the
Conservative Opportunity Society.
COVID-19 pandemic
In 2021, Norman violated House rules by not wearing a
face mask in the House Chamber and was fined $500 as provided by the rules. Despite committing the infraction, he and two other Republican lawmakers sued
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** In ...
Pelosi over the incident. Norman tested positive for COVID-19 on August 5, 2021, and reported that he had been fully vaccinated and had only mild symptoms.
Federal loans
In August 2022, Norman criticized President
Joe Biden for forgiving up to $10,000 of student loan debt for eligible borrowers. Norman was criticized for hypocrisy because he had $306,520 of debt from his
PPP loan
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a $953-billion business loan program established by the United States federal government during the Donald Trump administration in 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES ...
forgiven.
Political positions
Steve King
In 2019, Norman joined a small group of House Republicans who sought to reinstate Representative
Steve King on House committees.
King had lost his committee positions due to a series of racist and
white nationalist
White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara. ''Hate Crimes''. Greenwoo ...
remarks. The group included
Louie Gohmert
Louis Buller Gohmert Jr. (; born August 18, 1953) is an American attorney, politician, and former jurist serving as the U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district since 2005. Gohmert is a Republican and was part of the Tea P ...
and
Paul Gosar.
King was not reinstated.
Donald Trump
Norman was described as a Trump ally during Donald Trump's presidency. After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Trump made claims of election fraud, Norman called for an investigation into fraud.
In December 2020, Norman was one of 126 Republican members of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
to sign an
amicus brief
An ''amicus curiae'' (; ) is an individual or organization who is not a party to a legal case, but who is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. The decision on ...
in support of ''
Texas v. Pennsylvania'', a lawsuit filed at the
United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
contesting 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:
** ...
, in which
Joe Biden defeated Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked
standing
Standing, also referred to as orthostasis, is a position in which the body is held in an ''erect'' ("orthostatic") position and supported only by the feet. Although seemingly static, the body rocks slightly back and forth from the ankle in the s ...
under
Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.
After Trump was impeached for his role in inciting a pro-Trump mob to storm the U.S. Capitol over false claims of election fraud, Norman criticized Representative
Liz Cheney
Elizabeth Lynne Cheney (; born July 28, 1966) is an American attorney and politician who has been the U.S. representative for since 2017, with her term expiring in January 2023. She chaired the House Republican Conference, the third-highest ...
for voting to impeach Trump. Norman said he was "bothered by Cheney's attitude".
On January 17, 2021, Norman sent a text message to White House Chief of Staff
Mark Meadows
Mark Randall Meadows (born July 28, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 29th White House chief of staff from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th c ...
asking him to urge President Trump to invoke
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Martia ...
(misspelling it
'Marshall Law') to prevent the inauguration of Joseph Biden.
U.S. Capitol Police
In June 2021, Norman was one of 21 House Republicans to vote against a resolution to give the
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
to police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on
January 6
Events Pre-1600
* 1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will ...
.
Juneteenth
In June 2021, Norman was one of 14 House Republicans to vote against legislation to establish June 19, or
Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, i ...
, as a federal holiday.
Afghanistan
In July 2021, Norman was one of five House Republicans to vote against a bill that clears $2.1 billion for Afghan visas and Capitol Hill security.
Ukraine
In February 2022, Norman co-sponsored the Secure America's Borders First Act, which would prohibit the expenditure or obligation of military and security assistance to Kyiv over the U.S. border with Mexico.
Committee assignments
*
Committee on Oversight and Reform
**
Subcommittee on Government Operations
*
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...
**
Subcommittee on Energy
**
Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight
*
Committee on the Budget
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 prima ...
*
Freedom Caucus
The Freedom Caucus, also known as the House Freedom Caucus, is a congressional caucus consisting of conservative Republican members of the United States House of Representatives. It is generally considered to be the most conservative and far ...
*
Congressional Solar Caucus
The Congressional Solar Caucus is a bipartisan United States House of Representatives caucus whose members "work on a bipartisan basis to find common ground to tackle issues facing solar business and communities" The caucus was started in Februar ...
*
Congressional Western Caucus
The Congressional Western Caucus is a caucus within the United States House of Representatives composed of 62 members. Although it has historically been bipartisan, it is currently composed almost exclusively of Republicans (with the sole excepti ...
*Congressional Waste-Cutters Caucus
Electoral history
References
External links
Congressman Ralph Normanofficial U.S. House website
Campaign website
*
*
*
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norman, Ralph
1953 births
21st-century American businesspeople
21st-century American politicians
American real estate businesspeople
American nationalists
Businesspeople from South Carolina
Candidates in the 2006 United States elections
Living people
Republican Party members of the South Carolina House of Representatives
People from Rock Hill, South Carolina
Presbyterian College alumni
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina