David Ross Obey ( ; born October 3, 1938) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 1969 to 2011. The district includes much of the northwestern portion of the state, including Wausau and Superior. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and served as Chairman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations from 1994 to 1995 and again from 2007 to 2011. Until he was surpassed by Jim Sensenbrenner in 2020, Obey was the longest-serving member ever of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Wisconsin. Obey remains the longest serving Democratic Representative from Wisconsin.

Early life and career

Obey was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, the son of Mary Jane (née Chellis) and Orville John Obey. In 1941, his family moved back to his parents' native Wisconsin, and Obey was raised in Wausau, Wisconsin, where he has lived since.

During his youth, Obey identified as a Republican, and helped deliver campaign material for Senator Joseph McCarthy during his electoral campaigns. Obey also had come to identify with the progressive philosophy of Robert M. La Follette and began working for the electoral campaigns of Democrats such as Gaylord Nelson, Robert Kastenmeier, and William Proxmire, becoming affiliated with the Democratic Party sometime in the mid-1950s during his teenage years.

Wisconsin State Assembly

He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1963 and served there until 1969. During his time in the state legislature he rose to the position of Assistant Majority leader for the Democratic caucus. Obey had risen to the position of fifth ranking House Democrat since his party retook control of Congress.

During the 1970s, Obey was the leader of the Democratic Study Group, which was a caucus of liberal Democrats in the House which was intended to "counter" the influence of conservative and southern Democrats.

Obey also is remembered for being the congressman who intervened when fellow Democrat Harold Ford, Jr. approached Republican Jean Schmidt on the House floor in 2005. Ford was upset because Schmidt had called Congressman John Murtha a coward for advocating a withdrawal of American forces in Iraq.

Obey holds a critical view of the mainstream American news media, as evidenced by his words on June 13, 2008, upon the sudden death of NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert. Obey said of Russert: "Tim Russert's death is not just a body blow for NBC News; it is a body blow for the nation and for anyone who cherishes newsmen and women who have remained devoted to reporting hard news in an era increasingly consumed by trivia." Dave Obey announced an end to his congressional career on May 5, 2010, with press releases being released on May 6.

On June 30, 2010, Obey proposed an amendment to a supplemental war spending bill that would allocate $10 billion to prevent expected teacher layoffs from school districts nationwide. The amendment, which passed the House on July 1, 2010, proposed siphoning off $500 million from the Race to the Top fund as well as $300 million designated for charter schools and teacher incentive pay. In response, the White House released a statement threatening a veto if the bill is passed by the Senate.

On March 21, 2010, Obey swung the same gavel used to pass Medicare in 1965, but this time to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Retirement

Obey was expected to run in 2010, having raised a warchest of $1.4 million. However, Obey was facing tough poll numbers in his district, plus his age and the death of close colleague John Murtha and his frustration with the White House convinced him to bow out of the race.

On May 5, 2010, Obey announced that he would not seek reelection to Congress.

Political campaigns

In 1994, Obey only won reelection by eight points as the Democrats lost control of the House during the Republican Revolution.

2008

2010

Obey was expected to run in 2010, having raised a warchest of $1.4 million. However, Obey was facing tough poll numbers in his district, plus his age and the death of close colleague John Murtha and his frustration with the White House convinced him to bow out of the race.

Personal life

While Obey was still a graduate student, he married Joan Lepinski. The two remained married until Joan's death in 2023.

Books

  • Foreword to Along Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail by Eric Sherman and Andrew Hanson III (2008, University of Wisconsin Press)
  • Raising Hell for Justice: The Washington Battles of a Heartland Progressive (2008, University of Wisconsin Press)

References

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Links formerly displayed via the CongLinks template:

  • Congressional profile at GovTrack
  • Congressional profile at OpenCongress
  • Financial information (federal office) at OpenSecrets.org
  • Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
  • Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
  • Appearances on C-SPAN programs
  • Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
  • -->
  • Profile at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin
  • A Hard-Edged Cheesehead and the Power of the Purse, Silla Brush, U.S. News & World Report, July 8, 2007
  • BBC World News America interview with David Obey on his retirement

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