Kat Cammack | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 3rd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Ted Yoho |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kathryn Christine Cammack[1] February 16, 1988 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Matthew Harrison (m. 2017) |
| Education | Metropolitan State University of Denver (BA) Naval War College (MS) |
| Website | House website |
Kathryn Christine Cammack (/ˈkæmæk/ KAM-mack; born February 16, 1988)[2] is an American politician and political advisor serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 3rd congressional district. Cammack previously served as deputy chief of staff to Representative Ted Yoho, who announced that he would retire in 2020.[3] She is the third-youngest woman elected to Congress in the 2020 election cycle, behind Democrats Sara Jacobs and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[4]
Cammack was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised on a 55-acre cattle ranch.[5][6][7][8][9] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Master of Science in national defense and strategic studies from the Naval War College.[10][11] Cammack says she lived with her mother in an extended-stay motel for four months.[5][12][13]
Cammack says that her family's experience with the federal Home Affordable Modification Program inspired her interest in politics.[14] She later joined Ted Yoho's congressional campaign.[15][16][17] After Yoho was elected, Cammack served as his deputy chief of staff from 2013 until 2019.[18][19] In 2019, Cammack left Yoho's office in Washington, D.C. and returned to Florida. Yoho did not seek reelection in 2020, fulfilling his pledge to serve only four terms.[20] Cammack announced her candidacy for Yoho's seat in December 2019.[21]
Cammack also operates an independent political consulting firm.[22][23] She was heavily favored to win the November general election.[24][25][26][27] In September 2020, Donald Trump endorsed her.[28] After her primary win, Cammack established a leadership PAC.[29][30]
|
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 3 |
Cammack defeated Democratic nominee Adam Christensen. She assumed office on January 3, 2021.[31]
Cammack is anti-abortion.[34] She believes abortion should only be legal in extreme cases in the first trimester.[34] During her campaign, she released an advertisement in which she stated that, when her mother was pregnant with her, she was advised by doctors to have an abortion.[35]
Cammack has supported the construction of a border wall along the Mexico–United States border.[36]
In March 2020, Cammack signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge.[37]
Cammack was one of the 139 representatives to vote to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election on January 7, 2021, the day after the attack upon the United States Capitol.[38]
On the House floor, Cammack said the 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.[39]
In June 2021, Cammack was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to the repeal the AUMF against Iraq.[40][41]
Cammack's husband, Matt Harrison, is a firefighter.[18] Cammack is a Protestant.[42]
