Keith Rothfus

Early life and education

Rothfus was born in 1962 in Endicott, New York. He graduated from West Seneca West Senior High School in 1980. He graduated from the State University of New York College at Buffalo with a bachelor's degree in information systems. He later earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1994.

Law career

For most of his adult life, Rothfus has been a corporate attorney. He was employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security from 2006 to 2007. He has also been a member of the Edgeworth, Pennsylvania zoning board. He serves on the board of directors of the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2010

Rothfus decided to run for Congress in Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. In the Republican primary, he defeated U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan 65%–35%. Rothfus challenged Democratic U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire, losing 51%–49%.

2012

After redistricting, most of the 4th District was merged with the Johnstown-based Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Rothfus won the Republican primary unopposed. In the general election, he faced incumbent Democrat Mark Critz, who had defeated incumbent Jason Altmire in the Democratic primary. Rothfus led Critz in fundraising for the second half of 2012. It was a highly competitive election, with outside groups spending nearly $10 million.

Rothfus defeated Critz 52%–48%. Although Critz had retained the bulk of his former territory, he could not overcome the significantly redder hue of the redrawn district. Rothfus took office when the 113th Congress convened on January 3, 2013.

2014

Rothfus sought a second term in the U.S. House in 2014. He was re-nominated in the May 20 Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Erin McClelland in the general election. He defeated McClelland 59%–41%, winning a second term.

2016

Rothfus sought a third term in the U.S. House in 2016. He again faced Democratic candidate Erin McClelland in the general election. He defeated McClelland 62%–38%, winning a third term.

2018

For his first three terms, Rothfus represented a district stretching from the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh to Johnstown. After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the old congressional map as unconstitutional and replaced it with a map of its own, Rothfus' district was renumbered as the 17th District. It lost its eastern portion, including the area around Johnstown, and reconfigured as a more compact district in the northern and western suburbs of Pittsburgh. In the process, it lost its last connection to John Murtha, who had represented the 12th from 1972 until his death in 2010.

Democrat Conor Lamb, who won a special election for the neighboring 18th District, had his home drawn into the new 17th and filed to run for a full term there on March 20. On paper, the new 17th is far less Republican than its predecessor; President Trump carried the old 12th by 20 points, but would have carried the new 17th by just 2.5 points. In the November 2018 general election, Rothfus was defeated by Lamb. Lamb won 56% of the vote to Rothfus's 44%.

The political action committee America First Policies bought advertisements in support of Rothfus's campaign.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• United States House Judiciary Committee

Caucus memberships

• Friends of Wales Caucus

Political positions

Rothfus, a conservative, was a member of the Republican Study Committee.

Finance

On July 20, 2017, Rothfus introduced H.J.Res.111, which nullifies a rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Healthcare

In early 2017, efforts were made to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Approximately 130 of Rothfus's constituents requested a town hall to discuss their concerns about removed/reduced health coverage. Frustrated citizens sponsored and invited Rothfus to a town hall; he declined. Some of Rothfus's constituents reportedly started a PAC to motivate him to meet with them. On June 3, activists and constituents purportedly frustrated with Rothfus's refusal to host a town hall interrupted a Chamber of Commerce meeting that Rothfus was attending.

Human trafficking

Along with Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA), Rothfus introduced the "Fight Illicit Networks and Detect Trafficking Act" (or the FIND Trafficking Act), H.R. 6069. On July 17, 2018, the House passed the S.488, the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018, which contained the text of the FIND Trafficking Act. The FIND Trafficking Act directs the Comptroller of the Currency to study how virtual currencies can facilitate human trafficking.

Insurance regulation

On September 12, 2018, a bill that Rothfus had introduced, the State Insurance Regulation Preservation Act (H.R. 5059), passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would tailor the supervision of the Federal Reserve over holding companies that own thrifts (savings and loans banks). The bill streamlines regulator's approach to insurance savings and loan holding companies (ISLHCs) by enacting several reforms.

LGBT rights

In 2015, he signed onto a resolution which would amend the U.S. Constitution so that only marriages between men and women are legal. Rothfus has a 0 rating from the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group.

Natural disasters

In 2013, Rothfus voted against a bill to provide disaster relief funding to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Referring to the bill's funding offsets for the National Flood Insurance Program, he said it was "irresponsible to raise an insolvent program's debt ceiling without making reforms."

Refugee crisis

In January 2017, Rothfus issued a statement in support of President Trump's executive order on refugees.

In May 2017, Rothfus voted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, including provisions to defund Planned Parenthood. The bill included an exemption for Congress that was later removed, and the MacArthur amendment, which allowed states to opt out of covering preexisting conditions.

Personal life

Rothfus resided with his wife, Elsie, and their six children in Sewickley, Pennsylvania in 2012. He is a survivor of appendix cancer.

He and his family attended St. James Catholic Church in Sewickley.

Electoral history

References

References

1. "Keith James Rothfus". The Washington Times.
2. Cernetich, Kelly. "Critz Concedes Race to Rothfus". PoliticsPA.
3. "Rothfus wins seat in Pa.'s redrawn 12th Congressional District". WPXI.
4. "Keith Rothfus". Ballotpedia.
5. "The Keith You Know". keithrothfus.com.
6. (May 18, 2010). "PA – District 04 – R Primary Race". Our Campaigns.
7. (November 2, 2010). "PA – District 04 Race". Our Campaigns.
8. Schmitz, Jon and McNulty, Timothy. (November 7, 2012). "Rothfus upsets Critz in bitter battle for U.S. House". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
9. "New Jersey Herald – GOP's Rothfus beats incumbent Critz in W. Pa. race". Njherald.com.
10. (November 6, 2012). "Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information". Electionreturns.state.pa.us.
11. "2012 Election Results Map by State – Live Voting Updates". Politico.com.
12. "Rothfus wins seat in Pa.'s redrawn 12th Congressional District". WPXI.
13. "2014 Pennsylvania House Election Results". Politico.
14. (November 8, 2016). "Pennsylvania 2016 General Election – November 8, 2016 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State.
15. (February 19, 2018). "The New Pennsylvania Congressional Map, District by District". [[The New York Times]].
16. (March 20, 2018). "Conor Lamb won Pennsylvania's 18th district. Tuesday he filed in the state's 17th District". [[USA Today]].
17. (March 14, 2018). "U.S. Rep.-elect Conor Lamb in primary race to challenge Rep. Keith Rothfus". The Times.
18. (November 7, 2018). "Democratic Rep. Conor Lamb projected to knock off GOP Rep. Keith Rothfus in Pennsylvania House race: NBC News". CNBC.
19. "Pennsylvania Election Results: 17th House District".
20. (April 17, 2017). "The Daily 202: What does Trump have to hide? Secretive White House unapologetic about clawing back transparency". The Washington Post.
21. "Member List". Republican Study Committee.
22. Keith, Rothfus. (2017-11-01). "H.J.Res.111 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Arbitration Agreements".".
23. Ryan Deto. (February 22, 2017). "U.S. Congressman Keith Rothfus dodges 130 constituents in first week back in district". Pittsburgh City Paper.
24. (March 20, 2017). "'Yinzers Against Jagoffs' PAC forms demanding more accessibility from U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus". Ryan Deto.
25. Emily Balser. "Protesters interrupt Rothfus meeting". Trib Total Media.
26. (2018-07-17). "Rothfus Supports Economic Growth Package that Includes his Bipartisan Anti-Drug and Human Trafficking Bill". Congressman Keith Rothfus.
27. (2018-09-13). "House Passes Rothfus' Bipartisan Bill to Tailor the Supervision of Insurance-Focused Savings and Loan Holding Companies". Congressman Keith Rothfus.
28. (February 19, 2015). "GOP resolution proposes gay marriage ban". The Hill.
29. Andrew Breiner. (June 13, 2016). "Republicans Who Didn't Say 'LGBT' in Their Orlando Statements".
30. Larissa Dudkiewicz. (January 8, 2013). "Rothfus Votes Against Hurricane Sandy Relief".
31. (January 30, 2017). "Rothfus statement on President Trump's executive order on refugees". Kevin Valentine.
32. (May 4, 2017). "How Every Member Voted on the House Health Care Bill".
33. (May 4, 2017). "The American Health Care Act Makes Unsustainable Cuts to Medicaid".
34. "This is what Americans will really dislike about the House 'Trumpcare' bill".
35. "Congressional health-care bill 'defunds' Planned Parenthood". Washington Post.
36. Linda Qiu. "Fact Check: Is Congress Exempt From the G.O.P. Health Bill?". The New York Times.
37. (May 4, 2017). "The GOP's big lie: Healthcare bill 'protects people with preexisting conditions'".
38. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Keith Rothfus".
39. (November 2, 2010). "2010 General Election: Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Department of State.
40. (February 28, 2013). "Statistics of Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 2012". Karen Haas, Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
41. (November 4, 2014). "Pennsylvania 2014 General Election – November 4, 2014 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State.
42. (November 8, 2016). "Pennsylvania 2016 General Election – November 8, 2016 Official Results". Pennsylvania Secretary of State.
43. (November 6, 2018). "2018 General Election: Representative in Congress". Pennsylvania Secretary of State.