Andy Harris (politician)

Andy Harris (politician). Andrew Peter Harris is an American politician and physician serving as the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 1st congressional district since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he is the sole Republican in Maryland's congressional delegation and represents the state's largely rural Eastern Shore. Harris, a staunch conservative, previously served as a state senator and is a practicing anesthesiologist.

Early life and education

Andrew Peter Harris was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to immigrant parents from Poland. He attended Forest Hills High School before enrolling at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. Harris subsequently received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. During his medical training, he completed an internship and residency in anesthesiology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and later earned a master's degree in health care management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Medical career

Following his residency, Harris established a long career as an anesthesiologist at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital and later at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. He became a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, holding the academic rank of associate professor. Harris also served as a medical officer in the United States Navy Reserve, achieving the rank of commander. His clinical work and research focused on obstetrical anesthesia, and he published in peer-reviewed journals.

U.S. House of Representatives

Harris first ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2008, narrowly losing to Democrat Frank Kratovil. He successfully challenged Kratovil in a 2010 rematch, part of the national Republican wave that followed the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Upon taking office in 2011, Harris was assigned to the House Committee on Appropriations, where he has served on subcommittees including Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. He has also served on the House Committee on the Budget and the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Harris was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus.

Political positions

Harris is a conservative with positions aligned with the Republican mainstream. He is a strong opponent of the Affordable Care Act and supports repealing it. A fiscal conservative, he has consistently voted against raising the debt ceiling and supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. On social issues, Harris is anti-abortion, receiving high ratings from the Susan B. Anthony List, and opposes LGBTQ+ rights legislation. He is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association. Harris voted against certifying the results of the 2020 United States presidential election in both Arizona and Pennsylvania following the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

Electoral history

In the 2008 election for Maryland's 1st district, Harris lost to Democrat Frank Kratovil by fewer than 3,000 votes. He won the Republican nomination again in 2010 and defeated Kratovil with 54% of the vote. Harris has been reelected comfortably since, often with over 60% of the vote, in a district made reliably Republican by redistricting. His Democratic opponents have included Wendy Rosen, Bill Tilghman, Mia Mason, and Heather Mizeur. In the 2022 election, he defeated Mizeur by 22 points. Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland Category:1957 births