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Joe Donnelly is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Second Congressional District of Indiana since 2007. (map)

Contents 1 Record and controversies 1.1 Iraq War 1.2 Environmental record 1.3 Transparency 2 Biography 2.1 Early life, education, and career 2.2 Early political positions 2.3 Congressional elections 2.3.1 2004 2.3.2 2006 2.3.3 2008 elections 3 Money in politics 3.1 Campaign contributions 3.2 Revolving door 3.3 Privately funded travel 3.4 Personal finances 4 Committees and Affiliations 5 More Background Data 6 Contact 7 Articles and Resources 7.1 Resources 7.2 Local blogs and discussion sites 7.3 Articles

Record and controversies

Congressional scorecards

Click through the score to see the records of other members of Congress and full descriptions of the individual votes. Want to see someone else's scorecard added to the list? You can do it! Organization 2007 Scorecard Score - Agree ratio 2008 Scorecard Score - Agree ratio American Civil Liberties Union not avail. not avail. American Conservative Union 44 - 11/25 not avail. AFSCME not avail. not avail. Americans for Democratic Action 85 - 17/20 70 - 14/20 Club for Growth not avail. not avail. Drum Major Institute not avail. not avail. Family Research Council not avail. not avail. Information Technology Industry Council not avail. not avail. League of Conservation Voters not avail. not avail. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People not avail. not avail. U.S. Chamber of Commerce 60 - 12/20 not avail.

Iraq War

Environmental record

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Transparency

Biography

Early life, education, and career

Joe Donnelly was born in Massapequa, New York. [1] He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1977 and remained in South Bend, Ind. to obtain his law degree, which he did in 1981. He practiced law until 1996, when he opened Marking Solutions, a printing and rubber stamp company. [2]

Donnelly and his wife, Jill, have been married for 27 years and have a son and a daughter. They reside in Granger, Indiana.

Early political positions

Donnelly held two public positions before deciding to run for Congress. From 1988-1989, he served on the Indiana State Election Board, which was charged with ensuring accurate election results. He served on a local schoolboard from 1997-2001, serving as president of the board from 2000-2001. [3]

He ran a campaign for Indiana attorney general in 1988, but lost in the Democratic primary. He also ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Indiana State Senate in 1990. [4]

Congressional elections

Donnelly has twice run for U.S. Congress in Indiana's 2nd Congressional district.

2004

Donnelly ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the second district, where he faced off against incumbent Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.). [5] Chocola was helped by several fundraising visits from President George W. Bush, and was able to outspend Donnelly by a two to one margin, $1.4 million to $700,000. Donnelly lost the election, 54%-45%. [6]

2006

On May 2, 2006, Donnelly defeated Steve Francis for the Democratic Party nomination, setting up a rematch against Chris Chocola. [7] Donnelly defeated Chocola 54% to 46% to win a seat in Congress. [8]

2008 elections This information was gathered by volunteer researchers as part of the Superdelegate Transparency Project on the superdelegates for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. For more info see the Indiana superdelegate tracker or visit the STP homepage. Before Hillary Clinton conceded the race, Joe Donnelly, as a superdelegate, had not endorsed a candidate for President. See other superdelegates who endorsed Obama, endorsed Clinton, were undeclared or had pledged to support the primary winner (state or national). For more information and sources, see the state page for this superdelegate linked to in the blue box above. Money in politics This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section. Campaign contributions The following is drawn from government records of campaign contributions to Joe Donnelly. Campaign contributions are one of the most direct conduits for influencing members of Congress. How to use this information. Top Contributors to during the 2006 Election Cycle Donor Amount (US Dollars) MacAndrews & Forbes $ 56,900 University of Notre Dame $ 32,400 Faegre Baker Daniels $ 32,192 Barnes & Thornburg $ 26,601 Indiana University $ 21,650 Eli Lilly & Co $ 21,412 WPP Group $ 20,500 People for Patty Murray $ 20,000 Comcast Corp $ 16,750 Power, Rogers & Smith $ 16,000 Source: The Center for Responsive Politics' www.OpenSecrets.org site. Note: Contributions are not from the organizations themselves, but are rather from the organization's PAC, employees or owners. Totals include subsidiaries and affiliates. Links to more campaign contribution information for Joe Donnelly from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site. Fundraising profile: 2008 election cycle Career totals Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2008 election cycle Career totals Top contributors by industry: 2008 election cycle Career totals Revolving door The "revolving door" refers to the passage of staffers between government and industry employment. Former staff for members of Congress often use the connections and knowledge they gained as public employees to help their new employers – often lobbying firms – influence their former employers and institutions. Revolving door profile for Joe Donnelly from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org website. Privately funded travel The following is drawn from Joe Donnelly's travel disclosure forms. Corporations and other organizations can pay for trips by members of Congress and their staff as long as it is related to official business (though some trips have been glorified junkets). How to use this information. 2006 privately funded travel profile for Joe Donnelly from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org website. Personal finances The following is drawn from Joe Donnelly's personal financial disclosure forms. Close study of the data has often revealed conflicts of interest by members of Congress. How to use this information. Personal finance profile for Joe Donnelly from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org website.

Committees and Affiliations

• House Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
• House Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity
• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

More Background Data

Background information on Chris Chocola, whom Joe Donnelly challenged in the 2006 congressional elections:

• Background information on Chris Chocola from Project Vote Smart

• Interest group scorecard ratings for Chris Chocola from Project Vote Smart

• Voting record for Chris Chocola from the Washington Post database

• Information on Chris Chocola from Congress Merge

Contact

Washington DC:
Longworth House Office Building 1218
Washington, DC 20515
Ph (202)225-3915
Fx (202)225-6798
Web Email
Website

District Office:
207 West Colfax Avenue
South Bend, Indiana 46601-1601
Ph (574) 288-2780
Fx (574) 288-2825

Articles and Resources

Resources

• Joe Donnelly for Congress, official campaign site.

Local blogs and discussion sites

• Cass County IN Dems

Articles