He loves to campaign on his motorcycle tooand embarks on a motorcycle tour of the state each year. In one Peters'campaign ad, a Michigan craft brewer Chris Andrus describes howPeters helped him cut through red tape to expand theMitten Brewing Company. He was reelected in 1998 and served until 2002, stepping down then due to the state's term limits. "She could lose her uterus in a matter of hours if she wasn't able to have an abortion, and if she became septic from the uterine infection, she could die.". "If it weren't for urgent and critical medical care, I could have lost my life," Peters' former wife said in a statement quoted by the magazine. During his eight years of service, he authored and passed more bills signed into law than any other member of his party. I was exhausted., Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Peters, 61, is a former congressman, Michigan state senator and former Michigan Lottery Commissioner. Exceptions to the bill's background check requirement included transfers between members of law enforcement, loaning firearms for hunting or sporting events on a temporary basis, providing them as gifts to members of one's immediate family, transferring them as part of an inheritance, or giving one to another person temporarily for immediate self-defense. But Heidi called the entire experience painful and traumatic, writing in a statement to Elle: If it werent for urgent and critical medical care, I could have lost my life.. The Center for Effective Lawmaking cited that a key to Garys success was his effectiveness in coalition-building. [14] He served more than ten years in units at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, including Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 26. This article was published more than2 years ago. He isn't the type that makes headlines for controversies, hence sharing such a personal story publicly might come as a surprise to many. Here's seventhings to know about Peters. "Gary was there every step of the way. But before this, he was a U.S. Representative for Michigan's 14th congressional district, which includes Detroit and Pontiac. By Allie Strickler Published on October 13, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox. She has a history of working in non-profit organizations and was previously the Senior Director for Forgotten Harvest, and worked in Philanthropic Services at Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. In an interview with Elle magazine, Mr. Peters said that in the late 1980s, his wife at the time, Heidi, had an abortion at four months gestation because the pregnancy was not viable and her life was in danger. He said that if he is elected, he will fairly and honestly evaluate every Supreme Court nominee, regardless of which political party nominates., Democrats said James cannot be trusted to be an independent voice for Michigan, pointing to comments he made to WZZM-TV in June in which he said that his past 2,000% support for Trump was specifically for appointing textualist Supreme Court justices and repatriating jobs.. My story is one thats tragically shared by so many Americans, Peters said in a statement. Peters later married his wife, Colleen, and they have three children. As the Democratic nominee for attorney general, he lost in November 2002 to Republican Mike Cox by about 5,200 votes less than a 0.17 percent margin. We must hold this seat. Democrats are concerned about the future of Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision from 1973 that protects a womans right to choose to have an abortion without excessive government interference, should Barrett be confirmed, as her judicial record has shown her to be a staunch opponent of abortion. Senator Gary Peters during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Aug. 6, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Toni Sandys/Pool via REUTERS), 2) Peters founded the bipartisan Senate Motorcycle Caucus. [51], In 2014, Peters voiced opposition to a Michigan law which prohibits insurers from offering abortion coverage as a standard feature in health plans. Clinton told the crowd that the Democratic candidates support middle-out economic policies such as raising the minimum wage and not trickle-down. addition, Gary serves as one of six Congressional Regents on the Smithsonian Peters joins a small group of members of Congress who have spoken about their personal experiences with abortion. He started his own small business delivering newspapers at age 11. Senator during a single Congress in over 40 years. Just who is Gary Peters wife? Peters joined the U.S. Navy Reserve at age 34 and served from 1993-2000,attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. I still vividly remember [the doctor] left a message on the answering machine saying, They refused to give me permission, not based on good medical practice, simply based on politics, he recalled. James, on the other hand, has slammed Peters for attempting to block the nomination, citing his opponents alleged flip-flopped opinion on appointing SCOTUS nominees during an election year in 2016, Peters said that the Senate had a constitutional responsibility to consider the presidents nominees in regards to then-President Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland. U.S. Senator Gary Peters shares the gut-wrenching story of his ex-wifes lifesaving abortion. American. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik). [75], Peters supports abortion rights. A Senator's Wife Was Nearly Denied A Life-Saving Abortion & That's Why He's Committed to Reproductive Rights. [74] In March 2021, the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked Peters the most effective senator in the 116th Congress (2019-2020), despite being in the minority party. In the bittersweet 1967 season Gary returned to his high standards. By Samantha Maffucci Written on Nov 14, 2018. Ochoa is currently the principal for Meaningful Impact Consulting, LLC. Peters pitched for the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox.. Its important for folks who are willing to tell these stories to tell them, especially now, Peters told Elle. He represented Michigan's 9th congressional district from 2009 to 2013. gary pettis wifei have strong sex appeal brainly gary pettis wife. Peters, then a congressman, backed the Obama Administration's 2008 federal rescue of General Motors and Chrysler that helped the Detroit automakers regain their footing. He was the only non-incumbent Democrat to win a Senate election in 2014. 3) He's pushed back on Hunter Biden investigations in the Senate. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich) has spoken candidly about his family's personal experience with abortion, a first for a sitting senator. [36], Due to the state's population decline, as reflected by the 2010 Federal Census, Michigan lost one congressional district. All rights reserved. Republicans eye Senate race in Michigan as chance to flip seat, an interview with Elle magazine in October, Presidential candidate Nikki Haley heckled by Trump supporters at CPAC: 'We love Trump! He's pitched himself as a bipartisan bridge builder who gets real results for Michigan behind the scenes, in contrast to his charismaticand TV-ready opponent. Mr. Peters is one of only two Democratic senators up for re-election who are vulnerable this year, the other one being Senator Doug Jones of Alabama. "[50], In 2011, Peters was one of 118 house Democrats who signed a letter to the president urging him to support the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a multinational organization that provides health services (including birth control) to women, children and families in more than 150 countries. Peters is the first sitting senator to share an experience with abortion. Peters was sworn into his first term in January 2009. Peters said he felt compelled to tell the story because confirmation hearings began on Monday for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who has previously ruled against abortion rights. "We have a real shot to take the majority in the United States Senate," Peters said on Saturday. [60], While the campaign was considered competitive early on, various missteps by the campaign of his Republican Party opponent Terri Lynn Land and her reluctance to appear in public benefited the Peters campaign; he had consistent leads in polls late in the campaign. I still vividly remember he left a message on the answering machine saying, They refused to give me permission, not based on good medical practice, simply based on politics. Hes also a member of the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, which works to improve the 9-1-1 phone system and emergency response systems. In the 116th Congress (2019-2020) he was recognized as the #1 most effective Senator despite serving as a member of the minority party an achievement that hadnt been accomplished since the non-partisan Center for Effective Lawmaking began collecting data over 50 years ago. . In the late 1980s, Sen. Gary Peters's wife at the time, Heidi, was four months pregnant when her water broke, leaving the baby with no chance of survival. On August 7, 2007, Peters ended months of speculation by formally announcing he would run against eight-term Republican congressman Joe Knollenberg in the 9th district, which included almost all of Oakland County. ', Ted Cruz says 2024 Senate re-election will be 'firefight as Democrats come at him with everything they have, Maryland mayor facing child pornography charges was frequent donor to Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, How Section 230 set the standard for free speech online. [21] Some student and faculty members protested Peters's hiring, saying he could not be objective in the classroom while running for office and that the university job was subsidizing his campaign. Peters has also been Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery. New Details About Colleen Ochoa By Samantha Maffucci Written on Nov 14, 2018 Photo: getty Senator Gary Peters was elected to Congress in 2015, serving the state of. But the situation became more critical when Heidis health deteriorated, so the couple found a doctor at another hospital who agreed to do the procedure. And even before he started a career in politics, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and spend over two decades as an investment advisor. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [71], In the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy, Peters was ranked the 17th most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate (and the 4th most bipartisan Democrat) during the 115th U.S. Peters and Heidi had very much wanted the baby, which would have been their second child, he told Elle. The vote to codify abortion rights later failed in the Senate.St. As State Lottery Commissioner, he managed a multi-billion dollar business and consistently raised record amounts of money for the state School Aid Fund. [26] Both the Michigan State House of Representatives and the Senate passed a bill sponsored by Peters which banned any new wells under the state waters of the Great Lakes except in case of a state energy emergency.