David Price (American politician)

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David Price
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 4th district
In office January 6, 1987–January 4, 1995 January 3, 1997–
Preceded by	Bill Cobey Fred Heineman
Succeeded by	Fred Heineman Incumbent
Born	August 17, 1940 (1940-08-17) (age 67) Erwin, Tennessee
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lisa Price
Religion	Baptist

David Eugene Price (born August 17, 1940) is a professor and politician currently serving as Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 4th district of North Carolina.(map) The district includes portions of Raleigh, as well as all of Durham and Chapel Hill.

[edit] Early life and education

Born in Erwin, Tennessee, Price attended Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, North Carolina when it was a junior college. He later transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after winning a scholarship^{[citation needed]} and earned a B.A. degree in 1961. Price continued his education at Yale University where he received a B.Div. degree (1964) and a Ph.D. in political science (1969). He served as an aide to Alaska Senator Bob Bartlett from 1963 to 1967 and then entered academia, working as a political science and public policy professor at Duke University until his first campaign for Congress in 1986.

[edit] Congress

Price first entered Congress in 1987 and served there continuously until the 104th Congress. That year, he was narrowly defeated by Republican Fred Heineman during the Republican Revolution of 1994, in part to lower-than-expected turnout in the Democratic stronghold of Orange County (home to Chapel Hill). However, Price defeated Heineman in a rematch and returned to the seat following the 1996 elections. He was helped in part by the addition of heavily Democratic Durham to the district, as well as a tremendous get-out-the-vote effort among students at UNC. He has not faced a serious challenge to reelection since. However, Price's opponent in the 2008 election is Republican B.J. Lawson backed by the local Ron Paul movement.

Price was elected to his 10th term (sixth consecutive) in the 2006 Congressional elections, earning 65% of the popular vote

David Price is a member of the New Democrat Coalition.

[edit] Committee assignments

In the 110th Congress, Price serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security--making him arguably the most influential House Democrat from North Carolina. Price is a member of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies and the Subcommittee Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. He also serves on the House Democracy Assistance Commission.

• Appropriations Committee
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
• House Democracy Assistance Commission (Chairman)

[edit] Personal life

Price married his wife Lisa in 1968. Together they have two children: Karen a filmmaker; and Michael a professor. They have one grandson Charles Albert born in 2006. Today Price resides in Chapel Hill and is a member of the Binkley Memorial Baptist Church.

Price has written a political science textbook, entitled The Congressional Experience, from the unusual perspective of a candidate for office.

[edit] External links

• Congressman David Price official U.S. House website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• North Carolina Democratic Party