Renee Ellmers

Renee Ellmers

Republican Party

Prior offices

U.S. House North Carolina District 2

Successor: George E.B. Holding

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Compensation

Net worth

$-101,498

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 17, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Oakland University, 1990

Personal

Birthplace

Ironwood, Mich.

Religion

Christian: Baptist

Profession

Nurse

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Renee Ellmers (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2011. She left office on January 3, 2017.

Ellmers (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 13th Congressional District. She lost in the Republican primary on May 17, 2022.

Ellmers is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District from 2011 to 2017. Ellmers ran for re-election to her seat in 2016. She was defeated by fellow incumbent George Holding in the Republican primary.

Prior to her congressional career, Ellmers served as chair of the North Carolina Planning Board.

Biography

Renee Ellmers was born in Ironwood, Michigan. Ellmers earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Oakland University in 1990. Her career experience includes working as a registered nurse with CVS Health and the North Carolina State Veterans Home, a consultant with Renee Ellmers Consulting, and a hospital administrator. Ellmers served as the chair of the Dunn, North Carolina, Planning Board.

Elections

2022

See also: North Carolina's 13th Congressional District election, 2022

North Carolina's 13th Congressional District election, 2022 (May 17 Republican primary)

North Carolina's 13th Congressional District election, 2022 (May 17 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 13

Wiley Nickel defeated Bo Hines in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 13 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wiley Nickel (D)	51.6	143,090
		Bo Hines (R)	48.4	134,256

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 277,346
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Calvin Thomas (Independent)
• Steve Holland (Independent)
• Jacques Youngblood (Independent)
• Scott Blake (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 13

Wiley Nickel defeated Sam Searcy, Jamie Campbell Bowles, Nathan Click, and Denton Lee in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 13 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wiley Nickel	51.6	23,155
		Sam Searcy	22.9	10,284
		Jamie Campbell Bowles	9.4	4,217
		Nathan Click	8.6	3,866
		Denton Lee	7.4	3,311

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 44,833
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Josh Remillard (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 13

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 13 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bo Hines	32.1	17,602
		DeVan Barbour IV	22.6	12,426
		Kelly Daughtry	16.9	9,300
		Kent Keirsey	11.3	6,223
		Renee Ellmers	9.4	5,176
		Chad Slotta	5.6	3,074
		Jessica Morel	1.3	738
		Kevin Alan Wolff	0.6	344

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 54,883
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Bill Brewster (R)
• Karen Bentley (R)
• Grayson Haff (R)
• John Aneralla (R)

2020

See also: North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2020

North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)

North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina

Mark K. Robinson defeated Yvonne Lewis Holley in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark K. Robinson (R)	51.6	2,800,656
		Yvonne Lewis Holley (D)	48.4	2,623,458

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,424,114
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Yvonne Lewis Holley	26.6	309,274
		Terry Van Duyn	20.4	237,885
		Chaz Beasley	18.9	219,503
		Allen Thomas Jr.	18.8	219,229
		Bill Toole	9.6	111,843
		Ronald L. Newton	5.7	65,970

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,163,704
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark K. Robinson	32.5	240,843
		Andy Wells	14.6	107,824
		Mark Johnson	12.0	89,200
		John Ritter	11.5	85,023
		Renee Ellmers	6.8	50,526
		Greg Gebhardt	6.8	50,474
		Deborah Cochran	6.5	48,234
		Scott Stone	6.5	48,193
		Buddy Bengel	2.8	20,395

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 740,712
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent George Holding (R) from District 13 defeated incumbent Renee Ellmers and Greg Brannon in the District 2 Republican primary on June 7, 2016. This primary was rated by Ballotpedia as a 2016 U.S. House primary to watch. John McNeil defeated Elton Brewington, Jane Watson, Ron Sanyal, and Steven Hight in the Democratic primary and was defeated by Holding in the general election. The general election took place on November 8, 2016.

Holding's decision to run in District 2 came after redistricting in North Carolina in February 2016 substantially changed the constituency of both districts.

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	George Holding Incumbent	56.7%	221,485
	Democratic	John McNeil	43.3%	169,082
Total Votes				390,567
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Republican Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
George Holding Incumbent	53.4%	17,084
Renee Ellmers Incumbent	23.6%	7,552
Greg Brannon	23%	7,359
Total Votes		31,995
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Democratic Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John McNeil	46.1%	7,613
Jane Watson	23.5%	3,875
Steven Hight	11.3%	1,870
Ron Sanyal	10.7%	1,761
Elton Brewington	8.4%	1,387
Total Votes		16,506
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

2014

See also: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

Ellmers won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. She defeated American Idol singer Clay Aiken (D) in the general election. She won the nomination in the Republican primary election on May 6, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Renee Ellmers Incumbent	58.8%	122,128
	Democratic	Clay Aiken	41.2%	85,479
Total Votes				207,607
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Republican Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Renee Ellmers Incumbent	58.7%	21,412
Frank Roche	41.3%	15,045
Total Votes		36,457
Source: Results via the North Carolina State Board of Elections

2014 Senate race

See also: United States Senate elections in North Carolina, 2014

Although thought to be a potential 2014 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, Ellmers announced in July 2013 that she would run for re-election to her House seat in 2014.

Media

• Ellmers released her first campaign ad in April 2014, explaining how she was fighting against Obamacare and working to create jobs in North Carolina.

Ellmers 2014 campaign ad

2012

See also: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2012

Ellmers won re-election in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing North Carolina's 2nd District. Ellmers defeated Richard Speer, Sonya Holmes and Clement Munno in the Republican primary on May 8, 2012.

Ellmers defeated Steve Willkins in the general election on November 6.

Following redistricting in 2011, The Hill published a list of the top ten House members who were helped most by redistricting. Ellmers ranked second on the list. According to the article, after 2001 redistricting by Democrats attempted to make the district more Democratic-leaning, the 2011 redistricting by Republicans shifted the district from a slightly Republican-leaning district to one that was more solidly Republican.

The Washington Post listed the House of Representatives elections in North Carolina in 2012 as one of the 10 states that could have determined whether Democrats retook the House or Republicans held their majority in 2013. North Carolina was rated eighth on the list.

"Fighting Barack Obama Everday"

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Steve Wilkins	41.4%	128,973
	Republican	Renee Ellmers Incumbent	55.9%	174,066
	Libertarian	Brian Irving	2.7%	8,358
Total Votes				311,397
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Renee Ellmers Incumbent	56%	37,661
Sonya Holmes	9.7%	6,535
Clement F. Munno	4.4%	2,982
Richard Speer	29.9%	20,099
Total Votes		67,277

Ads

On May 1, 2012, Ellmers released a 30-second TV ad titled, "Fighting Barack Obama Everyday." Among other things, the ad said that Ellmers supported "traditional marriage."

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Renee Ellmers, click [show] to expand the section.
2010 On November 2, 2010, Renee Ellmers won election to the United States House. She defeated Bob Etheridge (D) and Tom Rose (L) in the general election. United States House, North Carolina General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Renee Ellmers 49.5% 93,876      Democratic Bob Etheridge 48.7% 92,393      Libertarian Tom Rose 1.8% 3,505 Total Votes 189,774

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Renee Ellmers did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Ellmers' campaign website stated the following:

“	JOBS & ECONOMY I support an “America First” approach to creating jobs, ensuring working families can keep more of their hard-earned money and global trade. Domestically I am particularly focused on strategies to help our rural communities and small towns grow and attract business including expansion of broadband and fiberoptic cable. Over the past 2 years families and small businesses across North Carolina have been devastated during the COVID Pandemic by government overreach. There are “Help Wanted” signs everywhere and a massive, pork filled “Infrastructure” bill won’t change that. We must pass meaningful legislation that eliminates red tape and empowers small businesses to grow and create jobs. Internationally, we need to re-establish “Trump” style trade negotiations to eliminate the U.S. Trade Deficit that exists with China and other countries. MILITARY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS Domestically we must secure our border and support our Border Patrol, ICE Agents and Local Law Enforcement. On the global stage we must be supportive of our allies and stand strong against our enemies. However, for far too long America has been the “Piggy Bank” for the rest of the world. I believe in a commonsense approach whether it is military involvement or humanitarian aid. As an example, it is hard for me to understand how hard-earned taxpayer dollars fund the building of schools on foreign soil in countries whose governments hate us and yet there are communities in North Carolina that remain in great need of construction. The 13th Congressional District is home to Fort Bragg and its military families. We must ensure that they have opportunities available to care for their families. I had the great honor of representing Fayetteville and Fort Bragg previously in Congress and it was a priority to meet with military spouses to listen to the issues and hurdles they faced every day. When re-elected I will do the same. VETERANS We must help and protect our Veterans who have served their country with military service. Constituent Services is the most important job of any member of Congress. When I served in Congress my staff and I vowed to provide excellent Constituent Services to every person in the district and especially our Veterans. “…We tried to make each of them feel valued and worthy. By the tie they came to us (in general) they were passed believing anyone would help them. And to be able to give them a glimmer of hope, then actually provide, it was a miracle to some of them…” Pat Fitzgerald, NC 2 District Director for Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, 2011-2017. HEALTHCARE No to COVID or any other kind of mandates. Having been on the frontlines for almost 2 years I want answers on how and where this Viral Pandemic originated and I will fight to put protections in place for healthcare providers that are required to wear PPE. Healthcare in America remains too expensive from insurance, the care itself, to drug prices. Antiquated and archaic laws and overly burdensome regulations must be reformed to create a Patients First System that ensures quality healthcare that is truly affordable and accessible. When I was at HHS essential regulatory reforms were put in place such as Hospital Price Transparency and scheduled to start January 1, 2021. However, it is debatable whether hospitals are complying. You deserve to know the price tag of care before you receive it. I will be asking many questions about issues like this. Additionally, I learned that rural areas are most in need and why I support actions like expanding Community Health Centers and Telehealth availability. While working at the VA Nursing Home I was reminded daily that our seniors and physically vulnerable patients in Long-term care need a Champion in Washington to be their voice. Lastly, we must continue to fight for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders and their families. AGRICULTURE The Agriculture Industry is the backbone of the economy in North Carolina. I will fight to protect our Farming Families. Our Farmers provide food and fiber that feed and clothe not only our families here at home but across the globe. On any given day of the year, our agriculture industry faces threats from the radical Left including frivolous lawsuits and overly burdensome government regulations. It is imperative to preserve our agricultural legacy for generations to come. BORDER SECURITY BUILD THE WALL. Securing our southern border is essential to ensuring our national defense. I stand with our Border Patrol and ICE agents as they carry out their duties every day. As your Representative I will fight to give our Border Patrol not only the resources that are required but also the long-overdue policy reforms that are needed. I have been to the border and seen the cages and humanitarian crisis that was implemented in the Obama Administration and now has exploded under Joe Biden. It is time to put an end to this human tragedy. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE No to the Green New Deal, Paris Accords. The only green that will be generated will be money that goes directly into the pockets of everyone associated from AOL to Al Gore. A clean environment is certainly important for our future generations but that requires countries like China, India, and others to do their part without American Taxpayer Dollars! I support an ALL OF THE ABOVE energy policy to allow the private sector to determine what works; re-opening the Keystone Pipeline; supporting our rural Electric Cooperatives. Finally, we must protect and where necessary restore our Energy Grid. ELECTION INTEGRITY Every citizen deserves the right to fair and transparent elections. North Carolina needs a PHOTO VOTER ID; clean voter rolls void of people who have moved or died; require all ballots to be received by Election Day. Also, I am against any move to federalize elections by mandating a federal voter ID There is no other reason for the Left to fight Voter ID or any other election protection except that it is a window to election fraud. I spend 10 hours a day doing COVID testing. Every patient must show a driver’s license or some form of picture ID first or they cannot be tested. I have yet to send someone away. EDUCATION No to CRT being taught in schools. Parents should be secure in knowing they are in control of their children’s education and what is being taught in school. I support a “Parent’s Bill of Rights” to protect and ensure parental involvement in schools. I also believe in School Choice. At the high school level, I am a strong advocate for expansion of Vocational and Technical Training as well as support for our outstanding North Carolina Community Colleges. Each of these provides solid education for good paying jobs which are greatly needed. SANCTITY OF LIFE Consistent 100% Lifetime Rating from National Right to Life. As my faith in Christ has deepened over time and with the experience I have gained as a nurse and a mother it is my belief that life begins at conception and ends at natural death. I support meaningful funding for organizations such as Crisis Pregnancy Centers and Pregnancy Resource Centers for women in desperate need with an unplanned pregnancy. As Republicans, it is our duty to protect families that is why I will also work to break down red tape and find ways to aid couples who want to open their homes and adopt. RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS “A” Lifetime Rating from the National Rifle Association. The Founding Fathers meant exactly what they wrote in the Constitution, “…the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed...” I believe it is every American’s God-given right to defend themselves and their families. The radical Left demonizes responsible gun owners and tries to strip away our rights as citizens in the name of Social Justice. I will not support any gun control legislation that restricts the ability of a responsible law-abiding citizen to purchase or own a firearm. We must preserve and expand our 2nd Amendment rights. FEDERAL BUDGET Government spending is completely out of control. Joe Biden’s Proposed FY 2022 Budget is massive in size and larger than any other previous budget. The Federal Debt is over $30 Trillion and increasing every second. This is simply unacceptable. We must get federal spending under control, or we risk our children and grandchildren’s future. Given the current state absence of significant decreases in federal spending, I cannot in good conscience vote to raise the Federal Debt Limit. President Joe Biden released a $6.011 trillion federal budget proposal in May 2021 for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The U.S. government estimates it will receive $4.174 trillion in revenue through Sept. 30, 2022, creating a $1.837 trillion deficit for Oct. 1, 2022. The Congressional Budget Office predicted before Biden's budget proposal was released that the deficit would be $2.3 trillion. The estimate has changed to $3.4 trillion as a result of the American Rescue Plan. Mandatory spending is budgeted at $4.018 trillion. Discretionary spending is forecasted to be $1.688 trillion. Interest on the national debt is estimated to be $305 billion.	”
—Renee Ellmers' campaign website (2022)

2020

Renee Ellmers did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

The following issues were listed on Ellmers' campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Taxes and Spending: Government spending is out of control and hardworking Americans are being taxed too much to pay for it. We cannot afford for our federal government to continue spending like drunken sailors at every port of call. Spending must be reined in immediately or we will leave our grandchildren a legacy of debt. I have repeatedly voted for and will continue to support spending cuts and budgeting reforms to tackle our growing defecit and set America back on the path to prosperity. Jobs and the Economy: Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating jobs, giving Americans a sense of worth and ownership and keeping our economy moving and growing. We need pro-growth solutions to pay down our national debt, balance the budget and keep our country moving so small businesses can continue to flourish without overburdensome regulations and high taxes. Second Amendment: The Second Amendment is one of the cornerstones of our freedom. As someone who has a concealed carry permit, I understand the importance of this constitutionally protected right. I will fight for that right for others, as well as for my family and myself. Immigration: The immigration issue affects many facets of our nation. It is an economic issue, an education issue, a national security issue and a health care issue. Our economy cannot withstand the strain of so many illegals. Our schools cannot handle the overcrowded classrooms. Our hospitals are taxed beyond the abilities and those who wish to do us harm can easily cross our porous borders. Family Values: I am pro-life. I believe in the sanctity of human life and that life begins at conception. As a mom, Christian and nurse, my beliefs have deepened through experience. I’ve held the hands of newborn infants. I’ve held the hands of elderly patients in the last moments of their lives. I have been blessed to have had such experiences and through them, I have gained the wisdom of knowing that every life is a precious gift from God and it is not for us to judge its worth, deny its beginning or determine its end.	”
—Renee Ellmers' campaign website, http://www.reneeforcongress.com/issues/

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Ellmers' academic, professional, and political career:

• 2011-2017: U.S Representative from North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District
• 2006-2010: Dunn, North Carolina, Planning Board
  • 2008-2010: Chair of the Dunn, North Carolina, Planning Board
• 1990: Graduated from Oakland University with a B.S.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2015-2016

Ellmers served on the following committees:

• Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Power
  • Subcommittee on Health

2013-2014

Ellmers served on the following committees:

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

2011-2012

Ellmers served on the following committees:

• Agriculture Committee
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
• Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
• Small Business Committee
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade
  • Subcommittee on Health Care and Technology (Chairwoman)
  • Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce

Key votes

114th Congress

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Ellmers's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Trade adjustment assistance
On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Ellmers was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA.
Trade promotion authority
On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Ellmers was one of 191 Republicans to support the measure.
Trade promotion authority second vote
After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining their original positions on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Ellmers was one of 190 Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment.
Trade adjustment assistance second vote
The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Ellmers was one of 111 Republicans to vote in favor of HR 1295.

Defense spending authorization

On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Ellmers voted with 227 other Republicans and 41 Democrats to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.

On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Ellmers was the only Republican who did not vote. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.

2016 Budget proposal

On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Ellmers voted with 225 other Republicans to approve the bill.

2015 budget

On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Ellmers voted with 166 Republicans against the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Ellmers voted with 222 other Republican representatives to approve the bill.

Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Ellmers voted with 243 Republicans and 25 Democrats against the bill.

Suspension of Iran sanctions relief
On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Ellmers voted with 244 Republicans and two Democrats for the bill.

Presidential non-compliance of section 2
On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Ellmers voted with 244 Republicans for the resolution.

Export-Import Bank

On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Ellmers voted with 126 Republicans and 186 Democrats in favor of the bill.

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Ellmers voted with 195 Republicans and 142 Democrats to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Ellmers voted with 237 Republicans in favor of the bill.

Cyber security

On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Ellmers voted with 219 Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill.

On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Ellmers voted with 201 Republicans and 105 Democrats in favor of the bill.

Immigration

On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Ellmers voted with 241 Republicans and 47 Democrats in favor of the bill.

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Ellmers's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.

National security

NDAA

Ellmers voted for HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.

DHS Appropriations

Ellmers voted for HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 that was largely along party lines.

CISPA (2013)

Ellmers voted for HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party.

Economy

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Ellmers voted in favor of the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Ellmers voted against HR 2775.

Federal Pay Adjustment Act

Ellmers voted for HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years.

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Ellmers voted for House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines.

Healthcare

Health Care Reform Rules

Ellmers voted for House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires that all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines.

Social issues

Abortion

Ellmers voted for HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196 that largely followed party lines. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Ellmers joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Ellmers voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. She was 1 of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Issues

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Ellmers endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Donald Trump

Targeted by Club for Growth Action

In February 2013, the Club for Growth Action, a fiscally conservative Super PAC, launched a website called www.PrimaryMyCongressman.com. According to the Club for Growth Action, "the purpose of the website is to raise awareness of Republicans In Name Only (RINOs) who are currently serving in safe Republican seats....The website will offer Club members and the general public the opportunity to recommend primary opponents to the incumbents highlighted by Club for Growth Action, as well as to recommend primary challengers for any Republican member of Congress. Club for Growth Action will rotate liberal Republicans through the website to highlight their failed records on limiting government." Ellmers was one of the first nine incumbent Republicans to be targeted by the site, which gave her a lifetime Club for Growth rating of 66 percent.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Renee Ellmers campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2022	U.S. House North Carolina District 13	Lost primary	$91,536	$91,165
2014	U.S. House (North Carolina, District 2)	Won	$1,844,808	N/A**
Grand total			$1,936,344	$91,165
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Ellmers' net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $-397,994 and $194,998. That averages to $-101,498, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican representatives in 2012 of $7,614,097.96. Ellmers ranked as the 433rd most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2009 and 2012, Ellmers' calculated net worth increased from $-166,947 to $-101,498. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Renee Ellmers Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2009	$−166,947
2012	$−101,498
Growth from 2009 to 2012:	N/A
Average annual growth:	N/A
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Ellmers received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Health Professionals industry.

From 2009-2014, 25.64 percent of Ellmers' career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Renee Ellmers Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$3,510,781
Total Spent	$3,105,741
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Health Professionals	$286,000
Leadership PACs	$197,530
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$156,300
Retired	$134,918
Crop Production & Basic Processing	$125,550
% total in top industry	8.15%
% total in top two industries	13.77%
% total in top five industries	25.64%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Ellmers was a rank-and-file Republican as of August 2014. This was the same rating Ellmers received in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Ellmers most often voted with:

• Steve Womack
• John Barrow

Ellmers least often voted with:

• Walter Jones
• Barbara Lee

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Ellmers missed 55 of 3,358 roll call votes from January 2011 to September 2015. This amounted to 1.6 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Ellmers paid her congressional staff a total of $841,597 in 2011. Overall, North Carolina ranked seventh in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Ellmers ranked 97th in the conservative rankings in 2013.

2012

Ellmers ranked 43rd in the conservative rankings in 2012.

2011

Ellmers ranked 15th in the conservative rankings in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Ellmers voted with the Republican Party 95.3 percent of the time, which ranked 68th among the 234 House Republican members as of August 2014.

2013

Ellmers voted with the Republican Party 96.1 percent of the time, which ranked 29th among the 234 House Republican members as of December 2013.

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Candidate

U.S. House North Carolina District 13

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. House North Carolina District 2 2011-2017	Succeeded by George E.B. Holding (R)

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North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Ted Budd (R)

Thom Tillis (R)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Davis (D)

District 2

Deborah Ross (D)

District 3

Gregory Murphy (R)

District 4

Valerie Foushee (D)

District 5

Virginia Foxx (R)

District 6

Kathy Manning (D)

District 7

David Rouzer (R)

District 8

Dan Bishop (R)

District 9

Richard Hudson (R)

District 10

Patrick McHenry (R)

District 11

Chuck Edwards (R)

District 12

Alma Adams (D)

District 13

Wiley Nickel (D)

District 14

Jeff Jackson (D)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (7)