Andy Levin
Andrew Saul Levin (born August 10, 1960) is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 9th congressional district from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Levin was elected to the House in 2018, succeeding his retiring father, Sander Levin. He is the nephew of Carl Levin, formerly Michigan's U.S. senator.[1] Early life and educationLevin was born on August 10, 1960,[2] to parents Sander Levin and Vicki Schlafer. Sander was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982. Andy grew up in Huntington Woods, MI with two sisters, Jennifer and Madeleine, and a brother, Matthew.[3] Levin graduated from Williams College with a bachelor's degree. He earned a master's degree in Asian languages and culture from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.[4] Early careerLevin was a staff attorney for the U.S. Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations in 1994 and worked as a trade union organizer and director. He ran as a Democrat for the 13th district seat in the Michigan State Senate in 2006.[5] He lost to Republican John Pappageorge by 0.6% of the vote.[6] After the election, he directed Voice@Work, a program seeking to expand trade union membership.[1] In 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Levin deputy director in the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (DELEG).[7] He oversaw the "No Worker Left Behind" program, which provided job training to unemployed workers.[8] In 2009, Granholm named him chief workforce officer.[9] In 2010, Granholm named him acting director of DELEG, a role he served in until the end of her administration in 2011.[10][11] He founded the clean energy firm Levin Energy Partners LLC and serves as president of Lean & Green Michigan.[4] U.S. House of RepresentativesElections2018Levin ran to succeed his father in the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 9th congressional district.[12] He defeated former State Representative Ellen Lipton and attorney Martin Brook in the primary election with 52.5% of the vote.[13] Levin defeated Republican businesswoman Candius Stearns in the general election.[14] 2020Levin ran for a second term in 2020. He defeated Republican Charles Langworthy and several minor candidates, with 57.8% of the vote.[15] 2022In the 2022 Democratic primary, Levin lost to fellow incumbent Democrat Haley Stevens. As a result of redistricting, Michigan lost a seat in the House of Representatives, resulting in Stevens' and Levin's districts being combined, though the resulting district contained more of Stevens' original voters.[16] A Zionist and former synagogue leader known for his critical views of hard-line Israeli policies, Levin was opposed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which provided $4 million for a negative publicity campaign against his candidacy. Levin has said, "AIPAC can’t stand the idea that I am the clearest, strongest Jewish voice in Congress standing for a simple proposition: that there is no way to have a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people unless we achieve the political and human rights of the Palestinian people."[17][18] TenureIn November 2020, The New York Times reported rumors that Levin was considered a possible candidate for Secretary of Labor in the Biden administration; Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh was ultimately named to the post in 2021.[19] He supports workplace measures and potential unionization of congressional staff.[20] Committee assignmentsCaucus memberships
Electoral history
Personal lifeLevin and his wife Mary (née Freeman) have four children, and live in Bloomfield Township.[4] Levin is Jewish. See also
References
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