Sue Ellen Myrick[2][3] (née Wilkins; born August 1, 1941) is an American businesswoman and the former U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district, serving from 1995 to 2013. She is a member of the Republican Party. She was the first Republican woman to represent North Carolina in Congress. On February 7, 2012, she announced that she was retiring. She left Congress in January 2013 and was succeeded by Robert Pittenger.

Sue Myrick
Chair of the Republican Study Committee
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005
Preceded byJohn Shadegg
Succeeded byMike Pence
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 9th district
In office
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byAlex McMillan
Succeeded byRobert Pittenger
51st Mayor of Charlotte
In office
1987–1991
Preceded byHarvey Gantt
Succeeded byRichard Vinroot
Personal details
Born
Sue Ellen Wilkins

(1941-08-01) August 1, 1941 (age 83)
Tiffin, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Jim Forest (Divorced)[1]
Ed Myrick
Children2 (including Dan)
3 stepchildren
EducationHeidelberg University, Ohio

Myrick's son Dan Forest was the 34th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina.

Early life, education, and business career

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Myrick was born in 1941 in Tiffin, Ohio.[4] She graduated from Port Clinton High School in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, Ohio.[5] She attended Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio between 1959 and 1960. Prior to going into public relations and advertising, she was a Sunday School Teacher. She is the former President and CEO of Myrick Advertising and Public Relations and Myrick Enterprises.[6]

Charlotte city politics

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Myrick ran for a seat on the Charlotte City Council unsuccessfully in 1981. In 1983, she was elected to an At-Large District of the City Council and served until 1985. In 1987, she was elected as the first female Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1989, when Sue Myrick was running for re-election as mayor of Charlotte, NC, she confessed to having had a relationship with her husband in 1973 while he was still married to his former wife. (She went on to win the election.) [7]

1992 U.S. Senate election

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In 1992, she ran for the nomination for a U.S. Senate seat, held by incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Terry Sanford. The Republican primary was won by Lauch Faircloth, who defeated Myrick and former U.S. Representative Walter Johnston 48%–30%–17%.[8]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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In 1994, Myrick was elected to the House, succeeding five-term incumbent Alex McMillan.

Myrick was overwhelmingly elected to her sixth consecutive term in the 2004 Congressional elections, earning 70% of the popular vote and defeating Democrat Jack Flynn. Similarly, she defeated Democrat William Glass in 2006 with almost 67% of the vote.[9]

Two Charlotte-area Democrats announced challenges to Myrick in 2008 – Harry Taylor and Ross Overby. Myrick defeated Taylor with almost 63% of the vote.[10]

Retirement

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On February 7, 2012, she announced that she was retiring from Congress.[11]

Tenure

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Myrick was one of the most conservative members of the House. She chaired the Republican Study Committee, a group of House conservatives, in the 108th Congress.

Being a cancer survivor herself, she has been one of the leading advocates to find a cure for breast cancer. While in Congress she introduced a bill to provide treatment for women on Medicaid diagnosed with breast cancer - the bill passed and was signed into law - previously women diagnosed under Medicaid had no treatment options.

Myrick was one of the leading Republican opponents of an abortive 2006 sale of operations at six major American ports along the East Coast to Dubai Ports World, a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates.[citation needed]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Personal life

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Sue is a wife and a mother of two children and three step-children. She and her husband, Ed Myrick, have 12 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren.[12] Her second son, Dan Forest, was elected Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina in 2012.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sue Myrick: Women in Congress Office of the Historian of the United States House of Representatives
  2. ^ "Announce Engagement". The Sandusky Register. November 29, 1960.
  3. ^ 1992 PAC Briefing Chairman's Report (PDF). February 25, 1992. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ "Sue Myrick's Political Summary - The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  5. ^ "Sue Myrick - U.S. Congress Votes Database - The Washington Post". February 5, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Sue Myrick's Biography - The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  7. ^ Julia, Baird. "Girls Will Be Girls. Or Not". Newsweek. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  8. ^ "NC US Senate - R Primary Race - May 05, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  9. ^ "Our Campaigns - NC - District 09 Race - Nov 07, 2006". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  10. ^ Bush critic challenging Myrick | newsobserver.com projects Archived October 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Weiner, Rachel (February 7, 2012). "N.C. Republican Rep. Sue Myrick retiring". Washington Post.
  12. ^ "Congresswoman Sue Myrick : Biography". Archived from the original on June 2, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  13. ^ "Myrick's son eyes Lt. Governor's seat | newsobserver.com projects". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
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Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Charlotte
1987–1991
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 9th congressional district

1995–2013
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Republican Study Committee
2003–2005
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative
Succeeded byas Former US Representative