Curt Clawson

Curtis Jay Clawson (born September 28, 1959) is an American businessman and politician who served as the United States representative for Florida’s 19th congressional district from 2014 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he represented a heavily Republican district in southwest Florida and contributed to the legislative process during two terms in office. Before entering politics, he built a career in the automotive industry and became chief executive officer of Hayes Lemmerz, a Michigan-based automobile wheel and brakes supplier.

Clawson was raised in Batesville, Indiana, where he attended Batesville High School. A standout high school basketball player, he attracted the attention of college recruiters and ultimately was recruited by Gene Keady to play at Purdue University. His athletic success in high school laid the foundation for a collegiate career in which he combined academic achievement with leadership on the basketball court.

At Purdue University, Clawson distinguished himself both academically and athletically. He was a two-time All-Academic Big Ten selection in the 1982–1983 and 1983–1984 seasons, reflecting his performance in the classroom as well as on the team. As a member of the Purdue Boilermakers men’s basketball program, he served as team captain of the 1983–1984 squad that won the Big Ten Championship. During his collegiate career, he played on two NCAA Tournament teams (1982–1983 and 1983–1984) and on the 1981–1982 team that advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Final. Clawson graduated from Purdue in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Krannert School of Management. In recognition of his professional and personal accomplishments, Purdue later named him a “Purdue Old Master” in 2010 and presented him with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014. He continued his education at Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 1990.

Following his academic training, Clawson pursued a career in business, eventually rising to become chief executive officer of Hayes Lemmerz International, a major supplier of automotive wheels and brake components headquartered in Michigan. In that role, he was involved in managing a large manufacturing enterprise in a cyclical and highly competitive global industry. His tenure at Hayes Lemmerz helped establish his reputation as a corporate executive and provided the business background that later became a central theme of his political campaigns.

Clawson entered electoral politics in Florida in 2014, seeking to represent the 19th congressional district after the resignation of Representative Trey Radel. In the April 22, 2014 Republican primary—widely regarded as the decisive contest in the strongly Republican district—he defeated State Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto and former State Representative Paige Kreegel, receiving 38 percent of the vote to Benacquisto’s 26 percent and Kreegel’s 25 percent. He was endorsed in the primary by the Tea Party Express and invested approximately $2 million in advertising. In one notable campaign advertisement, he publicly challenged President Barack Obama to a one-on-one basketball game, underscoring both his athletic background and his outsider, competitive image. Clawson went on to become the Republican Party nominee in the special election and, on June 24, 2014, won the seat in a landslide, defeating Democratic nominee April Freeman.

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Clawson represented Florida’s 19th congressional district from 2014 to 2017. He was sworn in following the June 2014 special election and subsequently won a full term in the November 2014 general election, again defeating April Freeman, this time with 64 percent of the vote. During his tenure in Congress, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his southwest Florida constituents in a period of significant national political debate. Clawson aligned with conservative and Tea Party-oriented elements within the Republican Party and was a member of the Congressional Constitution Caucus, a group focused on limited government and constitutional issues. Reflecting his standing among Tea Party activists, he delivered the Tea Party response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address in 2015.

Clawson’s service in Congress covered the remainder of the 113th Congress and the full 114th Congress. Over this period, he took part in legislative deliberations, sponsored and co-sponsored bills, and engaged in committee and caucus work consistent with his party’s priorities and his district’s interests. His background in business and management informed his approach to fiscal and regulatory issues, and he was viewed as part of a cohort of business-oriented Republicans who entered Congress during the 2010s.

On May 20, 2016, Clawson announced that he would not seek re-election to a third term in the House of Representatives. He cited personal reasons for his decision, specifically his desire to support his father following the death of his mother the previous year. He completed his term and left office at the conclusion of the 114th Congress in January 2017. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Francis Rooney, who won the election to represent Florida’s 19th congressional district beginning in 2017.