Tim Walberg

Timothy Lee Walberg (born April 12, 1951) is an American serving as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district since 2023.

In 1964, Walberg served the Barry Goldwater 1964 presidential campaign as a volunteer.

Walberg graduated from Thornton Fractional North High School in 1969 and briefly served the U.S. Forest Service. From 1973 to 1977, Walberg served as pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in New Haven, Indiana.

Walberg was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1998.

He also spent time as a pastor and as a division manager for the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago while continuing to live in Michigan.

After six years out of politics, Walberg ran in a field of six candidates in the 2004 Republican primary for the 7th District after six-term incumbent Nick Smith retired.

Walberg finished third in the primary.

State Senator Joe Schwarz won the primary and the general election.

Walberg defeated Schwarz in the Republican primary.

In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Sharon Renier, 50%–46%.

The previous occupant of the seat, Joe Schwarz, who lost to Walberg in the 2006 Republican primary, declined to run but on September 30 endorsed Schauer.

Schauer narrowly defeated Walberg in the November election, 49% to 47%.

A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented the Michigan's 7th congressional district from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2023.

As the longest tenured member from Michigan, Walberg is the current Dean of its delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Walberg was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Alice Ann and John A. Walberg.

His paternal grandparents were Swedish.

In 2007, there was a failed recall effort against Walberg.

On August 23, 2007, State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer announced he would challenge Walberg.

Entering the 2008 race, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Chris Van Hollen identified Walberg as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in Congress.

Between the two candidates, around $3.5 million was spent on the campaign, making it one of the most expensive House races in the 2008 election.

Schauer outspent Walberg by nearly $300,000.

On July 14, 2009, Walberg announced that he would challenge incumbent Mark Schauer.

He defeated Marvin Carlson and Brian Rooney in the Republican primary.

Polling showed the race as a dead heat.

Walberg defeated Schauer, 50%–45%.

Wahlberg defeated Democratic nominee Kurt Haskell, 53%–43%.

Walberg defeated former Democratic State Representative Pam Byrnes with 54% of the vote.

Walberg defeated Doug North in the August 2 Republican primary and Democratic nominee State Representative Gretchen Driskell in the general election, with 55% of the vote.

Walberg defeated Driskell again, with 53.8% of the vote.

Walberg defeated Driskell a third time, with 58.7% of the vote.

Walberg rejects the scientific consensus on climate change.

In 2015, Walberg cosponsored a resolution to amend the US constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Walberg also cosponsored a resolution disagreeing with the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution.

Walberg voted against the Respect for Marriage Act codifying Loving v. Virginia and Obergefell v. Hodges, recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."

On October 8, 2023, Walberg gave a keynote speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Uganda, at the invitation of Ugandan legislator David Bahati.

Walberg's trip to Uganda was paid for by The Fellowship, which sponsored the breakfast.

On the subject, he said in May 2017, "I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us. And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, he can take care of it."

Walberg has repeatedly voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Walberg shares an office with Jackson Right to Life, which was vandalized by abortion rights activists in June 2022, just before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision.

Fox News attributed the attack to the group Jane's Revenge.