Ted Yoho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Yoho
Official portrait, 2012
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 3rd district
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Cliff Stearns
Succeeded by	Kat Cammack
Personal details
Born	Theodore Scott Yoho (1955-04-13) April 13, 1955 (age 70) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Carolyn Yoho
Children	3
Education	Broward College (AA) University of Florida (BS, DVM)

Theodore Scott "Ted" Yoho (born April 13, 1955) is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Florida's 3rd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.

In 2012, Yoho won a surprising victory in the Republican primary election. He defeated Congressman Cliff Stearns, who had been in office for a long time. Before joining Congress, Yoho worked as a veterinarian and owned a small business in Florida for 30 years.

In December 2019, Yoho announced he would not run for re-election in 2020. He kept his promise to only serve for a limited time.

Early Life and Career

Ted Yoho was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1955. When he was 11, his family moved to Florida. He even went to 4th grade with the person he would later marry, Carolyn.

Yoho went to Broward Community College and then the University of Florida. He earned a degree in animal science and later became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. A veterinarian is a doctor who treats animals. He is a member of several groups for veterinarians and animal owners, like the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Florida Cattlemen's Association.

U.S. House of Representatives

How He Got Elected in 2012

Yoho decided to run for Congress in a newly redrawn district in Florida. In the Republican primary, he faced the current congressman, Cliff Stearns, who had been in office since 1988. Yoho won by a very small margin of just 829 votes.

In the main election in November, Yoho won easily against the Democratic candidate, J.R. Gaillot.

His Time in Congress

Congressman Ted Yoho speaking at the 2013 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention

Yoho began his term on January 3, 2013. He was part of groups in Congress like the Tea Party Caucus and the House Liberty Caucus. These groups often support lower taxes and less government spending.

Yoho wanted to change the tax system and lower taxes for businesses. He also believed in reducing government spending. He was against raising the country's debt ceiling (the limit on how much money the government can borrow) unless there were big cuts in spending.

In 2015, Yoho and a Democratic congressman, John Conyers, worked together. They added an amendment to a bill to stop the U.S. military from training a controversial group in Ukraine called the Azov Battalion.

Laws He Worked On

During his time in office, Yoho sponsored 18 bills. One of them, the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014, was passed by the House of Representatives but not the Senate.

He also co-wrote the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2014. This law made it easier for veterinarians to use certain medicines when treating animals on farms, away from their main offices.

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Committee Work

Yoho served on several important committees in the House of Representatives:

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit
  • Subcommittee on Nutrition
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
• Republican Study Committee

What He Believes: Political Positions

Gun Policy

Yoho has said that "the right to bear arms is a birthright and should never be threatened." He is a gun owner and supports laws that allow people to carry concealed weapons. He has received an "A" rating from the NRA for his support of gun rights.

LGBT Rights

Yoho has a "0" rating from the Human Rights Campaign, a group that supports LGBT rights. This rating means his voting record was not in line with the group's goals.

Foreign Policy

Yoho called on the U.S. government to take action against Chinese officials for human rights abuses. He was concerned about the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim people in the Xinjiang region of China. He described the region as an "occupied country" and condemned China's actions there.

Economic Issues

Yoho voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He said the bill was "not perfect" but believed it would simplify taxes and help American families.

2020 Election Challenge

In December 2020, Yoho joined 125 other Republican members of the House of Representatives in supporting a lawsuit. The lawsuit, called Texas v. Pennsylvania, tried to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Supreme Court did not hear the case.

Personal Life

Before he was a politician, Yoho was a veterinarian for 30 years. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, in 1975. They were both 19 years old.

Awards and Honors

Country	Date	Appointment	Ribbon	Notes
Japan	December 8, 2020	Order of the Rising Sun 3rd Class		Given by Emperor Naruhito
Mongolia	April 13, 2021	Order of the Polar Star