Charlie Norwood

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Charlie Norwood
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia
In office
January 3, 1995 – February 13, 2007
Preceded byDon Johnson
Succeeded byPaul Broun
Constituency10th district (1995–2003)
9th district (2003–2007)
10th district (2007)
Personal details
Born
Charles Whitlow Norwood Jr.

(1941-07-27)July 27, 1941
United States of America
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1967–1969
RankCaptain
Battles/warsVietnam War

Charles Whitlow Norwood Jr. (July 27, 1941 – February 13, 2007) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 until his death in 2007. At the time of his death, Norwood was the representative of the 10th District of Georgia.[1]

Early life and education

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, Norwood graduated from Baylor School, then a military academy, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Before entering the House, Norwood operated a successful dentistry practice in Augusta.

He married his wife, Gloria, in 1962. They had two sons, Charles and Carlton, and lived in

Methodist
.

Military service

Norwood served as a

An Khe and LZ English. During his tour, he participated in experimental military dental practices that are now standard procedure for the armed forces. Norwood was one of the first participants in the Army's outreach program that delivered dentists to forward firebases in lieu of transferring patients to rear treatment areas. He provided some of the first field-based dental treatment of military guard dogs, and assisted in non-dental trauma care in Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals
.

In recognition of his service under combat conditions, Norwood was awarded the

Fort Gordon, Georgia, where he served until his discharge in 1969. He remained a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
, and the Military Order of the World Wars until his death.

Congressional campaigns

See also:
United States House elections, 2006 complete list § Georgia

In late 1993, Norwood sold his dental practice to run for Congress in the

Reconstruction
.

Norwood was nearly defeated in 1996, winning by only four points. He easily turned back spirited challenges in 1998 and 2000. However, in the 2000s round of redistricting, the Democratic-controlled state legislature crafted a congressional map designed to elect seven Democrats and six Republicans; at the time Georgia's congressional delegation consisted of eight Republicans and five Democrats. In the process, the legislature renumbered Norwood's district as the 9th District and shifted most of Augusta—which had been the heart of the district and its predecessors for over a century—to the newly created 12th District. To make up for the loss in population, Norwood's district picked up some more Republican territory in the

North Georgia mountains
. Norwood was reelected from this now heavily Republican district with 73 percent of the vote.

In 2004, Norwood received 74 percent of the vote against

John Barrow, and Barrow was forced to move to Savannah
rather than face certain defeat. Norwood was handily reelected, taking 68 percent of the vote against Democrat Terry Holley.

Potential bids for higher office

While Norwood was speculated as a potential candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2002 and United States Senate in 2004, he declined to run in either race, citing his health issues.[2]

Congressional career

Norwood with President George W. Bush in 2001

Norwood was a staunch supporter of tight immigration control, and "called for putting nearly 40,000 troops on the U.S.-Mexico border. He co-wrote a provision to the recent Deficit Reduction Act that bars illegal aliens from getting Medicaid."[3]

The Washington Post wrote the following in a summary of his career:

Rep. Norwood worked throughout much of his career to pass a patients' bill of rights, aimed at giving people better access to health care and greater ability to sue insurers. Over a decade, the bill passed through the House twice, but it failed after compromises needed to avoid a presidential veto caused Rep. Norwood to lose support in Congress. He reintroduced the bill before leaving Washington [in February 2007]. He criticized government intrusion into personal and business practices and was one of 33 House members who voted against renewing the Voting Rights Act [in 2006], arguing that it discriminates against Southern states over long-past racial transgressions.[3]

Norwood regarded the preclearance provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires certain jurisdictions to obtain federal approval before enacting changes to their election laws, as "blatant discrimination" against the targeted states. He opposed changing Georgia's state flag to one with less overt Confederate imagery.[2]

Illness and death

In 1998, Norwood was diagnosed with

lung transplant due to the condition.[2] A year after the transplant, a cancerous tumor was found on Norwood's non-transplanted lung, and he underwent chemotherapy. By December 2006, the cancer had spread to his liver. The disease was believed to be caused by the immunosuppressants Norwood had to take due to the lung transplant. After the reconvening of Congress in January 2007, Norwood missed most of the sessions due to weakness from the chemotherapy.[4]
During the
State of the Union address on January 23, 2007, President George W. Bush noted Congressman Norwood's absence from the Hall of the House and extended his thoughts for a speedy recovery.[5]

On February 7, Norwood's office announced that he was forgoing further treatment for his cancer, and would be returning to

hospice care.[6]

This plaque commemorates the re-dedication of the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center and sits at the main entrance of the "uptown" facility.

Norwood died nearly one week later, on February 13. At approximately 2:02 PM Eastern time on the day of his death, a few moments of silence were observed for Norwood on the House floor. This moment of silence was repeated at 2:21 PM, at the behest of a delegation of Congressmen from Georgia. Norwood was survived by his wife, 2 children, and 4 grandchildren. President Bush said that he and his wife Laura were saddened by Norwood's death. "Charlie was a good friend and a strong, spirited legislator who always stuck to his principles, remembering that his duty was to represent the best interests of the citizens of his district," the President said in a written statement released by the White House.

In tribute to his life and service, The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta, GA was rededicated to bear his name. On January 15, 2008, the center officially became known as the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center.[7]

Electoral history

Georgia's 10th congressional district: Results 1992–2000, 2006;
Georgia's 9th congressional district: Results 2002–2004[8]
Year District Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct
1994
 10th
Clete Donald Johnson Jr.
 51,192 35% Charlie Norwood 96,099 65%
1996
 10th David Bell 88,054 48% Charlie Norwood 96,723 52%
1998
 10th Marion Denise Spencer Freeman 60,004 40% Charlie Norwood 88,527 60%
2000
 10th Marion Denise Spencer Freeman 71,309 37% Charlie Norwood 122,590 63%
2002
 9th Barry Irwin 45,974 27% Charlie Norwood 123,313 73%
2004
 9th Bob Ellis 68,462 26% Charlie Norwood 197,869 74%
2006
 10th Terry Holley 57,032 33% Charlie Norwood 117,721 67%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Georgia's 10th Congressional District - GA-10 Representatives & District Map - GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  2. ^
    Atlanta Journal-Constitution
    . Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Sullivan, Patricia (2007-02-14). "Charles Norwood; Ga. Congressman Pushed for Patients' Bill of Rights". The Washington Post. p. B07.
  4. ^ "Rep. Norwood sicker than expected with extended chemotherapy". FoxCarolina.com. Retrieved 2007-01-24.[dead link]
  5. ^ Bush, George W. (January 23, 2007). "President Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-01-24.
  6. ^ Stone, John (February 7, 2007). "Norwood Declines Further Hospital Treatment, Returns to Augusta Home". Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
  7. ^ "US Department of Veterans Affairs, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
  8. ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2007-07-25. Retrieved 2008-01-10.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Clete Donald Johnson Jr.
 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 10th congressional district
January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 9th congressional district
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 10th congressional district
January 3, 2007 – February 13, 2007 		Succeeded by
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