Craig DeRoche

Craig M. DeRoche (born October 4, 1970) is a Republican Party politician who served as speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives for the U.S. state of Michigan. Before being elected to the House of Representatives, DeRoche was a member of the Novi City Council.

DeRoche was first elected to the lower house of the Michigan Legislature to represent the 38th District in the general election on November 5, 2002. He was a member from January 1, 2003, to January 1, 2009.

In 2005, after being elected to a second term in the November 2, 2004, general election, DeRoche was elected speaker of the House. He served as speaker until the Democrats won a political majority in the general election on November 7, 2006.^[1]

From 2007 until leaving the House of Representatives due to term limitations in 2009, he was the Republican leader.

During the 2008 presidential election campaign, DeRoche was co-chairman of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's campaign in Michigan.^[2]

In 2010, DeRoche announced that he would not run for the 18th Senate District seat held by Nancy Cassis, who was prohibited by term limitations from seeking re-election to a third term. After leaving office, he endorsed then-Congressman C. Peter Hoekstra in his 2010 campaign for governor of Michigan.^[3]

DeRoche was arrested on charges of suspected drunk driving on February 9, 2010, in Saline, Michigan.^[4] On March 10, 2010, after an investigation by the Saline City Attorney, DeRoche was charged with one count of first-offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a misdemeanor.^[5] On April 10, 2010, it was reported that DeRoche pleaded no-contest to impaired driving, also a misdemeanor, and was found guilty.

On June 27, 2010, DeRoche was arrested for allegedly being intoxicated and carrying a gun.^[6] The charge was dismissed by the Michigan Court of Appeals since DeRoche was not actually carrying a gun at the time in question. The ruling stated DeRoche "was not engaging in an unlawful behavior nor were there any facts to suggest that (DeRoche) possessed the handgun for any unlawful purposes." ^[7]

In 2011, DeRoche was hired as the director of external affairs for Justice Fellowship.^[8] DeRoche became president of Justice Fellowship in 2012.^[9]

DeRoche is married and has three daughters. He is an active member of the Michigan Republican Party. He graduated from Walled Lake Western High School in 1988 and Central Michigan University. Craig is a 1993 graduate of the Michigan Political Leadership Program at Michigan State University. He currently serves on the Board of Advisers for the program.^[10]

Electoral history

• 2006 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 59%
  • Tim Jarrell (D), 40%
  • Other, 1%
• 2004 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 61%
  • Joan Morgan (D), 38%
• 2002 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 68%
  • Linda E. Premo (D), 31%

References

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

Speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives
Convis Whipple Bingham Acker Fuller Biddle Bingham McClelland Lothrop Hanscom Crary Peck Buel Chapman Harris Thurber Quackenboss Lovell Stout Shaw Mussey Cutcheon Read Warner Woodman Croswell Hoyt Rich Moffatt Howard Clark Markey Diekema Wachtel Tateum Gordon Adams Carton Master Whelan Campbell Baker Currie Smith Rice Read Warner Welsh Wells Gardner Ming Bradley Schroeder Nugent Knox Van Valkenburg Van Peursem Pears Green Kowalski Waldron Ryan Crim Owen Dodak Hertel Hillegonds Hertel Perricone Johnson DeRoche Dillon Bolger Cotter Leonard (designate)