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|spouse = Melinda Rahall (Second wife)
|education = [[Duke University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[George Washington University]]
|module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Rep. Nick Rahall Speaks on a Resolution Condemning the U.S. Holocaust2006 MemorialSago MuseumMine ShootingDisaster.ogg|title=Nick Rahall's voice|type=speech|description=NickRahall Rahallspeaks on a House resolution condemning the [[United States Holocaust2006 MemorialSago MuseumMine shootingdisaster]]<br />Recorded JuneFebruary 118, 20092006}}
}}
'''Nicholas Joseph Rahall II''' ({{IPAc-en|r|eɪ|'|h|ɑː|l}} {{Respell|RAY|hall}}; born May 20, 1949) is an American politician and member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] who served in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1977 to 2015. He is the longest-serving member ever of the United States House of Representatives from the state of [[West Virginia]].
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His district included the southern, coal-dominated portion of the state,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/news/article/west-virginia-senate-democrats-look-for-winner|title=West Virginia Senate: Democrats Look for Winner|publisher=[[The Rothenberg Political Report]]|author=Nathan L. Gonzales|date=January 15, 2013|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref> including [[Huntington, West Virginia|Huntington]], [[Bluefield, West Virginia|Bluefield]], and [[Beckley, West Virginia|Beckley]]. Rahall was the Ranking Member of the [[United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure|House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure]].
 
Rahall lost a bid for re-election to Congress in 2014, to West Virginia State Senator [[Evan Jenkins (politician)|Evan Jenkins]].<ref name="thehill.com">{{cite web|url=httphttps://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/222908-rahall-loses-house-seat-in-west-virginia/|title=Dem Rahall loses House seat after 38 years|author=Timothy Cama|work=The Hill|date=November 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=results>{{cite news|title=Mooney wins crowded GOP House primary; Capito, Tennant to face off in W.Va. Senate race|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/05/13/rep-shelley-moore-capito-wins-republican-nomination-for-west-virginia-senate/|access-date=May 23, 2014|publisher=Fox News|date=May 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name=retire>{{cite web|url=httphttps://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/202754-report-rahall-considered-retirement/|title=Report: Rep. Nick Rahall considered retirement|author=Kyle Balluck|work=The Hill|date=April 6, 2014|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref> {{As of|{{CURRENTYEAR}}}}, he is the last Democrat to have represented [[West Virginia]] in the [[US House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]].
 
==Early life, education, and early career==
Rahall was born in [[Beckley, West Virginia]], the son of Mary Alice and Nicholas Joseph Rahall.<ref name=candidate>{{cite web|url=http://projects.wsj.com/campaign2012/candidates/view/nick-rahall--WV-H|title=Election 2012; Nick Rahall (D); U.S. Representative – WV3|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hin.stparchive.com/Archive/HIN/HIN04231996P01.php|title=Page 1|date=April 23, 1996}}</ref> He is a [[Presbyterian]] of [[Lebanon|Lebanese]]-[[Protestantism in Lebanon|Lebanese Protestant]] descent, whose grandparents immigrated from Lebanon.<ref name=pbs>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east-july-dec06-backing_07-20/|title=House Passes Resolution Backing Israel|work=PBS NewsHour|date=July 20, 2006|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-passes-pro-israel-resolution|title=House Passes Pro-Israel Resolution|author=Melissa McNamara|date=July 20, 2006|publisher=CBS News|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323838204578654401611487128|author=Kristina Peterson|title=Some Democrats Waver on Immigration|date=August 8, 2013|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/18/world/house-panel-approves-20-million-to-lebanon.html|title=HOUSE PANEL APPROVES $20 MILLION TO LEBANON|author=Bernarnd Weinraub|date=June 18, 1982|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref>
 
His family owned radio station [[WWNR]], which his father started with his uncles Farris, Sam, and Deem, and expanded to own other radio stations in a number of states.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.register-herald.com/news/article_60c4bdf6-db8c-5d70-b7fe-76c3b9b96cf8.html?mode=jqm|title=Former W.Va. governor Hulett Smith passes at 93|author= Mannix Porterfield|work=Register Herald|date=January 17, 2012 |access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name=page>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/40957541|page=26|work=Beckley Post-Herald; The Raleigh Register from Beckley, West Virginia|date=November 14, 1971|title=WWNR|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>
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In 1978, Hechler challenged Rahall in the Democratic primary, and Rahall won with 56% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=59888|title= WV District 4 – D Primary Race|date=May 9, 1978|publisher=Our Campaigns|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref> He was re-elected 17 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=1937|title=Candidate – Nick Joe Rahall II|publisher=Our Campaigns|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref> Hechler later became the [[West Virginia Secretary of State]], and ran against Rahall in the primary in 1990. Rahall defeated him, receiving 57% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=375887|title=WV District 4 – D Primary Race|date=May 8, 1990|publisher=Our Campaigns|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>
 
In 1990, heRahall defeated Republican insurance agent Marianne Brewster with just 52% of the vote, the second-lowest winning percentage of his career.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56031910.html?dids=56031910:56031910&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+08%2C+1990&author=&pub=USA+TODAY+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Final+election+results%3A+Pennsylvania+through+Wyoming+%28including+U.S.+territories%29&pqatl=google | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713201817/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56031910.html?dids=56031910:56031910&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+08,+1990&author=&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Final+election+results:+Pennsylvania+through+Wyoming+(including+U.S.+territories)&pqatl=google | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 13, 2012 | work=USA TODAY | title=Final election results: Pennsylvania through Wyoming (including U.S. territories) | date=November 8, 1990 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=34764|title= WV District 4 Race – Nov 6, 1990|publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date= October 2, 2014}}</ref> The district was redrawn after the [[1990 United States Census|1990 census]], becoming the 3rd district, due to changes to the state's population.
{{clear|left}}
;2010
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;2012
{{See also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia#District 3}}
In the 2012 election, Rahall defeated Republican [[Rick Snuffer]] with 53.5% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=West Virginia Congressional District 3 election results|url=http://elections.nbcnews.com/ns/politics/2012/west-virginia/house/3/|work=Decision 2012|date=December 2, 2011 |publisher=NBC News|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref> His eight-point margin of victory was his narrowest since 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/195879-west-virginia-veteran-to-run-for-house-seat/|title=Manchin's State of Union guest to challenge Rep. Nick Rahall|date=January 18, 2014|author= Justin Sink|work=The Hill|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>
 
;2014
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As of September 18, 2014, the race was rated a "toss up" by both University of Virginia political professor [[Larry Sabato]], of [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]], and [[Stu Rothenberg]] of the Rothenberg Political Report.<ref name=nra/> As of October 2, managing editor Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball said the race was still a toss-up, calling it "Super close, super expensive and super nasty."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wvmetronews.com/2014/10/02/looking-into-the-crystal-ball/|title= Looking into the Crystal Ball|publisher=West Virginia Metro News|date=October 2, 2014|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/ratings/house|title=House Ratings|publisher= The Rothenberg Political Report|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref> The Rahall campaign outspent the Jenkins campaign in the election by a two-to-one ratio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/midterm-elections-2014-live-updates/story?id=26570502|title=Republicans Projected To Seize Control Of The Senate: 2014 Midterm Elections Results Live|author=ABC News|work=ABC News}}</ref>
 
Ultimately, Rahall was defeated, with 44.7% of the vote to Jenkins' 55.3% of the vote. In the process, he lost a number of areas that had reliably supported him for years.<ref name="thehill.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/222908-rahall-loses-house-seat-in-west-virginia/|title=Dem Rahall loses House seat after 38 years|author=Timothy Cama|work=TheHill|date=November 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2014/west-virginia-elections|title=West Virginia Election Results|work=The New York Times }}</ref>
 
Having served 19 terms in the House, the 65-year-old Rahall qualified for a [[Congressional pension]] of about $139,000 a year.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://money.cnn.com/2014/11/05/retirement/congressional-pensions |title= Fat pensions for outgoing lawmakers | first= Chris |last=Isidore |work= [[CNNMoney]] | date= November 6, 2014 | access-date= November 6, 2014}}</ref>
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===Mining===
In 2010 Rahall introduced legislation to improve mine safety.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Sam HananelAssociated Press |title=Congress proposes mine bill to crack down on repeat violators |url=https://www.register-herald.com/news/congress-proposes-mine-bill-to-crack-down-on-repeat-violators/article_b5b04e8c-3169-514f-853f-ee5819c6200f.html |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Beckley Register-Herald |date=June 30, 2010 |language=en}}</ref> Rahall opposed legislation designed to end [[mountaintop removal mining]], a process often used in West Virginia.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lillis|first=Mike|title=Rahall takes sole credit for blocking bill to end mountaintop mining|work=The Hill|date=October 17, 2010|url=httphttps://thehill.com/blogspolicy/healthwatchhealthcare/politics-elections/12433972848-rahall-takes-sole-credit-for-blocking-bill-to-end-mountaintop-mining/|access-date=October 17, 2010}}</ref>
 
Rahall's policies involving mountaintop removal mining have been criticized as reflected by author and journalist [[Jeff Biggers]] in "The Blog" in ''[[The Huffington Post]]'', with the link between mountaintop removal mining and flooding, as well as the billions of pounds of explosives used since 2004, being given as examples.<ref name="Ansel Adams">{{cite news|title=Should Wilderness Society Strip US Rep. Nick Rahall of the Ansel Adams Award?|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/should-wilderness-society_b_213108.html|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=July 10, 2009|first=Jeff|last=Biggers}}</ref>
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Rahall was the only member of the House to oppose the 1993 resolution urging Arab states to end their [[Arab boycott of Israel]].<ref name=sib/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXLHAAAAQBAJ&q=nick+rahall+israel&pg=PA91|author=Sarah Stern|title=Saudi Arabia and the Global Islamic Terrorist Network: America and the West's Fatal Embrace|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |date= 2011|access-date=October 2, 2014|isbn=9780230370715}}</ref>
 
Rahall was the most senior of five [[Arab American]] lawmakers on Capitol Hill.<ref name=sib>{{cite web|url=https://articleswww.latimes.com/2004archives/la-xpm-2004-jun/-17/nation/-na-rahall17-story.html|date=June 17, 2004|first=Chuck|last= Neubauer|title=A Sibling Symbiosis in the Capitol; A lobbyist for Qatar is sister to a congressman who is a key advocate for the Arab monarchy|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/transportation-and-infrastructure-committee/for-rahall-representation-means-fighting-for-resources-20130724|first=Rebecca|last=Kaplan|title=For Rahall, Representation Means Fighting for Resources|work=National Journal|date=July 24, 2013|access-date=October 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102845/http://www.nationaljournal.com/transportation-and-infrastructure-committee/for-rahall-representation-means-fighting-for-resources-20130724|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Endorsement of Barack Obama===
In 2008, Rahall endorsed [[Barack Obama]], saying Obama understandsunderstood the needs and aspirations of West Virginians. He was also Chair of the Arab Americans for Obama group.<ref>{{Cite web
| title = Rahall endorses Barack Obama
| publisher = The Herald Dispatch
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In 2004, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' ran an article about Rahall and his sister, lobbyist Tanya Rahall. They reported that she made $15,000 per month as a [[lobbyist]] for [[Qatar]], and that "the person she frequently lobbies is ... her older brother and one of Qatar's biggest champions in Washington." Rahall said "our paths cross professionally, but not across any lines appropriately established by law or House rules."<ref name=sib/> In May 2003, a year after his sister took on Qatar as a client, Rahall sponsored a resolution praising Qatar's "years of democratic reform"; according to one academic study from 2011, "For over three years, the country [Qatar] virtually had its own congressman in Washington, Nick Rahall (D-WV)".<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXLHAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA91|title=Saudi Arabia and the Global Islamic Terrorist Network|publisher=Palgrave MacMillan|chapter=The Saudi Penetration into American NGOs|first1=Kyle|last1=Shiderer|first2=Ilan|last2=Weinglass|date=November 3, 2011|pages=81–104|isbn=9780230370715|editor1-first=Sarah|editor1-last=Stern|access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>
 
In February 2005, Rahall used Congressional stationery to write a letter to a [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]] judge, David Stitt, asking for leniency for his son, Nick Rahall III, who was facing [[felony]] robbery charges. According to the House ethics manual: "Official stationery ... may be used only for official purposes." Rahall acknowledged that he should not have used Congressional stationery for his letter, but said it was not the same type that he uses for official or committee business. Rahall added he may have drawn the wrong paper "[i]n the emotions", and that he would reimburse the Treasury Department for the cost of the paper.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41002.html|title=Questions raised about Nick Rahall helping son|publisher=Politico|author=John Bresnahan|date=August 12, 2010 |access-date=August 12, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gOM2iJE7aLkxUUMwsRwn0VcNeCbwD9HI7LOG0|title=Democrat Nick Rahall misused official stationery|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=August 13, 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/100592614.html|title=Rahall Admits to Using Congressional Stationary to ask Judge for Favor|date=August 12, 2010|publisher=WSAZ News Channel 3|access-date=October 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006064930/http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/100592614.html|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[United States House Committee on Ethics]] did not launch an inquiry into the incident.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pergram|first=Chad|title=Second Congressman allegedly misuses stationary|publisher=Fox News|date=August 12, 2010|url=http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/12/second-congressman-allegedly-misuses-house-stationery|access-date=October 16, 2010|archive-date=July 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726125306/http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/12/second-congressman-allegedly-misuses-house-stationery|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Rahall was one of seven Democrats and twelve Republicans listed by [[Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington]] in its annual "Most Corrupt Members of Congress Report" in 2011.<ref name=most>{{cite web|url=http://www.charlestondailymail.com/News/statenews/201109203086|title=Rahall on list of most corrupt Congresspeople|date=September 21, 2011|author=Jared Hunt|publisher=Charleston Daily Mail|access-date=October 3, 2014|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006120858/http://www.charlestondailymail.com/News/statenews/201109203086|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rep.+Nick+Rahall+%28D-WV%29+Named+One+of+the+Most+Corrupt+Members+of...-a0267424762|title=Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) Named One of the Most Corrupt Members of Congress|date=2011|access-date=October 3, 2014|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006081959/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rep.+Nick+Rahall+%28D-WV%29+Named+One+of+the+Most+Corrupt+Members+of...-a0267424762|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Melanie Sloan]], CREW's Executiveexecutive Directordirector, said: "Rep. Rahall abused his position to help his son and sister in clear violation of the House ethics rules." Rahall's spokeswoman said: "There is as little merit to these allegations today as there was then."<ref name=most/>
 
==Electoral history==
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|{{party shading/Democratic}} |46%
|
|{{party shading/Republican}} |FE. S. Goodman
|{{party shading/Republican}} |28,825
|{{party shading/Republican}} |18%
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahall, Nick}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American politicianslegislators]]
[[Category:American politicians of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:Presbyterians from West Virginia]]
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[[Category:Politicians from Beckley, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Woodrow Wilson High School (Beckley, West Virginia) alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century West Virginia politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century West Virginia politicians]]
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