James Allan

Background

Barcia was born in Bay City, Michigan.

Education

He graduated from Bay City Central High School.

Career

He has served successively in the Michigan House of Representatives, the Michigan Senate, the United States House of Representatives and then again the Michigan Senate, from which he was term-limited in January 2011. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Saginaw Valley State College in 1974. He was staff assistant to United States Senator Philip A. Hart of Michigan in 1971.

Barcia also was a community service coordinator for the Michigan Blood Center, between 1974 and 1975, and he was an administrative assistant to Michigan state representative Donald J. Albosta, from 1975 to 1976.

He left the House after being elected to the Michigan Senate, where he served until he resigned in 1993 to enter the United States House of Representatives. Barcia was elected as a Democrat from Michigan"s 5th congressional district to the 103rd Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1993 to January 3, 2003.

He was a moderate Democrat who opposed abortion and gun control. He had a lifetime rating of 54 from the American Conservative Union—the highest of any Democrat from Michigan at the time.

After the United States 2000 Census, Barcia"s district was dismantled by the Republican-controlled state legislature.

Most of his district"s territory was shifted to the 10th District, but his home in Bay City was merged with the neighboring 9th District of fellow Democrat Dale Kildee. The new district retained Barcia"s district number (the 5th), but was geographically more Kildee"s district. On October 10, 2002, Jim Barcia was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

On April 23, 2004, he was indicted on federal campaign finance law violations relating to the failed 2002 congressional bid of then-Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga.

The charges against Barcia were dropped in July 2005, after being found to be completely without merit. With Kildee announcing his retirement July 2011, Barcia considered running for his congressional seat in 2012 but passed on the race.

Achievements

• Under the circumstances, Barcia opted to run for his old seat in the State Senate and won.

Membership

Barcia was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, from 1977 to 1983.