impeach Trump, accusing her of not being a "team player." Immigration In 2018, Rutherford defended the Trump administration policy of separating parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border, and opposed legislation that would end the practice. After coming under pressure, Trump reversed his policy, a move Rutherford welcomed. In 2017, Rutherford introduced legislation to create a path to citizenship for holders of E-2 Treaty Investor Visas, a special visa for business owners. In 2019, he voted against legislation to establish a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children. Social issues Rutherford opposes abortion. In interviews in 2015, he contended that the U.S. had a "culture of death" he attributed to Roe v. Wade and violent video games and movies. Rutherford opposes the legalization of marijuana. He voted against the 2014 ballot initiative to legal medicinal marijuana in Florida, believing that it would ultimately lead to the legalization of recreational marijuana and to marijuana "in every backpack in every high school in Duval County." Other Rutherford has supported the use of earmarks and has called for the elimination or restriction of the U.S. Senate rule that requires 60 Senate votes to invoke cloture (i.e., end debate on bills); he described both proposals as a way to facilitate compromise between the parties and reduce gridlock. Rutherford has said that he supports local referendums to resolve disputes over the fate of public Confederate monuments. He voted against statehood for the District of Columbia. Elections Rutherford campaigned for Duval County sheriff, running against fellow Republicans David Anderson and Lem Sharp. In the election on April 15, 2003, he received 135,038 votes, 78% of the total. He took office on July 1, 2003. Rutherford was reelected in 2007 and 2011. On August 30, 2016, he won the Republican Primary for Florida's 4th Congressional District. Personal life Rutherford is married to his wife, Patricia, and has two children and six grandchildren. He and his wife are Catholic. References External links Congressman John Rutherford official U.S. House website Campaign website |- 1952 births 21st-century American politicians Catholics from Florida Florida sheriffs Florida State College at Jacksonville alumni Florida State University alumni Living people Politicians from Jacksonville, Florida Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida Conservatism in the United States Critics of Black Lives Matter