Martin Hoke

Martin R. Hoke (born May 18, 1952)[1] is an American Republican politician, former member of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.

Martin R. Hoke
Member of the Ohio Casino Control Commission
In office
February 23, 2011 – February 21, 2017
GovernorJohn Kasich
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 10th district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byClarence E. Miller
Succeeded byDennis Kucinich
Personal details
Born (1952-05-18) May 18, 1952
Lakewood, Ohio, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
EducationAmherst College (BA)
Case Western Reserve University (JD)

Biography

Hoke was born in Lakewood, Ohio and attended school at the private Western Reserve Academy. He graduated from Amherst College in 1973 and earned a law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1980.[1] He has been noted for practicing Sikhism.[2]

Business career

In 1981, Hoke began a company, Red Carpet Airport Car Care, that provided auto repair services at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Four years later, he founded Red Carpet Cellular, a distributor of then-novel cellular telephones, which became the largest distributor of cell phones in Ohio. Hoke sold the company to British Petroleum in 1988. Verizon acquired the company in 1991. [3] In 2007 Hoke developed an idea for a nasal irrigation system, partly to allay his own sinusitis. His creation evolved into Rhinosystems, Inc. of Brooklyn, OH, manufacturer of the patented Navage nasal irrigator, currently sold in Canada and the United States.[4] In 2020, New York Magazine rated Navage the “Best Nasal Irrigation System.”[5]

Political career

In 1992, Hoke won the Republican nomination for Ohio's 10th congressional district, located in Cleveland's west side. Hoke upset heavily favored Democrat Mary Rose Oakar, who had represented the district (formerly the 20th District) for 16 years, in the general election. Oakar was hampered by accusations of check writing at the House of Representatives Bank. Hoke was the first Republican to represent a significant portion of traditionally heavily Democratic Cleveland in over 30 years. Hoke won re-election in 1994 against Frank Gaul, a Cuyahoga County Treasurer who had recently overseen losses in a county bond fund based on faulty advice from private bond counsel. In 1996, Hoke was defeated by former Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich 49%-46%. Hoke was harmed by several gaffes he had made, the Democratic nature of the district, strong labor support for Kucinich, and a mounting public perception that he would lose.

Hoke was appointed to the Ohio Casino Control Commission by Governor John Kasich on February 23, 2011. His term of office ended on February 21, 2017.[6]

Controversy

Following the 1994 State of the Union speech by President Bill Clinton, Hoke was preparing to be interviewed for a live broadcast for a local Cleveland television station. After being outfitted with a microphone by a female producer, Hoke remarked to another congressman that "She's got ze beega breasts" in a mock Italian accent. Although not broadcast live, the remark was recorded, and was the subject of a report by The Washington Post the following day. Coverage of the remark may have been a factor in his failed bid for re-election in 1996.[7]

See also

References
  1. Biographical Guide of the United States Congress
  2. Maegan Vazquez (August 6, 2012). "Sikhism preaches tolerance, good deeds". Fox News. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  3. "ENT Innovation Day". UHVentures.com. Cleveland OH: University Hospitals. 30 October 2019.
  4. Miller, Jay (15 March 2020). "Navage's timing is on the nose". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland OH: Crain Communications Corp.
  5. The Strategist (5 September 2020). "The Best Sinus Rinse Kits on Amazon, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers". New York Magazine. New York NY: Vox Media Inc.
  6. Commissioners
  7. Eric Konigsberg (February 9, 1998). "Washington's Sexual Awakening". New York Magazine. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Clarence E. Miller		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 10th congressional district
1993–1997		 Succeeded by
Dennis Kucinich
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