Vern Ehlers

Vern Ehlers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 3rd district
In office
December 7, 1993 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byPaul Henry
Succeeded byJustin Amash
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 32nd district
In office
1985–1993
Preceded byPaul B. Henry
Succeeded byGlenn Steil Sr.
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 93rd district
In office
1983–1985
Preceded byJohn Otterbacher
Succeeded byRichard Bandstra
Personal details
Born
Vernon James Ehlers

(1934-02-06)February 6, 1934
Pipestone, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedAugust 15, 2017(2017-08-15) (aged 83)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJohanna Ehlers
Alma materCalvin College
University of California, Berkeley
OccupationCollege Professor

Vernon James Ehlers (February 6, 1934 – August 15, 2017) was an American physicist and politician who represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement in 2011. A Republican, he also served eight years in the Michigan Senate and two in the Michigan House of Representatives.

Ehlers was the first research physicist to be elected to Congress;[1] he was later joined by Rush Holt, Jr. (D-NJ) and Bill Foster (D-IL).

  1. ^ Cornelia Dean (July 10, 2008). "Physicists in Congress Calculate Their Influence". New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2010.