Joe Schwarz John J . H . " Joe " Schwarz , M . D . ( born November 15 , 1937 ) , an independent politician from Michigan , was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2004 as a moderate Republican . He represented Michigan ' s 7th congressional district from January 2005 to January 2007 . Early life and career . Schwarz was born and raised in Battle Creek , Michigan , after his family moved there in 1935 so his father could work as a physician in the Veterans Administration Hospital . He has two older siblings , Frank and Janet . He attended Fremont Elementary School , W . K . Kellogg Junior High School , and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School . He played on the baseball , swimming and football teams at B . C . Central . In 1959 , he received a B . A . in History from the University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , where he played on the football team as a center . He earned an M . D . from Wayne State University , Detroit , in 1964 , completed his medical residency in Los Angeles and subsequently joined the United States Navy , where he served as a combat surgeon for a Marine battalion in Vietnam . He was then assigned to the U . S . Embassy at Jakarta , Indonesia , where he first met his future wife , Anne . From 1968 to 1970 , he worked as a Central Intelligence Agency operative in Southeast Asia . After resigning from the CIA in 1970 , he completed his surgical training in otolaryngology at the Harvard Medical School , where he married his wife and had a daughter , Brennan . He returned , with his new family , to Battle Creek in 1974 , and has been a practicing physician in Battle Creek since that time . He currently sees patients at the Family Health Center in Battle Creek , a federally qualified health center . He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons . His first wife , Anne , died in 1990 , and he is divorced from his second wife . He has one daughter from his first marriage . Political career . He served as a Battle Creek City Commissioner , 1979 – 1985 , as mayor of Battle Creek , 1985 – 1987 , and as a member of the Michigan Senate , 1987 – 2002 , where he was president pro tempore , 1993 – 2002 . He left the senate due to term - limit laws , but launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for governor in 2002 , losing the primary to Lt . Gov . Dick Posthumus . Schwarz had previously attempted a bid for the Republican nomination for a seat in the U . S . House in 1992 . He finished second to fellow state senator Nick Smith in the primary for the 7th District . Although Schwarz is from Battle Creek , the largest city in the district , two other candidates from the western portion of the district split the vote . This allowed Smith , the major candidate from the eastern portion , to win with only 37 percent of the vote . In 2004 , Schwarz ran for the 7th District again . Smith opted not to run for reelection , honoring a promise to serve only six terms in the House . Schwarz defeated Smith ' s son Brad Smith , Tim Walberg , and three others in a six - way Republican primary race . In the general election , Schwarz received 58 % of the vote , while Democrat Sharon Renier received 36 % . The remaining 6 % was divided between the Green , Libertarian and U . S . Taxpayers Party candidates . Schwarz is a member of the Republican Leadership Council and The Republican Main Street Partnership . He is also a member of The Republican Majority For Choice , Republicans for Choice and Republicans for Environmental Protection . Schwarz is considered to be a moderate Republican who supports abortion rights and favors embryonic stem cell research . He has favored extending tax cuts , manufacturing liability reform and overhauling America ' s medical malpractice laws , which he says lead to frivolous lawsuits and force doctors to demur from treating patients . Schwarz was one of many GOP Congressmen to return to Washington , DC to vote to maintain Terri Schiavo ' s life support ( Bill S 686 ) and also voted in favor of Bill HR 6099 which was designed to ensure that women seeking an abortion are informed regarding the pain allegedly experienced by their unborn fetus . 2006 Election . Schwarz lost in the 2006 Republican primary to Tim Walberg , a former state representative who finished third ( 18 % to Schwarz ' 28 % ) behind Schwarz in the 2004 primary . Walberg is considerably more conservative than Schwarz , and attacked Schwarz for his stances on social and fiscal issues . He was backed by the fiscally conservative 501 ( c ) 4 organization Club for Growth and Right to Life of Michigan . The race drew more than $ 1 million from outside groups ; Schwarz received support from President Bush and Arizona Sen . John McCain . Post - congressional life . Schwarz has maintained a busy schedule since leaving office in January 2007 . On the state level , Schwarz was appointed to Gov . Jennifer Granholm ' s Emergency Financial Advisory Panel , led by former Michigan governors Milliken ( R ) and Blanchard ( D ) . On the national level , Schwarz was appointed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to serve on the independent panel to investigate the conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital in suburban Washington , DC . Schwarz was reappointed to the Altarum Institute Board of Trustees , a position he held prior to his congressional service , in February 2007 . Altarum Institute is a nonprofit health policy research institute based in Ann Arbor , Michigan . He also accepted a teaching position at the University of Michigan ' s Gerald R . Ford School of Public Policy , which began in fall 2007 . Schwarz is also active in the UM Alumni Association , and is often spotted at UM sporting events . In 2007 , Schwarz was appointed to John McCain ' s presidential finance committee for the state of Michigan . He had been co - chairman of McCain ' s 2000 presidential campaign ; the two have been friends for many years . Schwarz had been rumored to be considering a run for his old congressional seat against Walberg in 2008 , either as an independent or a Democrat . Ultimately , he endorsed Walberg ' s successful Democratic challenger , State Senate Minority Leader Mark Schauer . , Schwarz is a member of the Michigan State Medical Society ' s Board of Directors from District 3 .