Anthony Gonzalez will keep his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the Associated Press, the former Ohio State University and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver won reelection in Ohio’s 16th Congressional District. Gonzalez, a Republican, defeated his Democratic challenger Aaron Godfrey on Tuesday. Gonzalez got 241,656 votes to 141,212, a 63.1% to 36.9% margin. This will be the second term for the Ohio native.
Before getting into politics, Gonzalez was a standout wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was then drafted in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2007. “(I’m a) Congressman who used to play football,” Gonzalez told USA Today last year. “I left the game in 2012. A lot has happened in my life since then. …The NFL is great because you feel like you can control more of the outcome. … Congress isn’t like that at all. Congress is more if you’re in the majority, and you have the votes, and this, that and the other, that’s ultimately going to win the day on the House floor. So that’s just different. But both are interesting.”
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When Gonzalez first ran for office, he was able to get contributions from some of his NFL friends. According to Cleveland.com, Peyton Manning, Kirk Barton, Austin Collie and Jimmy Haslam, who is the owner of the Cleveland Browns, were some of the NFL figures who made contributions to Gonzalez’s campaign. This year, President Donald Trump chose Gonzalez to serve on the Opening Up America Again Congressional Group, according to USA Today. He also showed his support for the college football season being played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I learned more in that college football environment than I did in any classroom or in any other environment that I’ve ever been in,” Gonzalez said, “and I know that I’m not alone in that. So, to take that opportunity away from these kids, many of whom come from some of the most difficult backgrounds that this country has to offer, I think is catastrophic for them.”
During his time at Ohio State, Gonzalez was named to the All-Big Ten First Team and was an Academic All-American. As a member of the Colts, Gonzalez helped the team reach the Super Bowl in 2009. He finished his NFL career with 99 receptions for 1,307 yards and seven touchdowns.
