{{Short description|American politician (born 1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Brian Calley |image = Portrait (38590520322) (1).jpg |caption = Calley in 2012 |office = 63rd Lieutenant Governor of Michigan |governor = Rick Snyder |term_start = January 1, 2011 |term_end = January 1, 2019 |predecessor = John D. Cherry |successor = Garlin Gilchrist |state_house1 = Michigan |district1 = 87th |term_start1 = January 1, 2007 |term_end1 = January 1, 2011 |predecessor1 = Gary Newell |successor1 = Mike Callton |birth_name = Brian Nelson Calley |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|3|25}} |birth_place = Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Julie Calley |education = Montcalm Community College<br>Michigan State University (BA)<br>Grand Valley State University (MBA)<br>Harvard University (MPA) }} '''Brian Nelson Calley''' (born March 25, 1977) is an American politician who served as the 63rd lieutenant governor of Michigan from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was previously elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. He currently serves as president of the Michigan Small Business Association,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Paula |date=2024-01-03 |title=Brian Calley: Michigan small businesses want to slow change, ease up on new rules |url=https://www.bridgemi.com/business-watch/calley-michigan-small-businesses-want-slow-change-ease-new-rules |access-date= |website=Bridge Michigan |language=en}}</ref> and as a member of the board of trustees of Oakland University.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jesse |first=David |date=2018-10-19 |title=Snyder appoints Lt. Gov. Brian Calley to Oakland University board |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2018/10/19/snyder-calley-oakland-university-board/1697671002/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref>
Calley is known for his advocacy for people with autism and their families; his daughter is autistic. Calley campaigned to require Michigan health insurance plans to include coverage for autism therapies, signing into law a package providing for such reforms as acting governor.<ref name="autismspeaks.org">{{cite press release|url=http://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/autism-law-summit-highlights-latest-advances-insurance-reform|title=Autism Law Summit Highlights Latest Advances in Insurance Reform|publisher=Autism Speaks |date=September 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Demas">{{cite web|last=Demas|first=Susan|title=Brian Calley and the Reinvention of the Role of Lieutenant Governor|url=http://domemagazine.com/features/cov0511|magazine=Dome Magazine|date=May 2011}}</ref>
==Early life and political career== Calley was born in Dearborn, the third of six children. The family moved from Dearborn Heights to Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1982 where his father was stationed in the U.S. Army. Two years later, the family moved back to Michigan where Calley graduated from Ionia High School in 1994. After attending Montcalm Community College<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://montcalm.mycareerfocus.org/2013/09/03/brian-calley/ |title=Brian Calley | Montcalm Community College |access-date=2017-04-19 |archive-date=2019-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402074640/http://montcalm.mycareerfocus.org/2013/09/03/brian-calley/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> while a student at Ionia High School, he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Michigan State University in 1998 and a Master's in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University in 2000. In the 10 years preceding his election to the Michigan legislature, Calley held various positions within the banking industry, primarily making commercial loans. During this time he served two terms on Ionia County Board of Commissioners, both as Vice Chairperson.<ref name="Snyder - Meet the Lt. Governor">{{cite web|url=http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-61287-248763--,00.html |title=Snyder - Meet the Lt. Governor |website=Michigan.gov |access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref>
Calley was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. He served both terms in the minority, with the 2009–2010 term seeing the smallest Republican caucus in 40 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://leadersedge.michcpa.org/novdec08/lr-election.asp |title=Leaders' Edge |access-date=2012-12-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415083527/http://leadersedge.michcpa.org/novdec08/lr-election.asp |archive-date=2013-04-15 }}</ref> In the House he gained a reputation as an expert on tax policy and served as minority vice chair of the House Tax Policy Committee. He was named the 2008 "Legislator of the Year” by the state's Small Business Association, the first time a freshman lawmaker has received that designation.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nancy Hanus |url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/section/c?template=profile&uid=65563&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=65563&plckPostId=Blog%3A65563Post%3Afe87578d-a9ce-44f1-8ae6-3a23edeed75e&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest |title=We've enhanced our commenting system for the Crain's community - Crain's Detroit Business |website=Crainsdetroit.com |date=2013-07-05 |access-date=2016-10-23 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2010, despite securing the Republican nomination for state Senate days earlier, Calley was announced as gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder's running mate. Tea Party supporters from west Michigan momentarily contested Calley's nomination during the state Republican Convention at Michigan State University's Breslin Center in favor of Bill Cooper, a Norton Shores businessman and former candidate for Congress. Cooper withdrew his name from consideration and publicly threw his support behind Calley. In securing the nomination for lieutenant governor, the state Senate nomination was vacated and former state Representative Judy Emmons was chosen to fill the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cm-life.com/2010/09/03/judy-emmons-replaces-calley-as-republican-candidate-for-33rd-district|title=Judy Emmons replaces Calley as Republican candidate for 33rd district|publisher=Cm-life.com|date=2010-09-03|access-date=April 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304054341/http://www.cm-life.com/2010/09/03/judy-emmons-replaces-calley-as-republican-candidate-for-33rd-district/|archive-date=March 4, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10PRI/07033000.html|title=2010 Official Michigan Primary Election Results - 33rd District State Senator 4 Year Term (1) Position|publisher=Michigan Department of State|date=October 6, 2010|access-date=April 28, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302200844/http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10PRI/07033000.html|archive-date=March 2, 2012}}</ref>
Snyder and Calley went on to defeat Lansing Mayor Virgil Bernero and his running mate, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence in the general election by 58% to 39%.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}
==Lieutenant Governor (2011–2019)== thumb|Lieutenant Governor Calley takes the oath of office from Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly Calley assumed office as the nation's youngest lieutenant governor and Michigan's youngest lieutenant governor since John Swainson in 1959.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mitechnews.com/articles.asp?id=12090 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714103033/http://www.mitechnews.com/articles.asp?id=12090 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |title=Snyder Says Calley Has Smarts, Hustle, Personality Plus Unselfishness |publisher=Michigan Technology News |date=August 26, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2012 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100829/ELECTIONS03/8290526/Tea-partiers-challenge-Calley-s-spot-in-Michigan-governor-s-race]{{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref> Calley undertook an active role in the Snyder administration.<ref name="Demas"/>
In early 2011, Calley broke a 19–19 deadlock in the Michigan Senate, voting in favor of a massive tax reform package that eliminated the Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a flat, six-percent corporate income tax. The package, a major goal of the Snyder administration, also reduced the state's individual income tax rate from 4.35 percent to 4.25 percent starting on January 1, 2013, and eliminated most of the state's exemptions and deductions.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://leadersedge.michcpa.org/mayjun11/ts-taxes.asp|title=Tax, Tax, Tax|author=John D. Lindley|date=May–June 2011|work=Leader's Edge|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730004730/http://leadersedge.michcpa.org/mayjun11/ts-taxes.asp|archive-date=2014-07-30}}</ref>
For two years, he attended weekly classes at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University before receiving his Master of Public Administration in spring 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Kathleen |title=Lt. Gov. Brian Calley Getting MPA from Harvard |url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/05/22/harvard-grad-brian-calley/27728277/ |access-date=23 May 2015 |work=Detroit Free Press |date=3 December 2015}}</ref>
In May 2017, Calley announced a campaign to make the legislature part-time.<ref>{{cite news |first = Jonathan |last = Oosting |date = May 30, 2017 |title = Calley Reveals Part-Time Legislature Proposal for 2018 |url = http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/05/30/lt-gov-calley-part-time-legislature-michigan/102319654/ |work = The Detroit News |access-date = May 30, 2017}}</ref>
Calley unsuccessfully ran to succeed Snyder in the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial election. On August 7, 2018, he lost the Republican primary, receiving 25% of the vote, placing second behind Michigan state Attorney General Bill Schuette who eventually lost the general election on November 6, 2018 to Democrat Gretchen Whitmer.
==Autism advocacy== Calley, whose daughter Reagan is autistic, is known for his outspoken advocacy for autism awareness. As a state lawmaker Calley served on the Health Policy Committee and supported autism insurance reform - unaware his own child actually had the disorder. He stated he first suspected his daughter's condition during a committee hearing as parents of autistic children shared their similar experiences.<ref name="autismspeaks.org"/><ref name="Demas"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Murray|first=David|title=Lt. Gov. Calley: Merits of autism insurance mandate made sense 'long before it was personal'|url=http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/lt_gov_calley_merits_of_autism.html|access-date=27 December 2012|newspaper=MLive|date=19 April 2012}}</ref>
As lieutenant governor, Calley is widely credited for leading a successful legislative push to require that insurance companies cover treatments for autism. He signed the bills into law as acting governor while Rick Snyder was on an unannounced trip to Afghanistan. Citing these efforts, Calley was named the 2011 "Executive Champion” by the national autism advocacy organization Autism Speaks.<ref name="autismspeaks.org"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Insurance coverage for autism is law|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20120419/NEWS05/204190468/Insurance-coverage-for-autism-is-law|access-date=27 December 2012|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=19 April 2012|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627080338/http://www.freep.com/article/20120419/NEWS05/204190468/Insurance-coverage-for-autism-is-law|archive-date=27 June 2012}}</ref>
==Electoral history== ===2018 Michigan gubernatorial Republican primary=== {{Election box begin no change | title = Republican primary results }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Bill Schuette | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 499,837 | percentage = 50.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Brian Calley | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 248,047 | percentage = 25.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Patrick Colbeck | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 129,102 | percentage = 13.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Jim Hines | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 108,263 | percentage = 11.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 985,249 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box end}}
===As Lt. Governor (with Governor)=== {{Election box begin|title=Michigan gubernatorial election, 2014<ref name="sos-2014results">{{cite web|url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/14GEN/02000000.html|title=Election Results - General Election|publisher=Michigan Department of State|date=November 24, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216082919/http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/14GEN/02000000.html|archive-date=December 16, 2014}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Rick Snyder (incumbent)<br />Brian N. Calley (incumbent) |votes = 1,607,399 |percentage = 50.92% |change = -7.19% }} {{Election box candidate with party link|party = Democratic Party (United States)|candidate = Mark Schauer<br />Lisa Brown|votes = 1,479,057|percentage = 46.86%|change = +6.96%| }} {{Election box candidate with party link|party = Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate = Mary Buzuma<br />Scott Boman|votes = 35,723|percentage = 1.13%|change = +0.44%| }} {{Election box candidate with party link|party = Constitution Party (United States)|candidate = Mark McFarlin<br />Richard Mendoza|votes = 19,368|percentage = 0.61%|change = -0.04%| }} {{Election box candidate with party link|party = Green Party of the United States|candidate = Paul Homenuik<br />Candace R. Caveny|votes = 14,934|percentage = 0.47%|change = -0.17%| }} {{Election box candidate| |party = Write-ins |candidate = |votes = 50 |percentage = 0.00% |change = 0.00% }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 128,342 |percentage = 4.06% |change = -14.15% }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 3,156,531 |percentage = |change = -2.16% }} {{Election box hold with party link | winner = Republican Party (United States) | swing = }} {{election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=Michigan Gubernatorial election, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/10GEN/10GEN_CL.HTM|title=2010 Michigan Official General Candidate Listing|website=Miboecfr.nictusa.com|date=2016-06-30|access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10GEN/02000000.html|title=Archived copy|access-date=2013-01-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121031022/http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results/10GEN/02000000.html|archive-date=January 21, 2013}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Rick Snyder<br />Brian N. Calley |votes = 1,874,834 |percentage = 58.11% |change = +15.81% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Virgil Bernero<br />Brenda Lawrence |votes = 1,287,320 |percentage = 39.90% |change = -16.46% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate = Ken Proctor<br />Erwin Haas |votes = 22,390 |percentage = 0.69% |change = +0.08% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Constitution Party (United States) |candidate = Stacey Mathia<br />Chris Levels |votes = 20,818 |percentage = 0.65% |change = +0.46% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Green Party (United States) |candidate = Harley Mikkelson<br />Lynn Meadows |votes = 20,699 |percentage = 0.64% |change = +0.12% }} {{Election box end}}
===33rd District State Senator Republican Primary=== {{Election box begin|title= 33rd District State Senator - Republican Primary, 2010<ref name="miboecfr.nictusa.com">{{cite web|url=http://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/results|title=Ruth Johnson, Secretary of State, Department of State Homepage|website=Miboecfr.nictusa.com|access-date=2016-10-23}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brian N. Calley |votes = 16,881 |percentage = 56.8 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Michael Trebesh |votes = 12,848 |percentage = 43.2 |change = }} {{Election box end}}
===As State Representative=== {{Election box begin |title= 87th District State Representative, 2008<ref name="miboecfr.nictusa.com"/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brian N. Calley (Incumbent) |votes = 29,583 |percentage = 64.1 |change = 7.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Greg Grieves |votes = 14,359 |percentage = 31.1 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Constitution Party (US) |candidate = Phillip Peter Adams |votes = 1,267 |percentage = 2.7 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Libertarian Party (US) |candidate = Joseph P. Gillotte |votes = 975 |percentage = 2.1 |change = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |title= 87th District State Representative, 2006<ref name="miboecfr.nictusa.com"/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Brian N. Calley |votes = 21,527 |percentage = 56.3 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Doug Kalnbach |votes = 15,504 |percentage = 40.6 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Constitution Party (US) |candidate = Walt Herwarth |votes = 1,195 |percentage = 3.1 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="5" |87th District State Representative - Republican Primary, 2006 |- !Party !Candidate !Votes !% !± |- |Republican |Brian N. Calley |4,346 |43.11 | |- |Republican |Jim Bailey |1,936 |19.20 | |- |Republican |Susan Vlietstra |1,455 |14.43 | |- |Republican |Brian Reynolds |1,392 |13.81 | |- |Republican |Mark Doster |408 |4.05 | |- |Republican |Tom Lower |406 |4.03 | |- |Republican |Wade Trombley |139 |1.38 | |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://www.michigan.gov/ltgov Office of the Lieutenant Governor] * [http://www.michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?EntityID=10861&Keywords=&op=Search Voting Record] * [http://www.briancalley.com Campaign Site] *{{C-SPAN|73580}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Ruth Johnson}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan|years=2010, 2014}} {{s-aft|after=Lisa Posthumus Lyons}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=John D. Cherry}} {{s-ttl|title=Lieutenant Governor of Michigan|years=2011–2019}} {{s-aft|after=Garlin Gilchrist}} {{s-end}}
{{Lieutenant Governors of Michigan}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calley, Brian}} Category:1977 births Category:21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature Category:Bankers from Michigan Category:American disability rights activists Category:Autism activists Category:Baptists from Michigan Category:Eli Broad College of Business alumni Category:Grand Valley State University alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:Lieutenant governors of Michigan Category:Living people Category:People from Ionia County, Michigan Category:Politicians from Dearborn, Michigan Category:Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives