Chip Cravaack

Chip Cravaack
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota's 8th district
In office
January 3, 2011  January 3, 2013
Preceded byJim Oberstar
Succeeded byRick Nolan
Personal details
Born
Raymond John Cravaack

(1959-01-29) January 29, 1959
Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Jill Ann Jurgensen
(m. 1984; div. 1988)

Traci Rae Gordon
(m. 1993; div. 2011)
Children2
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy
University of West Florida
OccupationPilot
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of serviceNavy: 1981–1990
Naval Reserve: 1990–2005
Rank Captain

Raymond John "Chip" Cravaack (born January 29, 1959) is an American former politician and aviator. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for northeastern Minnesota's 8th congressional district from 2011 to 2013. In his first run for political office, he upset 18-term Democratic incumbent Jim Oberstar by a margin of 4,400 votes to become the first Republican since 1947 to represent the district. Previously, Cravaack was a pilot for Northwest Airlines, and before that, he was a Navy pilot and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He was defeated by DFL nominee Rick Nolan on November 6, 2012.