Editing Thaddeus McCotter (section)

==Early life, education, and career==
McCotter was born in [[Detroit]], Michigan, and is a 1983 graduate of [[Detroit Catholic Central High School]] in [[Redford, Michigan|Redford]]. His mother, Georgia Joan McCotter, was the city clerk of Livonia.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=596067412 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801015629/http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=596067412 | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 1, 2012 | title=House Session: May 19, 2003 | publisher=C-SPAN | date=May 19, 2003 | access-date=August 7, 2011 }}</ref>
He received a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from the [[University of Detroit]] in 1987 and a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] from the same school in 1990.

McCotter had a private law practice and was a [[Schoolcraft College]] trustee before being elected to the [[Wayne County, Michigan|Wayne County]] Commission in 1992. While on the commission, he worked to change the county charter to require that new taxes require the approval of two-thirds of the Commission and 60% of voters.

McCotter was elected to the [[Michigan State Senate]] in 1998. As a state senator, he helped apportion the U.S. Congressional district from which he was subsequently elected in 2002.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}