Fred Upton (R-MI) spoke on how the Nixon resignation impacted his life 40 years ago. He says the Watergate scandal and what happened after helped shape his career.

Upton, in an interview Friday with Julie Mack posted on mlive.com, said, “I remember it well. It definitely impacted my life.”

Upton’s uncle Chester Bryns lost the Republican primary for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District to Edward Hutchinson in 1962 after Clare Hoffman did not seek re-election.

Bryns became a circuit court judge and by 1974 Hutchinson had become the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee – just as they were beginning impeachment hearings against Nixon.

Hutchinson was loyal to the president and so voted against his impeachment, but was for his resignation after the “smoking gun” Watergate White House tape was released. Nixon resigned three days after the tapes proving his part in the scandal were released.

Hutchinson did not seek re-election in 1976, likely due to the criticism he faced as a Nixon supporter, Upton believes.

The next representative for Michigan’s 4th Congressional District was David Stockman, who became Upton’s mentor. Upton met Stockman at the home of Chet Bryns, became his congressional aide, and continued to work for him when Stockman became Ronald Reagan’s budget director at the Office of Management and Budget.

Upton eventually won the position Chet Bryns had lost. He has served in Congress ever since.

In summary, if Nixon had never been caught in the Watergate scandal, Hutchinson would have ran for and likely won re-election in 1976 and Upton would never have met David Stockman. The Watergate scandal thus led to a series of events which, Upton says, “gave me my start in politics.”

Upton, as a congressman, had the chance to see Nixon in person several times. He even has a photo of Nixon holding his daughter when she was a toddler.

Upton never thanked Nixon for being involved in Watergate and indirectly influencing the course of Upton’s life positively. Upton said, “Nixon never referenced Watergate and we knew enough not to ask.”