Miller, Candice S. (Candice Sue), 1954-

Candice Sue Miller (née McDonald; born May 7, 1954) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected Macomb County Public Works commissioner in 2016, defeating 6-term incumbent Anthony Marrocco. She served as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 10th congressional district from 2003 to 2016.

Born in St. Clair Shores, Michihgan, she graduated from Lakeshore High School in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, and attended Macomb County Community College in Warren, Michigan, and Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. Her family ran a marina on Michigan’s Clinton River. Initially discouraged from sailboat racing because of her gender, Miller nonetheless became an experienced sailor and joined the first all-women crew to sail the Port Huron to Mackinac Island regatta in 1972—one of many gender barriers she broke in her life. In 1984 she married Donald Miller an Air Force pilot and circuit judge.

Sailing served as an entryway to politics for Miller when she worked to stop a tax increase on marinas. Miller, at the time a single mother with a three-year-old daughter, launched a campaign for a seat on the Harrison township board of trustees in 1979. A year later, she won election as the Harrison township supervisor where she served from 1980 to 1992. In 1992 Miller won in her bid to become Macomb County treasurer. Two years later, she was elected the first woman to serve as Michigan secretary of state. After Michigan lost a U.S. House seat following the 2000 Census, Miller ran in a reconfigured 10th congressional district. Popular from her time as secretary of state, Miller easily won the seat.

Given Michigan’s deep ties to the auto industry, Miller worked to protect car manufacturers during the Great Recession and criticized opponents of federal loans to the auto industry. She voted in favor of the massive auto industry rescue bill in 2009, but did not support the economic stimulus package that year, in part because she felt it did not do enough to help America’s car manufacturers and their employees. As chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, Miller—whose district included the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, a major border crossing between Canada and the United States— sought to strengthen security along America’s borders, and looked to tighten travel restrictions. Reducing illegal immigration became a primary focus during Miller’s time on the Homeland Security Committee. In 2010 she opposed the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which offered residency protection to young undocumented immigrants who had been brought to America by their parents.

In 2016 Miller surprised many when she announced her decision to not seek re-election to her House seat. A few weeks later she announced her candidacy for Macomb County public works commissioner. Miller easily defeated the longtime incumbent Anthony Marrocco in 2016 and currently serves as the public works commissioner in Macomb County. She was easily re-elected in 2020.