Bill Huizenga

Born to a family of Dutch Americans, Huizenga is the co-owner and operator of Huizenga Gravel Company, a family business in Jenison, Michigan. In the early 1990s, he worked in real estate. He left real estate in 1996, becoming an aide to U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Starting with his first election in 2002, Huizenga represented the 90th district for three terms, winning reelection in 2004 and 2006. After the 2006 election he was term limited. The district is in Ottawa County and includes Holland, Zeeland, Hudsonville, Blendon Township, Jamestown Township, Holland Township, and Zeeland Township.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Huizenga voted for the initial version of the Michigan Business Tax, but opposed the 2% surcharge and a sales and services tax later in the process.Jim Harger, [http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/10/jay_riemersma_criticizes_bill.html Jay Riemersma criticizes Bill Huizenga's 2007 Vote], Grand Rapids Press, October 12, 2009.

{{See also|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

After serving 18 years, Republican incumbent Pete Hoekstra retired to run for the Republican nomination for governor. Huizenga defeated Jay Riemersma, State Senator Wayne Kuipers, businessman Bill Cooper, and three others in the Republican primary election—the real contest in this heavily Republican district—on August 3, 2010.Roelofs, Ted. [http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/08/bill_huizenga_edges_out_former.html "Bill Huizenga edges out former NFL player Jay Riemersma by less than 700 in race for Congress"], The Grand Rapids Press, August 4, 2010. Huizenga defeated Democratic nominee Fred Johnson, 64% to 32%.{{cite web|title=Huizenga joins red tide - Holland, MI - the Holland Sentinel|url=http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/2ndcongressional/x4794968/Huizenga-joins-red-tide|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614150557/http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/2ndcongressional/x4794968/Huizenga-joins-red-tide|archive-date=2011-06-14|access-date=2010-11-20}} The district was rated "Solid Republican" by The New York Times.[http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/michigan/2/ Michigan 2nd District Race Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100803032251/http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/michigan/2|date=August 3, 2010}} New York Times. August 23, 2010. The district and its predecessors have been in Republican hands for all but four years since 1873, and without interruption since 1935.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

{{See also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Willie German Jr., Mary Buzuma of the Libertarian Party, Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party and William Opalicky of the Green Party.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

{{See also|2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Dean Vanderstelt, Ronald Welch of the Libertarian Party and Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.{{cite web|title=2014 Michigan Election Results - General|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/14GEN/|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=February 27, 2025|date=September 28, 2016|url-status=live|archive-date=February 22, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222141056/https://mielections.us/election/results/14GEN/}}

{{See also|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Dennis Murphy, Erwin Haas of the Libertarian Party, and Matthew Brady of the Green Party.{{cite web|title=2016 Michigan Election Results - General|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2016GEN_CENR.html|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=February 27, 2025|date=November 28, 2016|url-status=live|archive-date=February 12, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212023850/https://mielections.us/election/results/2016GEN_CENR.html}}

{{See also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Rob Davison and Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.{{cite web|title=2018 Michigan Election Results - General|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=February 25, 2025|date=November 26, 2018|url-status=live|archive-date=February 22, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222143212/https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html}}

{{See also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 2}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Bryan Berghoef, Max Riekse of the Libertarian Party, Gerald Van Sickle of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Jean-Michel Creviere of the Green Party.{{cite web|title=2020 Michigan Election Results - General|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2020GEN_CENR.html|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=February 25, 2025|date=November 23, 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=February 22, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222161324/https://mielections.us/election/results/2020GEN_CENR.html}}

{{See also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 4}}

For his first six terms, Huizenga represented much of Lake Michigan's eastern shore and many of Grand Rapids's suburbs, including Muskegon, Holland, Kentwood, and Grand Haven. However, redistricting after the 2020 census saw the district significantly redrawn. It was renumbered as the 4th district and pushed well to the south. It picked up Kalamazoo and Battle Creek while losing Muskegon, all of its share of Kent County and much of its share of Ottawa County. In the process, the district lost its connection to longtime Congressman Guy Vander Jagt, who represented the district (then numbered as the 9th) from 1967 to 1993.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

The reconfigured district included much of the territory of the Kalamazoo-based 6th district, represented by 18-term incumbent and fellow Republican Fred Upton. Upton opted to retire, effectively handing the Republican nomination to Huizenga.{{cite news |last1=Nann Burke |first1=Melissa |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Beth |title='This is it for me': Upton plans to retire from U.S. House, won't face Huizenga in primary |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/05/upton-announcing-plans-retire-u-s-house-wont-run-again/7272320001/ |access-date=April 5, 2022 |work=The Detroit News |date=April 5, 2022}} The new 4th was no less Republican than the old 2nd, and Huizenga easily won a seventh term.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

{{See also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan#District 4}}

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Jessica Swartz and Curtis Clark of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.{{cite web|title=2024 Michigan Election Results - General|url=https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024|publisher=Michigan Secretary of State|access-date=November 24, 2024|date=November 22, 2024|url-status=live|archive-date=November 24, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241124174348/https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/votehistory/Index?type=C&electionDate=11-5-2024}}

In December 2020, Huizenga was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated{{cite web|last1=Blood|first1=Michael R.|last2=Riccardi|first2=Nicholas|date=December 5, 2020|title=Biden officially secures enough electors to become president|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-electoral-college-3e0b852c3cfadf853b08aecbfc3569fa|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208201209/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-electoral-college-3e0b852c3cfadf853b08aecbfc3569fa|archive-date=December 8, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2020|website=AP News}} incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.{{Cite news|last=Liptak|first=Adam|author-link=Adam Liptak|date=2020-12-11|title=Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/politics/supreme-court-election-texas.html|url-status=live|access-date=2020-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211234955/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/us/politics/supreme-court-election-texas.html|archive-date=December 11, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}{{cite web|date=2020-12-11|title=Order in Pending Case|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/121120zr_p860.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211234004/https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/121120zr_p860.pdf|archive-date=December 11, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020|publisher=Supreme Court of the United States}}{{cite news|last=Diaz|first=Daniella|title=Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court|work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/10/politics/read-house-republicans-texas-supreme-court/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=December 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212000435/https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/10/politics/read-house-republicans-texas-supreme-court/index.html|archive-date=December 12, 2020}}

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." She also reprimanded Huizenga and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."{{Cite news|last1=Smith|first1=David|date=2020-12-12|title=Supreme court rejects Trump-backed Texas lawsuit aiming to overturn election results|language=en|work=The Guardian|url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/11/supreme-court-rejects-trump-backed-texas-lawsuit-aiming-to-overturn-election-results|access-date=2020-12-13}}{{cite press release|url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/121120-3|title=Pelosi Statement on Supreme Court Rejecting GOP Election Sabotage Lawsuit|publisher=Speaker Nancy Pelosi|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814224010/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/121120-3|url-status=dead}}

As of January 2022, Huizenga has voted with President Biden's stated position roughly 14% of the time.{{cite web |last1=Bycoffe |first1=Aaron |last2=Wiederkehr |first2=Anna |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/bill-huizenga/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508155903/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/bill-huizenga/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2021 |website=FiveThirtyEight |date=22 April 2021 |access-date=17 January 2022}}

• Committee on Financial Services
• Subcommittee on Capital Markets
• Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Chair)

• Republican Study Committee{{cite web|title=Member List|url=https://rsc-walker.house.gov/|publisher=Republican Study Committee|access-date=21 December 2017|archive-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101195017/https://rsc-walker.house.gov/|url-status=dead}}
• Congressional Constitution Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://congressionalconstitutioncaucus-garrett.house.gov/about-us/membership|publisher=Congressional Constitution Caucus|access-date=8 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614044928/https://congressionalconstitutioncaucus-garrett.house.gov/about-us/membership|archive-date=14 June 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Republican Main Street Partnership{{Cite web|title=MEMBERS|url=https://www.republicanmainstreet.org/members|access-date=2021-03-01|website=RMSP|language=en}}
• Congressional Coalition on Adoption{{Cite web|title=Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute|url=https://www.ccainstitute.org|language=en}}
• Congressional Blockchain Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|author=|url=https://congressionalblockchaincaucus-schweikert.house.gov/members|format=|publisher=Congressional Blockchain Caucus|date=|accessdate=29 August 2024}}

Huizenga voted against the Respect for Marriage Act codifying Loving v. Virginia and Obergefell v. Hodges, recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."

{{cite web

|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gay-marriage-republicans-house_n_62d74240e4b081f3a8f8511f

| title=These 157 House Republicans Voted Against Protections For Same-Sex Marriage

| first=Igor

| last=Bobic

| date=July 19, 2022

| website=Huffington Post

| access-date=2022-07-20

}}

On healthcare, he describes himself as an opponent of Obamacare.

He opposes abortion and is a member of the Congressional Pro-Life caucus. He has voted to prevent federal tax money from being used for the procurement of abortions.

In both 2022 and 2024, Huizenga endorsed Nancy DeBoer for Michigan state representative in the 86th district. {{Cite web |title=Endorsements {{!}} Nancy DeBoer |url=https://nancydeboer.com/endorsements/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |language=en-US}} DeBoer has been accused by many of homophobia.{{Cite web |last=Carlson |first=Arpan Lobo,Carolyn Muyskens,Kate |title='Completely untrue and illogical' |url=https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/politics/elections/local/2019/10/10/completely-untrue-illogical/2563555007/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=The Holland Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2011-11-06 |title=Unlikely Advocates Fight For Gay Rights In Mich. City |url=https://news.wfsu.org/2011-11-05/unlikely-advocates-fight-for-gay-rights-in-mich-city |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=WFSU News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2011-06-16 |title=Gender identity, sexual orientation laws fail to move forward at Holland City Council |url=https://www.michiganpublic.org/arts-culture/2011-06-16/gender-identity-sexual-orientation-laws-fail-to-move-forward-at-holland-city-council |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Michigan Public |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Record-Eagle |first=Traverse City |date=2013-11-03 |title=Election could affect gay rights in W. Mich. city |url=https://www.record-eagle.com/news/state_news/election-could-affect-gay-rights-in-w-mich-city/article_57a271a2-29c3-5fb9-a3dd-abe5194c069c.html |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Traverse City Record-Eagle |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-12-11 |title=Holland to Reconsider Anti-Discrimination Ordinance |url=https://pridesource.com/article/holland-to-reconsider-anti-discrimination-ordinance |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Pride Source |language=en}}

Huizenga and his wife have five children and live in Holland. He attends Haven Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland.[http://www.hollandsentinel.com/x806167844/Bill-Huizenga-A-good-Christian-Reformed-Dutchman-and-a-little-Irish Bill Huizenga: ‘A good Christian Reformed Dutchman, and a little Irish’]

{{Reflist}}

• [https://huizenga.house.gov Congressman Bill Huizenga] official U.S. House website
• [http://huizengaforcongress.com/ Campaign website]
• {{C-SPAN|1033765}}
• {{CongLinks | congbio=H001058 | votesmart=38351 | fec=H0MI02094 | congress=bill-huizenga/H001058 }}
• [http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislator.aspx?ID=1484 Bill Huizenga] at MichiganVotes.org
• Voting record: [http://www.michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?EntityID1=1484&CategoryID=0&Keywords=&StartDate3=1/1/2003&EndDate3=12/31/2004&Results=10&op=Search 2003–2004], [http://www.michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?EntityID1=1484&CategoryID=0&Keywords=&StartDate3=1/1/2005&EndDate3=12/31/2006&Results=10&op=Search 2005–2006], [http://www.michiganvotes.org/SearchVotes.aspx?EntityID1=1484&CategoryID=0&Keywords=&StartDate3=1/1/2007&EndDate3=12/31/2008&Results=10&op=Search 2007–2008]

;Articles

• [http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/10/jay_riemersma_criticizes_bill.html Jay Riemersma criticizes Bill Huizenga's 2007 Vote], Jim Harger, Grand Rapids Press, October 12, 2009
• [http://michigan.gov/documents/nwlb/NWLB_After_Three_Years_-_Successes_and_Challenges_326158_7.pdf No Worker Left Behind After Three Years: Successes and Challenges], Andrew S. Levin, Michigan.gov, June 29, 2010

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Category:1969 births

Category:21st-century Michigan politicians

Category:American politicians of Dutch descent

Category:American Calvinist and Reformed Christians

Category:Christians from Michigan

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives

Category:People from Jenison, Michigan

Category:People from Zeeland, Michigan

Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan

Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature