William Patrick Huizenga ( ; born January 31, 1969) is an American politician serving as a U.S. representative from Michigan since 2011, representing the state's 4th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Huizenga served in the

Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2020 ...

from 2003 to 2009. His district, numbered as the 2nd from 2011 to 2023, covers much of Southwestern Michigan, including

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, Battle Creek, and

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

Early life

Born to a family of

Dutch Americans Dutch Americans () are Americans of Dutch and Flemish descent whose ancestors came from the Low Countries in the distant past, or from the Netherlands as from 1830 when the Flemish became independent from the United Kingdom of the Netherla ...

, 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 Cornelis Piet Hoekstra (; born October 30, 1953) is a Dutch-American politician who is serving as Ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra had served as the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands from January 10, 2018, to January 17, 2021. A member ...

Michigan House of Representatives

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

, Zeeland, Hudsonville, Blendon Township, Jamestown Township, Holland Township, and Zeeland Township. 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.

U.S House of Representatives

Elections

2010

After serving 18 years, Republican incumbent

retired to run for the Republican nomination for governor. Huizenga defeated Jay Riemersma,

State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

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. Huizenga defeated Democratic nominee Fred Johnson, 64% to 32%. The district was rated "Solid Republican" by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

.'' The district and its predecessors have been in Republican hands for all but four years since 1873, and without interruption since 1935.

2012

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.

2014

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Dean Vanderstelt, Ronald Welch of the Libertarian Party and Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

2016

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Dennis Murphy, Erwin Haas of the Libertarian Party, and Matthew Brady of the Green Party.

2018

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Rob Davison and Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

2020

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.

2022

For his first six terms, Huizenga represented much of

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

's eastern shore and many of

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

'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 Guy Adrian Vander Jagt ( ; August 26, 1931 – June 22, 2007) was a Republican politician from Michigan. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Vander Jagt was desc ...

, who represented the district (then numbered as the 9th) from 1967 to 1993. The reconfigured district included much of the territory of the Kalamazoo-based 6th district, represented by 18-term incumbent and fellow Republican

Fred Upton Frederick Stephen Upton (born April 23, 1953) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from Michigan from 1987 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he represented Kalamazoo, Michigan, ...

. Upton opted to retire, effectively handing the Republican nomination to Huizenga. The new 4th was no less Republican than the old 2nd, and Huizenga easily won a seventh term.

2024

Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Jessica Swartz and Curtis Clark of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

Tenure

In December 2020, Huizenga was one of 126 Republican members of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

to sign an

amicus brief An amicus curiae (; ) is an individual or organization that is not a party to a legal case, but that is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. Whether an ''amic ...

in support of '' Texas v. Pennsylvania'', a lawsuit filed at the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...

contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

defeated incumbent

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked

standing Standing, also referred to as orthostasis, is a position in which the body is held in an upright (orthostatic) position and supported only by the feet. Although seemingly static, the body rocks slightly back and forth from the ankle in the ...

under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state. House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...

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." As of January 2022, Huizenga has voted with President Biden's stated position roughly 14% of the time.

Committee assignments

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

Caucus memberships

* Republican Study Committee * Congressional Constitution Caucus * Republican Main Street Partnership * Congressional Coalition on Adoption * Congressional Blockchain Caucus

Political positions

Huizenga voted against the

Respect for Marriage Act The Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA; ) is a landmark United States federal law passed by the 117th United States Congress in 2022 and signed into law by President Joe Biden. It repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), requires the U.S. federal ...

codifying ''

Loving v. Virginia ''Loving v. Virginia'', 388 U.S. 1 (1967), was a landmark civil rights decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled that the laws banning interracial marriage violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to ...

'' and ''

Obergefell v. Hodges ''Obergefell v. Hodges'', ( ), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court which ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of th ...

'', recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals." 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. DeBoer has been accused by many of homophobia.

Personal life

Huizenga and his wife have five children and live in Holland. He attends Haven Christian Reformed Church in

Zeeland Zeeland (; ), historically known in English by the Endonym and exonym, exonym Zealand, is the westernmost and least populous province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the southwest of the country, borders North Brabant to the east ...

.Bill Huizenga: ‘A good Christian Reformed Dutchman, and a little Irish’
/ref>

References

External links

Congressman Bill Huizenga
official U.S. House website
Campaign website
* *
Bill Huizenga
at MichiganVotes.org ** Voting record
2003–20042005–20062007–2008
;Articles

Jim Harger, ''Grand Rapids Press'', October 12, 2009
No Worker Left Behind After Three Years: Successes and Challenges
Andrew S. Levin, ''Michigan.gov'', June 29, 2010 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Huizenga, Bill 1969 births 21st-century Michigan politicians American politicians of Dutch descent American Calvinist and Reformed Christians Christians from Michigan Living people Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives People from Jenison, Michigan People from Zeeland, Michigan Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan 21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives 21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature