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Bobby Kaufmann (born 1985) is an American politician serving as a member of the
Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...
since 2013 as a member of the Republican Party. In 2023, Kaufmann was appointed as a senior advisor on
Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States (2017–2021) ran a successful campaign for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He formally announced his campaign on November 15, 2022, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, initial ...
in the
Iowa caucuses The Iowa caucuses are quadrennial electoral events for the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Unlike primary elections, where registered voters cast ballots at polling places on election day, Iowa caucuses are ...
.


Political career

Kaufmann first ran for office in 2012, winning election to the 73rd district seat previously held by his father Jeff Kaufmann.


Arrests

His February 2012 arrest and guilty plea for public intoxication became a campaign issue. He received a deferred judgment, and the charge was removed from his record after completing probation. Kaufmann's arrest led to the revelation that Kaufmann had at least 17 citations and arrests, mostly for traffic-related issues.


LGBT controversy

Kaufmann ignited controversy by using his position as Chair of the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee to launch an investigation into an LGBT youth conference in Iowa. After controversy arose over his investigation, Kaufmann claims he read blogs and received an email alleging that Kaufmann was a homosexual himself. In reaction, Kaufmann testified before the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee that he was not in a homosexual relationship with colleague Greg Heartsill, stating "I am here to announce that Rep. Heartsill and I are not in a homosexual relationship."


"Suck it Up Buttercup" bill

Following the 2016 presidential election, Kaufmann announced that he planned to introduce a bill in the January legislative session that would penalize state universities that used public funding to offer election-related counseling and other support services to students that are beyond the scope of existing mental health resources. The bill, which Kaufmann nicknamed the "Suck it up, Buttercup" bill, would cut the budget of state universities by double the amount they spend on such activities and introduce criminal penalties for protesters that block highways. In an interview with ''
Fox & Friends ''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning conservative news and talk program that airs on Fox News and reruns on Fox.Thompson, Ethan, and Jason Mittell. "Fox & Friends: Political Talk." ''How to Watch Television.'' 168-76. Print. It premie ...
'' on November 16, Kaufmann claimed that there were post-election "cry rooms" and that he "was hearing reports of some schools that were bringing in ponies to be able get students through the election." These claims were untrue. When pressed for more details on these reports of coddling students during a live interview later that day with the Canadian radio show '' As It Happens'', Kaufmann hung up and accused the program of having an agenda.


Voting legislation

In 2021, Kaufmann proposed legislation in the Iowa House of Representatives to restrict voting rights in Iowa. Kaufmann has promoted false claims of voter fraud.


Electoral history

Kaufmann was elected in 2012, defeating Democrat Dick Schwab; he was reelected in 2014 over challenger David Johnson. Kaufmann was re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.


Presidential politics

Kaufmann supported
Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (; born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat serving since 2025 as the 72nd United States Secretary of State, United States secretary of state. A member of the Republican Party (United States) , Rep ...
's presidential candidacy in the 2016 Republican primary. In 2023, Kaufmann was hired by
Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States (2017–2021) ran a successful campaign for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He formally announced his campaign on November 15, 2022, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, initial ...
to serve as a senior advisor for the
Iowa caucuses The Iowa caucuses are quadrennial electoral events for the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. state of Iowa. Unlike primary elections, where registered voters cast ballots at polling places on election day, Iowa caucuses are ...
.


Family

Kaufmann is the son of former Iowa State Representative and current
Republican Party of Iowa The Republican Party of Iowa (RPI) is the affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is chaired by Jeff Kaufmann. The RPI operates the Republican side of the Iowa caucu ...
chairman Jeff Kaufmann and Vicki Wing Kaufmann. He has two brothers: Jacob and John. He also had a brother that was stillborn. He is a self-employed entrepreneur in demolition and hauling. He married his wife Maria in 2023 and they share two children.


References


External links


Bobby Kaufmann
''official Iowa General Assembly site''
Profile
at ''Iowa House Republicans'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Kaufmann, Bobby 1985 births 21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly American political consultants Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign Farmers from Iowa Living people People associated with the 2024 United States presidential election People from Wilton, Iowa Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives University of Iowa alumni