Rudy Yakym | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIndiana's2nd district | |
| Assumed office November 14, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jackie Walorski |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rudolph Chester Yakym III (1984-02-24)February 24, 1984 (age 41) South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Indiana University, South Bend (AS,BS) University of Notre Dame (MBA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Rudolph Chester Yakym III[1] (/ˈjɑːkɪm/YAH-kim; born February 24, 1984)[2] is an American politician and businessman who is the member of theU.S. House of Representatives representingIndiana's 2nd congressional district. He is a member of theRepublican Party.
Yakym was born inSouth Bend, Indiana, on February 24, 1984.[3] He earned an associate degree in business and a Bachelor of Science in finance and business administration from theIndiana University South Bend.[4] In 2019, he earned a Master of Business Administration from theUniversity of Notre Dame.[5]
In 2010 and 2011, Yakym worked as a sales manager for Omnicity, abroadband company. In 2011 and 2012, he was the Finance Director forJackie Walorski's congressional campaign.[6] From 2013 to 2019, he was a vice president at the Bradley Company, a commercial real estate business. In 2015, then-GovernorMike Pence nominated Yakym to serve as a member of theIndiana Judicial Nominating Commission.[7] Since 2019, Yakym has been the director of growth initiatives at Kem Krest, a logistics and supply chain organization.
After congresswomanJackie Walorski died in a car accident in August 2022, Yakym declared his candidacy inIndiana's 2nd congressional district special election to succeed her. He was selected as the Republican nominee by the district's GOP precinct committee members to serve both the remainder of Walorski's term and a full two-year term beginning in January 2023.[2] Winning the nomination on the first ballot amid a field of 12 candidates, Yakym defeated contenders including formerIndiana Attorney GeneralCurtis Hill andstate RepresentativesCurt Nisly andChristy Stutzman. He defeated theDemocratic nominee,Goshen teacher Paul Steury, andLibertarian nominee William Henry in the general election[8] with over 64% of the vote.[9]
In a 2024 interview, Yakym stated that his most important issues wereinflation and border security.[10]
Also in 2024, Yakym sent a letter to 136 presidents of colleges regarding their positions on encampments protesting theGaza war.[11]
For the119th Congress:[12]
Yakym married his wife, Sallyann Freet, in 2006.[14] She is a teacher atElkhart Christian Academy.[15] They have three children. He is a practicingBaptist and serves as the headusher at the New Life Baptist Church inOsceola, Indiana.[15]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rudy Yakym | 125,222 | 64.6 | ||
| Democratic | Paul Steury | 62,726 | 32.4 | ||
| Libertarian | William Henry | 5,782 | 3.0 | ||
| Total votes | 193,730 | 100.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rudy Yakym (incumbent) | 184,848 | 62.7 | |
| Democratic | Lori Camp | 101,962 | 34.6 | |
| Libertarian | William Henry | 7,795 | 2.6 | |
| Independent | Michael John Hubbard (Write in) | 13 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 294,618 | 100.0 | ||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIndiana's 2nd congressional district 2022–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 293rd | Succeeded by |
