John Moolenaar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Chair of theHouse Committee on the Chinese Communist Party | |
| Assumed office April 24, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Gallagher |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Dave Camp (4th district) Bill Huizenga (2nd district) |
| Constituency | 4th district (2015–2023) 2nd district (2023–present) |
| Member of theMichigan Senate from the36th district | |
| In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Tony Stamas |
| Succeeded by | Jim Stamas |
| Member of theMichigan House of Representatives from the98th district | |
| In office January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Tony Stamas |
| Succeeded by | Jim Stamas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Robert Moolenaar (1961-05-08)May 8, 1961 (age 64) Midland, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Hope College (BS) Harvard University (MPA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Moolenaar supporting the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act. Recorded December 9, 2019 | |
John Robert Moolenaar (/ˈmoʊlənɑːr/MOHL-ən-ar; born May 8, 1961)[citation needed] is an American chemist and politician serving as aU.S. representative fromMichigan since 2015, representing the4th district from 2015 to 2023 and the2nd congressional district since 2023. A member of theRepublican Party, he served in theMichigan House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008 and theMichigan Senate from 2011 to 2014.[1]
Moolenaar was born on May 8, 1961, inMidland, Michigan.[2] His family is ofDutch ancestry. He graduated fromHope College in 1983 with aBachelor of Science inchemistry.[3] He later earned aMaster of Public Administration degree fromHarvard University in 1989.[3]
Moolenaar worked atDow Chemical Company as a chemist for eight months before entering politics.[4] He was a member of the Midland City Council from 1997 to 2000. He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2002, where he served three terms.
Moolenaar ran for the36th district in the2010 Michigan Senate election. He was elected with 63.79% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Andy Neumann.[5]
Moolenaar did not run for reelection to the state Senatein 2014, choosing instead to runfor U.S. House. He was succeeded in the Senate by RepublicanJim Stamas.[6] Moolenaar won the August 5 Republican primary forMichigan's 4th congressional district with 52.40% of the vote, defeatingPaul Mitchell and Peter Konetchy.[7] In the general election, he won 56.49% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Jeff Holmes, Libertarian candidate Will Tyler White, andU.S. Taxpayers' Party candidate George Zimmer.[6]
Moolenaar was renominated without contestin 2016,[8] winning the general with 61.62% of the vote against Democratic candidate Debra Wirth and four third-party candidates.[9]In 2018, Moolenaar again faced no primary opposition,[10] defeating Democrat Jerry Hilliard with 62.62% of the vote in the general election.[11]In 2020, he faced a rematch against Hilliard, winning this time with 65.00% of the vote.[12][13]
For his first four terms, Moolenaar represented a district stretching across a large swath ofNorthern andMid-Michigan, from just outsideTraverse City through Midland and the outer suburbs ofSaginaw, then sweeping southward to grab the outer suburbs ofLansing. However, during the2020 United States redistricting cycle following the2020 census, Michigan's congressional map was significantly redrawn. The old 4th was dismantled and split between three neighboring districts, with Moolenaar's home in Midland drawn into theFlint/Saginaw-based8th district. Meanwhile, the2nd district, represented by fellow RepublicanBill Huizenga, shifted east to take in much of Moolenaar's former territory in central Michigan after losing its more urban and suburban territory nearGrand Rapids. Moolenaar moved toCaledonia, an outer suburb of Grand Rapids, andran for reelection in the new 2nd district. Huizenga had his home drawn into the new 4th district (previously the6th district) and ran for reelection there.[14] Moolenaar faced Tom Norton in the Republican primary for the new seat, winning renomination with 65.20% of the vote. In the general election, he faced Hilliard for the third time, winning with 63.68% of the vote.[15]In 2024, Moolenaar won the Republican primary uncontested,[16] and defeated Democratic candidate Michael Lynch with 65.14% of the vote.[17]
For the 118th Congress:[18]
In December 2020, Moolenaar was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election, in whichJoe Biden defeated[23] incumbentDonald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[24][25][26]
In 2022, Moolenaar voted against theRespect for Marriage Act.[27]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 4th congressional district 2015–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 2nd congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Chinese Communist Party Committee 2024–present | |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 142nd | Succeeded by |
