Peter Meijer | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's3rd district | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Justin Amash |
| Succeeded by | Hillary Scholten |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter James Meijer (1988-01-10)January 10, 1988 (age 37) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Hank Meijer (father) Doug Meijer (uncle) Frederik Meijer (grandfather) Hendrik Meijer (great-grandfather) |
| Education | United States Military Academy Columbia University (BA) New York University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 2008–2016 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 325th Military Intelligence Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
Peter James Meijer (/ˈmaɪ.ər/,MY-ər; born January 10, 1988) is an American politician and business analyst who served as theU.S. representative forMichigan's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. A member of theRepublican Party, Meijer was a candidate in the2024 United States Senate election in Michigan to succeedDebbie Stabenow. He dropped out on April 26, 2024.
Meijer is a member of the Meijer family, the owners of theMeijersuperstore chain. He holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master's degree in business administration from New York University. Meijer served in theUnited States Army Reserve and was deployed toIraq as an intelligence advisor during theIraq War.
In 2020, Meijer was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 3rd congressional district. He was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeachDonald Trump during Trump'ssecond impeachment. Meijer sought re-election in 2022, but lost the Republican primary to formerTrump administration officialJohn Gibbs, who lost the general election to DemocratHillary Scholten.
Meijer was born inGrand Rapids, Michigan. He is the oldest son ofHank Meijer and the grandson ofFrederik Meijer, whose father,Hendrik Meijer, founded the Meijer supermarket chain after he emigrated to the United States from the Netherlands.[1][2] The Meijer family owns theMeijersuperstore chain.[1]Forbes has recognized the Meijer family as one of the wealthiest inMichigan, with a net worth above $6 billion.[2] His financial disclosures list more than $50 million in assets, primarily from a Meijer family trust.[3][4]
During Meijer's childhood, his parents legally changed the spelling of his surname to 'Meyer', in an effort to shield him from any favoritism or criticism in his school years for being a member of the prominent Meijer family.[5] He legally readopted the family name at age eighteen.[5]
Meijer graduated fromEast Grand Rapids High School in 2006.[6] He initially studied for one year at theUnited States Military Academy at West Point before transferring toColumbia University in 2008, graduating with a bachelor's degree incultural anthropology in 2012.[2][7] At Columbia, he was an advocate for reinstating theReserve Officers' Training Corps on campus.[8] He was also a volunteeremergency medical technician for Columbia University's emergency medical services.
From 2008 to 2016, Meijer served in theUnited States Army Reserve and was deployed toIraq from 2010 into 2011, serving as an intelligence advisor.[2][7][9][10][11]
In 2017, Meijer graduated from theNew York University Stern School of Business with aMaster of Business Administration.[2]
Meijer married Gabriella Zacarias in 2016.[12] They have one child.
From 2013 to 2015, Meijer worked as a conflict analyst for an international NGO.[2] He was later employed by Olympia Development of Michigan ofIlitch Holdings as an analyst from April 2018 to January 2019.[2] During this time, Meijer also worked on veterans projects such asProject Rubicon, was on the advisory board of theWith Honorsuper political action committee, and assisted withurban renewal projects throughout Michigan.[7]
FollowingJustin Amash'sdeparture from the Republican Party in July 2019, Meijer announced his candidacy forMichigan's 3rd congressional district, competing in the Republican primary. He voiced his support for PresidentDonald Trump, saying he would work with Trump to "make sure that we advance policies and an agenda that is in the best interest of West Michigan."[2] In his primary campaign, Meijer received funding from several wealthy Michigan-based business families and outraised the other Republican candidates.[13]
TheDeVos andVan Andel families, who co-foundedAmway, contributed to Meijer's campaign, thoughUnited States Secretary of EducationBetsy DeVos and her husbandDick DeVos abstained from fundraising efforts.[13] Mark J. Bissell ofBissell home-care products and the late businessmanPeter Secchia also donated to Meijer's campaign.[13]Vice PresidentMike Pence,RepresentativeDan Crenshaw,[14]House Minority LeaderKevin McCarthy,[15] House Minority WhipSteve Scalise,[16] andSenatorTom Cotton endorsed Meijer.[17] Meijer defeatedLynn Afendoulis in the August 4 primary election. Meijer faced Democratic nomineeHillary Scholten in the general election.[18] He raised $2.7 million during the campaign, to Scholten's $3 million.[19] The 3rd has historically tilted Republican; the district and its predecessors had been in GOP hands for all but 35 months since 1913 (it was numbered as the 5th before 1993). Nevertheless, the race was very close;Cook Political Report rated it a toss-up.[20]
Ultimately, Meijer defeated Scholten, 53%–47%.[21] It was the closest race in the district sinceHarold S. Sawyer was held to 53% in what was then the 5th district in 1982,[22] and only the second time since 1982 that a Democrat had managed 40% of the vote (Amash's Democratic opponent, Cathy Albro, had taken 43% two years earlier).[23] He ran slightly ahead of Trump, who narrowly carried the district with 51% of the vote.[24]
Meijer ran for reelection in the district for the2022 elections.[25] His primary opponent wasJohn Gibbs, a former Trump administration official.[26] In the final days of the primary, theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a strategy that generated controversy, bought TV ads designed to raise Gibbs' profile, believing that Meijer would be the more difficult opponent in the general election.[26] Meijer lost the August 2 primary to Gibbs.[27] Meijer said he would not support Gibbs in the November election.[28] In November 2022, Gibbs lost the general election to Meijer's 2020 opponent, DemocratHillary Scholten.[29]
Meijer accepted the2020 presidential election results, announcing publicly that he accepted the outcome and recognizedJoe Biden as president-elect.[30] After experiencing the2021 United States Capitol attack, he called on Republicans to take responsibility for theirlies about election fraud.[31] On January 13, 2021, he voted toimpeach Donald Trump alongside nine other Republicans.[32][33][34] The next day, Meijer stated in an interview withMSNBC that he had purchasedbody armor and made changes to his daily schedule due to threats against his life in reaction to his vote for impeachment.[35] On January 20, 2021, the day ofBiden's inauguration, Meijer was one of 17 newly elected House Republicans to sign a letter congratulating him and expressing hope of working across the partisan divide.[36]
On May 23, 2021, Meijer condemned RepresentativeMarjorie Taylor Greene's comparison between having to wear face masks in the House and theHolocaust. He was the first Republican to condemn Greene's remarks and said that "such comparisons demean the Holocaust and contaminate American political speech."[37]
On August 24, 2021, Meijer and RepresentativeSeth Moulton flew unannounced intoHamid Karzai International Airport during the2021 Taliban offensive amid the evacuation of Americans and allies. The Defense Department and then-House SpeakerNancy Pelosi were not given advance notice of their intent.[38][39] The next day, Pelosi sent a letter to all House members saying that "the Departments of Defense and State have requested that Members not travel to Afghanistan and the region during this time of danger" because such travel "would unnecessarily divert needed resources" from the evacuation efforts.[38]
During the presidency ofJoe Biden, Meijer had voted in line with the president's stated position 36% of the time.[40]
On May 19, 2021, Meijer became one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish theJanuary 6 commission meant to investigate the2021 United States Capitol attack.[41]
On October 21, 2021, Meijer was one of nine House Republicans to vote to holdSteve Bannon incontempt of Congress for defying the subpoena he received issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection.[42]
In June 2021, Meijer was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal theAuthorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[43][44]
In July 2021, Meijer voted for the bipartisanALLIES Act, which would increase by 8,000 the number ofspecial immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S. military duringits invasion of Afghanistan, while also reducing some application requirements that caused long application backlogs; the bill passed the House, 407–16.[45][46]
In September 2021, Meijer was among 135 House Republicans to vote for theNational Defense Authorization Act of 2022, which contains a provision that would require women to register for thedraft.[47][48]
Meijer voted for H.R. 7691, the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, which would provide the Ukrainian government with $40 billion in emergency aid.[49]
Meijer has acknowledged the existence ofanthropogenic climate change.[50] He believes Republicans should take on the problem with conservative solutions. "Not only embracing conservatism and the Republican party's long history of conservation and environmental protection but extending that forward is frankly where the country is. I think that it is a political imperative and a moral imperative as well", he said.[51]
On March 21, 2021, Meijer signed a letter pressing Biden to stopEnbridge Line 5, an oil pipeline, from being shut down in May. Congressional members' concerns about the pipeline's closure intensified after Biden revoked theKeystone XL Pipeline permit.[52]
Meijer was one of eight House Republicans to vote for the Colorado Wilderness Act.[53] The bill would designate 600,000 acres of public lands in the State of Colorado as components of theNational Wilderness Preservation System.[54]
in May 2022, Meijer was one of 16 House Republicans to vote for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.[55] The bill would provide states, territories, and tribes with $1.39 billion annually to catalyze efforts to restore habitats and implement conservation strategies, as described in each state's Wildlife Action Plan.[56]
In 2021, Meijer co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, the Republican alternative to the Equality Act.[57] The bill would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex,sexual orientation, andgender identity, and protect thefree exercise of religion.
In 2021, Meijer was one of 29 Republicans to vote to reauthorize theViolence Against Women Act.[58] This bill expanded legal protections fortransgender people, and contained provisions allowingtransgender women to use women's shelters and serve time in prisons matching their gender identity.[59]
Meijer was one of 31 Republicans to vote for the LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act.[60]
In 2022, Meijer was one of six Republicans to vote for the Global Respect Act, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of the internationally recognized human rights oflesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,queer, andintersex (LGBTQI) people, and for other purposes.[61][62]
On July 19, 2022, Meijer and 46 other Republican representatives voted for theRespect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right tosame-sex marriage in federal law.[63]
Meijer was a co-sponsor of the America's CHILDREN Act. The bill would prevent the children of long-term visa holders who came to the U.S. legally with their parents from having their visas expire the day they turn 21. If they had maintained legal status in the U.S. for ten years and graduated from an institution of higher education, they were eligible to apply for permanent residency.[64]
In 2022, Meijer was one of 14 House Republicans to support a bipartisan agreement ongun control, which included ared flag provision, support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, stronger background checks for buyers under 21, and penalties forstraw purchases. On July 29, 2022, Meijer joined a majority of his Republican colleagues and five Democrats in voting against H.R. 1808, a bill to ban assault weapons.[65][66][67]
In 2022, Meijer was one of 39 Republicans to vote for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.[68][69]
Meijer opposes abortion. He has consistently voted against bills to expand abortion access and has an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony list.[70]
In November 2023, Meijer announced his candidacy for theU.S. Senate in 2024. The seat became open when incumbent Democratic senatorDebbie Stabenow chose to retire rather than seek a fifth term earlier that year.[75] A source close to Meijer reported that theNRSC had previously urged Meijer not to join the race in fear of splitting the primary vote between himself andMike Rogers, the party's preferred choice, thus handing the nomination toJames Craig.[76] Although he had gained a reputation for being an outspoken critic ofDonald Trump following theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack, Meijer stated in an interview shortly after launching his Senate bid that he would support Trump if he became the Republican Party nominee in the2024 presidential election, viewing PresidentJoe Biden as more of a threat than another Trump term.[77] Meijer withdrew from the Senate race on April 26, 2024, stating that continuing his campaign would create more divisiveness that would "distract from the essential goal" of Republicans winning in Michigan.[78]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Peter Meijer | 47,273 | 50.19 | |
| Republican | Lynn Afendoulis | 24,579 | 26.09 | |
| Republican | Thomas J. Norton | 14,913 | 15.83 | |
| Republican | Joe Farrington | 3,966 | 4.21 | |
| Republican | Emily Rafi | 3,462 | 3.68 | |
| Total votes | 94,193 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Peter Meijer | 213,649 | 52.96% | −1.46 | |
| Democratic | Hillary Scholten | 189,769 | 47.04% | +3.86 | |
| Total votes | 403,418 | 100.0% | |||
| Republicangain fromLibertarian | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Gibbs | 54,136 | 51.77 | |
| Republican | Peter Meijer (incumbent) | 50,440 | 48.23 | |
| Total votes | 104,576 | 100.00 | ||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 3rd congressional district 2021–2023 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
