Political career
Kaufmann first ran for office in 2012,winning election to the 73rd district seat previously held by his father Jeff Kaufmann. [3] On August 4,2025,he was elected to be the House Majority Leader,due to Matt Windschitl running for election to the US House. [2]
Arrests
His February 2012 arrest and guilty plea for public intoxication became a campaign issue. [4] He received a deferred judgment,and the charge was removed from his record after completing probation. [4] Kaufmann's arrest led to the revelation that Kaufmann had at least 17 citations and arrests,mostly for traffic-related issues. [5] [6] [7]
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. [8] [9] [10] After controversy arose over his investigation,Kaufmann claims he read blogs and received an email alleging that Kaufmann was a homosexual himself. [11] [12] [8] 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." [12] [8] [11]
"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. [13]
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. [14] [15]
In an interview with Fox &Friends 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." [16] These claims were untrue. [17] 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. [18]
Electoral history
Kaufmann ran in the 2012, [21] 2014, [22] 2016, [23] 2018, [24] 2020, [25] 2022, [26] and 2024 Republican primaries unopposed. [27]
He was elected in November 2012,defeating Democrat Dick Schwab. He was reelected in November 2014,defeating Democrat David Johnson. He ran unopposed in 2016. [28] He was reelected in November 2018,defeating Democrat Jodi Clemons. He was reelected in November 2020,defeating Democrat Lonny L. Pulkrabek. He was reelected in November 2022,defeating Libertarian Clyde Gibson. He was reelected in November 2024,defeating Democrat Phil Wiese.
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|
2012 Iowa House of Representatives General Election [29]
District 73
Turnout: 16,084 | | Republican | | Bobby Kaufmann | Republican | 9,068 | 56.4 |
| Dick Schwab | Democratic | 7,016 | 43.6 |
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|
2014 Iowa House of Representatives General Election [30]
District 73
Turnout: 12,825 | | Republican win | | Bobby Kaufmann | Republican | 8,448 | |
| David Johnson | Democratic | 4,035 | |
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|
2018 Iowa House of Representatives General Election [31]
District 73
Turnout: 14,601 | | Republican win | | Bobby Kaufmann | Republican | 8,004 | |
| Jodi Clemens | Democratic | 6,349 | |
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|
2020 Iowa House of Representatives General Election [32]
District 73
Turnout: 18,958 | | Republican win | | Bobby Kaufmann | Republican | 11,067 | |
| Lonny L. Pulkrabek | Democratic | 7,307 | |
| Election | Political result | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|
2024 Iowa House of Representatives General Election [34]
District 82
Turnout: 17,550 | | Republican win | | Bobby Kaufmann | Republican | 10,312 | |
| Phil Wiese | Democratic | 6,716 | |
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