Bobby Kaufmann

Last updated
Bobby Kaufmann
Bobby Kaufmann by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Member of the
Iowa House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2013
Residence(s) Wilton, Iowa, U.S.
Education University of Iowa
Occupation
  • Farmer
  • businessman
Website Official website

Bobby Kaufmann (born 1985) is an American politician serving as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives 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 in the Iowa caucuses. [1]

Contents

Political career

Kaufmann first ran for office in 2012, winning election to the 73rd district seat previously held by his father Jeff Kaufmann. [2]

Arrests

His February 2012 arrest and guilty plea for public intoxication became a campaign issue. [3] He received a deferred judgment, and the charge was removed from his record after completing probation. [3] Kaufmann's arrest led to the revelation that Kaufmann had at least 17 citations and arrests, mostly for traffic-related issues. [4] [5] [6]

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. [7] [8] [9] After controversy arose over his investigation, Kaufmann claims he read blogs and received an email alleging that Kaufmann was a homosexual himself. [10] [11] [7] 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." [11] [7] [10]

"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. [12]

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. [13] [14]

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." [15] These claims were untrue. [16] 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. [17]

Voting legislation

In 2021, Kaufmann proposed legislation in the Iowa House of Representatives to restrict voting rights in Iowa. [18] Kaufmann has promoted false claims of voter fraud. [18] [19]

Electoral history

Kaufmann was elected in 2012, defeating Democrat Dick Schwab; he was reelected in 2014 over challenger David Johnson.

ElectionPolitical resultCandidatePartyVotes%
2012 Iowa House of Representatives elections   [20]
District 73
Turnout: 16,084		 Republican Bobby Kaufmann Republican 9,06856.4
Dick Schwab Democratic 7,01643.6

Kaufmann was re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. [21]

Presidential politics

Kaufmann supported Marco Rubio's presidential candidacy in the 2016 Republican primary. [22] In 2023, Kaufmann was hired by Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign to serve as a senior advisor for the Iowa caucuses. [1]

Family

Kaufmann is the son of former Iowa State Representative and current Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann and Vicki Wing Kaufmann. [23] 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. [2] Kaufmann married his wife Maria in 2023 and they share two sons.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Grassley</span> American politician (born 1933)

Charles Ernest Grassley is an American politician serving as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, having previously held the post from 2019 to 2021. He is the senior United States senator from Iowa, serving since 1981. Grassley was first elected to the Senate in 1980 and is in his eighth term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Zaun</span> American politician

Bradley Zaun (R-Urbandale) is an Iowa politician who represented the 22nd District, as well as serving the Iowa Senate President pro tempore. He was the Republican nominee for Iowa's 3rd congressional district in the 2010 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Worthan</span> American politician

Gary Worthan is a former Iowa State Representative from the 11th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2007 to 2023, having won a December 13, 2006 special election to replace the deceased Mary Lou Freeman, who had run unopposed in the general election. Smith was born and lives in Storm Lake, Iowa. He has an A.A. in farm operations from Iowa State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Kaufmann</span> American politician (born 1963)

Jeff A. Kaufmann is a former Iowa State Representative from the 79th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2004 until his retirement in 2013. He served in House leadership for six years, serving as the assistant minority leader and speaker pro tem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Iowa House of Representatives election</span>

There were two sets of 2006 Iowa House of Representatives elections. The first, the general election, was held on November 7. The second, a special election for District 52, was held on December 12. The representatives-elect from both sets of elections were inaugurated on January 3, 2007. The Iowa House, like the United States House of Representatives, is up for re-election in its entirety every two years. Prior to the elections, the Republicans were in the majority; following inauguration, the Democrats were in the majority – this marked the first time in 42 years that the Democrats had controlled both branches of the Iowa General Assembly and the Governor's Office at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Reynolds</span> Governor of Iowa since 2017

Kimberly Kay Reynolds is an American politician serving since 2017 as the 43rd governor of Iowa. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Iowa from 2011 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Iowa</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Iowa have evolved significantly in the 21st century. Iowa began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on April 27, 2009 following a ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court, making Iowa the fourth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples may also adopt, and state laws ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joni Ernst</span> American politician and military officer (born 1970)

Joni Kay Ernst is an American politician and former military officer serving since 2015 as the junior United States senator from Iowa. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the Iowa State Senate from 2011 to 2014 and as auditor of Montgomery County from 2004 to 2011. As Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee since 2023, after having been vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference since 2019, Ernst is the fourth-ranking Republican in the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Young (Iowa politician)</span> American politician (born 1968)

David Edmund Young is an American politician who currently serves as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 28th District, and previously served as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 3rd congressional district from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he is a native and resident of Van Meter, a western suburb of Des Moines. He was first elected in 2014 and reelected in 2016; he lost reelection in 2018 to Democrat Cindy Axne. Young unsuccessfully challenged Axne in 2020 in a rematch, losing by 1.3%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Blum</span> American politician (born 1955)

Rodney Leland Blum is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 1st congressional district from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2014 and won a second term in the 2016 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Jindal 2016 presidential campaign</span> American political campaign

The 2016 presidential campaign of Bobby Jindal, the 55th Governor of Louisiana, was announced on June 24, 2015. His candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election came after several years of speculation following the 2012 election. Jindal is the first Indian American and third Asian American to run for president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States presidential election in Iowa</span>

The 2016 United States presidential election in Iowa was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Iowa voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against the Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. Iowa has six electoral votes in the Electoral College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses</span>

The 2016 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses took place on February 1 in the U.S. state of Iowa, traditionally marking the Republican Party's first nominating contest in their series of presidential primaries ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy McKean</span> American politician

Andrew John McKean is an American politician and retired attorney in the state of Iowa. He represents District 58 in the Iowa House of Representatives. McKean represented District 23 from 1979 to 1983 and District 44 from 1983 to 1993. Afterward, he served in the Iowa Senate, representing District 28 from 1993 to 2003. He served as a supervisor of Jones County from 2003 to 2011. McKean returned to the Iowa House in 2016 after being elected to District 58, defeating Jessica Kean. In 2018, he was reelected, defeating Joe Oclon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa</span>

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the State of Iowa, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The state congressional delegation flipped from a 3–1 Republican majority to a 3–1 Democratic majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa</span>

The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the state of Iowa, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Hinson</span> American politician & journalist (born 1983)

Ashley Elizabeth Hinson is an American politician and journalist serving as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 2nd congressional district since 2021. The district, numbered as the 1st district during her first term, covers much of northeastern Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Dubuque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Iowa House of Representatives election</span>

The 2018 Iowa House of Representative elections took place on November 6, 2018, to elect representatives from all 100 districts. The winners of this will serve in 88th General Assembly, with apportioned among the states based on the 2010 United States census. The Republican Party retained control of the House, while losing a net gain of 5 seats to Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa</span>

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the four U.S. representatives from the State of Iowa, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. These were the first congressional elections held in Iowa after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Dieken</span> American politician

Zachary Dieken is an American politician. He currently represents District 5 in the Iowa House of Representatives and serves as an Iowa State Patrol Trooper.

References

  1. 1 2 "Former President Donald Trump announces Iowa campaign staff". KCCI. 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  2. 1 2 "Kaufmann's son will run for 73rd House district - West Branch Times - West Branch, Iowa - westbranchtimes.com". www.westbranchtimes.com. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  3. 1 2 staff, Times. "Public intoxication charge becomes campaign issue". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  4. ↑ "Sue Dvorsky leaving; Bobby Kaufmann's record". CITYVIEW. 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  5. ↑ Nelson, Trish (2012-10-24). "Why Bobby Kaufmann Would Be Bad For Iowa". Blog For Iowa. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  6. ↑ Nelson, Trish (2012-10-19). "Iowa House Candidate Bobby Kaufmann Called Upon To Release All Records Of Arrests And Probation". Blog For Iowa. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  7. 1 2 3 "Antigay Iowa Legislator: I'm Not in a 'Homosexual Relationship'". www.advocate.com. 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  8. ↑ "Homophobia, Sexism Collide As Iowa Lawmakers Investigate LGBT Youth Conference - Towleroad Gay News". 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  9. ↑ "Rabidly Anti-Gay Iowa Lawmaker Assigned To Investigate LGBTQ Youth Conference - Towleroad Gay News". 19 January 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  10. 1 2 "Anti-gay lawmaker 'sick of cr*p' rumours he is in a secret gay relationship with colleague". PinkNews. 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  11. 1 2 Petroski, William. "LGBTQ youth conference divides Iowa House panel". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  12. ↑ "Lawmaker offers 'suck it up, buttercup' bill to protesters". KCCI Des Moines. November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Iowa lawmaker plans "Suck it up, Buttercup" bill to cut counseling for Trump-sad students". CBS News. Associated Press. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  14. ↑ Pfannenstiel, Brianne (November 14, 2016). "Iowa lawmaker's 'suck it up, buttercup' bill targets protests". Des Moines Register. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  15. ↑ "'Suck it up': Lawmaker wants to cut funding for schools coddling students over Trump". Fox News. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ Finney, Daniel P. "Finney: Iowa lawmaker bullies with 'suck it up, buttercup' bill". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  17. ↑ "'Suck It Up, Buttercup' lawmaker hangs up on As It Happens". As It Happens. CBC Radio. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Iowa Republicans unveil assault on early voting". Bleeding Heartland. 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  19. ↑ "Top Iowa Republicans still pushing Big Lie about 2020 election". Bleeding Heartland. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  20. ↑ "2012 General Election Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. December 14, 2012. p. 119. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  21. ↑ Benson, Claire. "Republican Bobby Kaufmann solidifies fourth term in the Iowa House". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  22. ↑ "Rubio in Iowa as questions grow about early-state efforts". WINK News. 2015-12-29. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  23. ↑ Noble, Jason (December 29, 2014). "How Jeff Kaufmann is reviving the Iowa GOP". Des Moines Register. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
Iowa House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 73rd district
2013–2023		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 82nd district
2023–present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.