Tim Huelskamp

Timothy Alan Huelskamp[1] (/ˈhjuːlskæmp/; born November 11, 1968) is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2017. Huelskamp, a member of the Republican Party, was rated the least bipartisan member of the House during the 114th Congress by The Lugar Center - McCourt school Bipartisan Index.[2] Prior to entering Congress, he represented the 38th district of the Kansas Senate from 1997 until 2011.[3] Known for his strong social conservatism, Huelskamp was the chairman of the House Tea Party Caucus from February 2015 until the end of his term on January 3, 2017. He was succeeded by Roger Marshall, who defeated him in the 2016 Republican primary.[4]

Tim Huelskamp
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 1st district
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017
Preceded byJerry Moran
Succeeded byRoger Marshall
Member of the Kansas Senate
from the 38th district
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 5, 2011
Preceded byMarian Reynolds
Succeeded byGarrett Love
Personal details
Born
Timothy Alan Huelskamp

(1968-11-11) November 11, 1968
Fowler, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Angela Huelskamp
Children4
EducationSanta Fe University of Art and Design (BA)
American University (MA, PhD)

Early life and education

Huelskamp was born on November 11, 1968 and raised on the Huelskamp family farm in Fowler, south of Dodge City. Pioneered by his grandparents Martin and Clara in 1926, the farm operation includes raising corn, cattle, wheat, milo, and soybeans. He attended elementary and high school in Fowler, where he was a Farm Bureau Youth Leader, a member of St. Anthony's Parish, and active in both 4-H and Future Farmers of America.

After attending seminary for two years in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Huelskamp continued his education at the College of Santa Fe (now Santa Fe University of Art and Design) and received his B.A. in social science education in 1991. He received his Ph.D. in political science, concentrating in agricultural policy from the American University in 1995.[5][6]

Kansas Senate

Elections

In 1996, Huelskamp challenged Republican incumbent state senator Marian Reynolds in the primary and won by a landslide margin, taking 62 percent of the vote to Reynolds's 38 percent.[7] The youngest state senator in 20 years, he then won re-election by wide margins in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

Committee assignments

Huelskamp served on the following legislative committees:[8]

  • Joint Committee on Information Technology (Chairman)
  • Education
  • Ethics and Local Government (Chairman)

Huelskamp previously served on the state's Ways and Means Committee but was removed due to clashes with colleagues and with the Committee's leadership.[9]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections
2010
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas § District 1

Seven-term Congressman Jerry Moran gave up the Big First seat to make a successful run for the United States Senate seat being vacated by the popular fourteen-year incumbent Republican Sam Brownback, who was running for governor that year. This touched off a free-for-all in the Republican primary—the real contest in this heavily Republican district. Huelskamp finished first in the six-candidate primary field with 34.8 percent of the vote, all but assuring that he would be the district's next representative.[10]

Huelskamp ran against Democratic nominee Alan Jilka and Libertarian nominee Jack W. Warner. Huelskamp was endorsed by the Club for Growth, Mike Huckabee,[11][12] Conservative Leadership PAC, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee,[3] Ron Paul and Ken Blackwell.[13]

As expected, Huelskamp won the seat in a rout, taking 73 percent of the vote.[14]

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas § District 1

Huelskamp ran unopposed in the general election.

2014
Main article: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas § District 1

Unlike the previous election, Huelskamp was challenged by a Republican, Alan LaPolice, in the primary.[15] Moreover, two Democrats ran for the primary Jim Sherow, a Kansas State University professor, and Bryan Whitney, a 2013 Wichita State University grad. Both LaPolice and Sherow critiqued Huelskamp for his failure to work with other Members of Congress and voting against Farm Bill.[16][17] Huelskamp narrowly defeated LaPolice in the Republican Primary with only 55% of the vote. Huelskamp failed to receive the endorsement of the Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. Huelskamp went on to win the general election with 68% of the vote.[15]

2016
Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas § District 1

On August 2, Huelskamp was defeated in the Republican primary by Roger Marshall, an obstetrician from Great Bend,[18] by 58% to 42%. Marshall's supporters argued Huelskamp's combativeness hurt the district. House leadership had removed Huelskamp from the House Agriculture Committee in 2012; farm groups such as Kansas Farm Bureau, an affiliate of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Kansas Livestock Association, an affiliate of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Marshall, as many Republican voters saw it as a crucial issue in a farm state.[19][20]

Legislative activity

In early 2012, Huelskamp introduced legislation that would ensure military chaplains could not be "directed, ordered or required to perform any duty, rite, ritual, ceremony, service or function that is contrary to the conscience, moral principles or religious beliefs of the chaplain, or contrary to the moral principles or religious beliefs of the chaplain's faith group." The language appeared to be related to permitting same-sex marriages on military bases in states where such unions are permitted.[21]

Sovereign debt crisis

On February 16, 2012, during a contentious three-hour House Budget Committee hearing with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Huelskamp warned of what he considered to be the looming threat of an economic crisis similar to the one then taking place in Europe. Huelskamp accused Geithner and the entire Obama administration of failing to correct the U.S.'s debt crisis, which he believed would lead the country down the same path. Geithner replied that Huelskamp had an "adolescent perspective on how to think about economic policy."[22]

Defense of Marriage Act Constitutional Amendment

After the United States Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional on June 26, 2013,[23] Huelskamp immediately announced that he would introduce a constitutional amendment to restore the Defense of Marriage Act.[24] He then went on The Steve Deace Show, a conservative radio program, to denounce the Supreme Court Justices. "The idea that Jesus Christ himself was degrading and demeaning is what they've come down to," he said. "I can't even stand to read the decisions because I don't even think they'd pass law school with decisions like that."[25]

Committee assignments

The House Republican Steering Committee removed Huelskamp from both the Budget Committee and the Agriculture Committee in late 2012 as part of a larger party leadership-caucus shift.[26] At a Heritage Foundation lunch in the immediate wake of the removal, Huelskamp said: "It's petty, it's vindictive, and if you have any conservative principles you will be punished for articulating those."[27] He joined Justin Amash of Michigan and David Schweikert of Arizona in a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, demanding to know why they had lost their "plum" committee posts.[28]

Politico quoted a spokesperson for Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia as explaining that Huelskamp, Amash and Schweikert were removed for "their inability to work with other members." The spokesperson clarified that Westmoreland "said that it had nothing to do with their voting record, a scorecard, or their actions across the street [meaning fundraising]." The three were described by Politico and its sourcing of Huelskamp's other colleagues as "jerks" who "made life harder for other Republicans by taking whacks at them in public for supporting the team".[29][30]:p.2

On January 3, 2013, Huelskamp appeared to be counting votes as part of an effort to unseat House Speaker John Boehner when the 113th Congress convened. Huelskamp nominated conservative Jim Jordan to replace Boehner. When asked about the anti-Boehner effort, a spokesman for Huelskamp declined to comment.[31]

Caucus memberships

Post-congressional career

From June 2017 to June 2019, Huelskamp served as the president of the Heartland Institute, an Illinois-based conservative think tank.[34][35]

Huelskamp is a senior political advisor for CatholicVote.org.[36]

Personal life

Huelskamp and his wife Angela live in Fowler, Kansas. They have four adopted children.[37]

References
  1. "Representative Timothy Alan Huelskamp (Tim) (R-Kansas, 1st)". LegiStorm. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  2. "The Lugar Center - McCourt school Bipartisan Index (114th Congress)" (PDF). The LugarCenter. April 26, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  3. "Endorsements Start in Kansas Congressional Race". Associated Press. February 1, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  4. Robertson, Joe; Tate, Curtis (August 2, 2016). "Tea party's Tim Huelskamp ousted by challenger Roger Marshall in Kansas congressional race". The Kansas City Star.
  5. "Tim Huelskamp's Biography – The Voter's Self Defense System – Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  6. Hanna, John (March 15, 1998). "Unassuming Ph.D. is emerging". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Associated Press. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  7. Hanna, John (August 7, 1996). "Four incumbent state legislators lose to their challengers". The Fort Scott Tribune. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  8. Profile from the Kansas Legislature Archived April 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  9. Huelskamp ad under scrutiny, Tim Carpenter, Topeka Capital-Journal, July 20, 2010
  10. "Our Campaigns – KS District 1 – R Primary Race – Aug 03, 2010". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  11. Klepper, David (February 17, 2009). "Huckabee endorses Huelskamp's Congressional bid". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  12. Jacobs, Jeremy P. (February 17, 2009). "Huelskamp Picks up Huckabee Endorsement". The Hill. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  13. LaCerte, Phil (February 5, 2009). "Huelskamp bill pushes for school district spending transparency". Kansas Liberty. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  14. "2010 Unofficial Kansas General Election Results". Kansas Secretary of State. November 3, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  15. "Congressional Races in 2014 (Kansas)". The Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  16. Hegeman, Roxana (July 5, 2014). "Huelskamp faces GOP challenge in Kan. 1st District". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 12, 2014.
  17. Aust, Scott (March 19, 2014). "Sherow makes bid for 'good representation' in Big First". Garden City Telegram. Archived from the original on June 9, 2014.
  18. "Tea party's Tim Huelskamp ousted by challenger Roger Marshall in Kansas congressional race". Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  19. "Physician Marshall ousts US Rep. Huelskamp in Kansas primary". FOX News. New York. August 2, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  20. staff (August 2, 2016). "Roger Marshall wins Kansas Republican primary against Tea Party incumbent". The Guardian. Marshall, from the central Kansas community of Great Bend, received endorsements from the Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and the US Chamber of Commerce.
  21. Hoskinson, Charles, "Don't Ask Don't Tell: War over gays in military in new phase", Politico, February 1, 2012.
  22. Robb, Greg (February 16, 2012). "House Republicans warn of European-style debt crisis". MarketWatch. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  23. Supreme Court DOMA Decision Rules Federal Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional Huffington Post – June 26, 2013
  24. "Huelskamp will try to restore DOMA". POLITICO. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  25. Huelskamp: DOMA Ruling an Attack on Jesus Christ; Justices Couldn't Pass Law School Right Wing Watch – June 28, 2013
  26. Wing, Nick, "Tim Huelskamp: John Boehner Guilty Of 'Petty, Vindictive Politics' In Committee Ousters", The Huffington Post, 12/12/2012.
  27. Weiner, Rachel, "Conservatives bite back over House GOP purge", Washington Post Post Politics blog, December 5, 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
  28. Wallace, Gregory (December 8, 2012). "Booted from plum committee seats, three GOP reps want answers". Political Ticker (blog). CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  29. Allen, Jonathan (December 13, 2012). "'The a—hole factor'". Politico. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  30. "'Obstinate' Factor Continues to Roil GOP". Roll Call. December 12, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  31. Sherman, Jake, and John Bresnahan (January 3, 2013), "Conservatives rebel against Boehner", Politico'.'
  32. Bialik, Carl; Bycoffe, Aaron (September 25, 2015). "The Hard-Line Republicans Who Pushed John Boehner Out". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  33. "Congressional Constitution Caucus Membership". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  34. "News - PRESS RELEASE: Heartland Institute Names Former Congressman Tim Huelskamp Incoming President | Heartland Institute". www.heartland.org. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  35. Bast, Joseph. "Leadership Changes at the Heartland Institute". Press Release. Heartland Institute.
  36. Schlumpf, Heidi (January 2, 2020). "Pro-Trump group targets Catholic voters using cellphone technology". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  37. "Congressman contra mundum". World News Group. January 29, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jerry Moran		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 1st congressional district
2011–2017		 Succeeded by
Roger Marshall
Party political offices
Preceded by
Michele Bachmann		 Chair of the Tea Party Caucus
2015–2017		 Vacant
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