Adam Kinzinger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adam Kinzinger
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Official portrait, 2021
|
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois |
|
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023 |
|
| Preceded by | Debbie Halvorson |
| Succeeded by | Darin LaHood (redistricting) |
| Constituency | 11th district (2011–2013) 16th district (2013–2023) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Adam Daniel Kinzinger
February 27, 1978 Kankakee, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sofia Boza-Holman
(m. 2020) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Illinois State University (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |
|
| Years of service | 2003–2023 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | Wisconsin Air National Guard |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Air Medal (6) |
Adam Daniel Kinzinger (born February 27, 1978) is an American politician and a former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. He served as a U.S. Representative for Illinois from 2011 to 2023. As a member of the Republican Party, Kinzinger first represented Illinois's 11th district and later the 16th district.
Kinzinger was first elected to Congress in 2010. After President Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, Kinzinger became known for speaking out against Trump's claims of election fraud. He also opposed attempts to change the election results.
Kinzinger decided not to run for Congress again in 2022. After leaving office, he started working for CNN as a senior political commentator.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Adam Kinzinger was born on February 27, 1978, in Kankakee, Illinois. His mother, Betty Jo, was an elementary school teacher, and his father, Rus Kinzinger, was a CEO of faith-based groups. He grew up mostly in Bloomington, Illinois. He finished high school in 1996 and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Illinois State University in 2000.
In 1998, while still a student, Kinzinger was elected to the county board in McLean County. At 20 years old, he was one of the youngest people to serve on the board. He stayed on the board until 2003.
Military Service
Kinzinger joined the United States Air Force in 2003. He became a second lieutenant in November 2003 and later earned his pilot wings. He first flew KC-135 Stratotanker planes, flying missions in South America, Guam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Later, he flew RC-26 surveillance planes and was stationed in Iraq twice. During his service in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Kinzinger received the Air Medal six times.
Kinzinger served in several Air Force commands and the Wisconsin Air National Guard. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 2019, he was sent to the Mexico–United States border as part of border security efforts. Kinzinger retired from the Air National Guard after 20 years of service.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections to Congress
2010 Election
In 2009, Kinzinger decided to run for Congress in Illinois' 11th congressional district. This district was held by Democrat Debbie Halvorson. He started campaigning full-time in May 2009 after returning from his third tour in Iraq. He won the Republican primary election in February 2010 with 64% of the votes.
In the general election, Kinzinger defeated Halvorson with 57% of the vote.
2012 Election
After new district maps were drawn, Kinzinger's old district was changed. Much of it was combined with the 16th District, which was represented by fellow Republican Don Manzullo. Kinzinger won against Manzullo in the Republican primary. In the general election, Kinzinger defeated Democrat Wanda Rohl with 62% of the vote.
2014 Election
Kinzinger faced David Hale in the Republican primary and won with 78% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Democratic candidate Randall Olsen with 71% of the vote.
2016 Election
Kinzinger won the Republican primary with 100% of the vote. No Democratic candidates ran for his seat, and Kinzinger won the general election with 99.9% of the vote.
In August 2016, Kinzinger publicly stated he would not support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He said he was "an American before I'm a Republican." He also did not support Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
.jpg)
Kinzinger helped introduce a bill called the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act. This bill aimed to fight foreign propaganda, especially after concerns about Russian influence in the 2016 election. The law allowed $160 million in funding to help the U.S. State Department take action against foreign propaganda.
2018 Election
Kinzinger won against Democratic challenger Sara Dady with 59.1% of the vote. After the 2018 elections, he became the only Republican representing a large part of northern Illinois in Congress.
2020 Election
Kinzinger defeated Democrat Dani Brzozowski in the 2020 election with 65% of the vote.
Time in Office
.jpg)
In 2010, Kinzinger signed a promise to vote against any climate change laws that would raise taxes.
He supported the Veteran Emergency Medical Technician Support Act of 2013. This bill would make it easier for military veterans with EMT training to get civilian licenses. The House of Representatives passed it, but the Senate did not vote on it.
Kinzinger was a member of the Republican Study Committee and the Republican Main Street Partnership. He was also known for working with members of both parties.
Kinzinger voted for the 2017 Republican health care law, which aimed to change parts of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He also voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kinzinger blamed China for the virus. Some Asian American leaders criticized this, saying it increased anti-Asian hate crimes.
On January 6, 2021, the day of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Kinzinger was at the Capitol. He took his gun with him and barricaded his office doors.
In February 2021, Kinzinger and 10 other Republican House members voted with Democrats to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments. This was due to controversial statements she had made.
In March 2021, Kinzinger was one of eight Republicans to vote for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021.
On May 19, 2021, Kinzinger and 34 other Republican House members voted to create a commission to investigate the January 6th attack. After the Senate did not support this commission, Kinzinger remained committed to the idea.
On July 25, 2021, he accepted Speaker Pelosi's appointment to the House Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack.
In October 2021, Kinzinger announced he would not seek reelection in 2022. This decision came after new district maps placed him in the same district as another Republican.
After leaving Congress, Kinzinger joined CNN as a senior political commentator in January 2023.
Investigation into the January 6 Attack
Kinzinger was one of the ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the January 6th attack. He was also appointed to the special committee investigating the attack.
As a member of the committee, Kinzinger helped lead public hearings. For example, he questioned former Department of Justice officials about how Trump tried to get them to help overturn the 2020 election results.
Censure by Republican National Committee
In February 2022, the Republican National Committee voted to formally criticize Kinzinger and Representative Liz Cheney. This was because they took part in the House investigation of the Capitol attack. The RNC called the events of January 6, 2021, a "legitimate political discourse."
Farewell Address
In his farewell speech to Congress in December 2022, Kinzinger warned about the dangers of conspiracy theories and lies in politics. He also spoke about threats to democracy in America. He criticized the Republican Party, saying it had "turned its back on the ideals of liberty and self-governance." He also criticized Democrats for sometimes supporting extreme candidates in elections.
Committee Assignments
- Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism
- Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment (Ranking Member)
- United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Cement Caucus
- Friends of a Free Syria Caucus
- House Baltic Caucus
- Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
- Climate Solutions Caucus
- Republican Governance Group
- Republican Main Street Partnership
Political Views
Domestic Issues
Health Care
In 2017, Kinzinger voted to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
Economic Issues
Kinzinger is against the Dodd–Frank Act, a law about financial rules.
He has a high rating from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which supports businesses. He has a lower rating from the Club for Growth, a conservative group that supports tax cuts and less government spending.
International Issues
Immigration
Kinzinger supports punishing "sanctuary cities" (cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement). He also supports Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that protects young undocumented immigrants.
Russia and Ukraine
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Kinzinger has strongly supported providing aid to Ukraine. He was one of the most vocal members of Congress on this topic. He believes that giving aid to Ukraine is a good investment.
Kinzinger consistently voted to support Ukraine. He even introduced a resolution to allow the U.S. military to respond if Russia used biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons against Ukraine. He also sponsored a bill to train Ukrainian Air Force pilots on F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.
Social Issues
Support for LGBTQ Rights
Kinzinger has a 59% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, a large LGBTQ rights group.
In 2015, he was one of 60 Republicans who voted to support President Barack Obama's order. This order banned federal contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2016, he voted for a similar measure.
In 2019 and 2021, Kinzinger voted against the Equality Act. However, he said he supports the LGBT community and wants to find a solution that also protects religious freedom.
In 2021, Kinzinger was one of 21 House Republicans to support the Fairness for All Act. This bill would ban discrimination based on sex and gender identity while also protecting religious freedom.
In 2022, Kinzinger was one of six Republicans to vote for the Global Respect Act. This act would punish foreign people who violate human rights against LGBTQI individuals.
On July 19, 2022, Kinzinger and 46 other Republican representatives voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law would protect the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
Criticism of Donald Trump
Kinzinger became one of Donald Trump's biggest critics, which was unusual for a Republican officeholder. In 2020, he spoke out against QAnon and other false conspiracy theories. After the 2020 election, he criticized Trump's claims that the election was stolen. He also criticized Trump's efforts to overturn the election results.
On January 7, 2021, the day after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Kinzinger was the first Republican in the House to call for Trump to be removed from office. He said Trump had "given up his duty to protect the American people." Five days later, he announced he would vote to impeach Trump, saying Trump "broke his oath of office and started this uprising." He joined nine other Republicans in voting for impeachment.
Kinzinger's involvement with the January 6th investigation led to threats against his family and colleagues. In November 2021, he said he regretted voting against Trump's first impeachment.
In August 2022, Kinzinger claimed that some people compare Trump to Jesus Christ. He said that if you speak against Trump, they might feel you are speaking against Jesus.
In February 2023, it was announced that Kinzinger would release a book called "Renegade: My Life in Faith, the Military, and Defending America from Trump's Attack on Democracy."
Country First Movement
In early 2021, after the January 6th Capitol attack, Kinzinger started the Country First PAC. This group aims to reform the Republican Party and move it away from extreme conspiracy theories. The PAC raised over $1.1 million to fight Donald Trump's influence.
In the 2022 midterm elections, Country First supported candidates who were against the idea that the 2020 election was stolen. The PAC focused on candidates who support democracy, including Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
January 6th Committee
Kinzinger was one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for encouraging the Capitol attack. He also voted to create, and was later appointed to, the select committee to investigate the attack.
During a January 6th committee hearing in 2022, Kinzinger questioned five Republican lawmakers. He said, "The only reason I know to ask for a pardon is because you think you've committed a crime."
Personal Life
The Wisconsin Red Cross named Kinzinger its 2006 "Hero of the Year." He also received the United States Air Force Airman's Medal and the National Guard's Valley Forge Cross for Heroism.
Kinzinger married Sofia Boza-Holman in February 2020. Their son, Christian Adam Kinzinger, was born in January 2022. They have moved from Illinois to Houston, Texas.
Images for kids
-
Kinzinger (second from right) at the Halifax International Security Forum
See also
In Spanish: Adam Kinzinger para niños
