Mary Miller (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Miller
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Official portrait, 2021
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 15th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | John Shimkus |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mary Elizabeth Meyer
August 27, 1959 Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Chris Miller
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | Eastern Illinois University (BS) |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
| Website | |
Mary Elizabeth Miller (born August 27, 1959) is an American politician and farmer. She is a member of the Republican Party. Since 2021, she has served as a U.S. representative for the 15th congressional district in Illinois. A representative is a person elected to speak for the people of their area in the U.S. government.
Miller is known for her far-right political views. She serves on several important groups in the House of Representatives, called committees. These include the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Early Life and Education
Mary Miller was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Her parents were Annette and Harvey Meyer. She went to Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois. After high school, she studied at Eastern Illinois University. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management. She also took some classes in education.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2020 election
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In 2020, Miller ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She wanted to take the place of John Shimkus, who was retiring. She won the Republican Party's nomination, which was the biggest challenge in her strongly Republican district.
Miller won the main election with more than 70% of the vote. Her campaign focused on supporting farmers and bringing manufacturing jobs back to Illinois. After the election, she supported President Donald Trump's claims that the election was unfair.
2022 election
The boundaries of Illinois's voting districts were redrawn in 2020. This meant Miller had to run against another Republican, Rodney Davis, to keep her seat. Miller won the primary election with help from an endorsement by Donald Trump.
Because of the new map, Miller's home in Oakland was no longer inside the 15th district. However, members of the House are only required to live in the state they represent, not the specific district.
2024 election
In 2024, Miller won the Republican primary election without any opponents. She also won the general election because no one from other parties ran against her.
Time in office
On January 6, 2021, Miller was one of the House members who objected to counting the presidential election votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania.
In June 2025, Miller posted on social media against a Sikh religious leader, called a granthi, who led the daily prayer in the House. She first incorrectly identified him as Muslim. She later corrected the post to say he was Sikh before deleting it.
What do committees do?
Committees are small groups of representatives who focus on specific topics, like farming or education. They study problems, hold hearings, and suggest new laws.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture
- Committee on Education and Workforce
- Committee on House Administration
- Joint Committee on Printing
What are caucuses?
Caucuses are groups of lawmakers who share similar interests or political beliefs. They work together to advance their goals.
Caucus memberships
- Freedom Caucus
- Republican Study Committee
Political positions
Miller is a member of the Freedom Caucus, a group known for being on the far-right wing of the Republican Party.
President Biden
Miller has been a strong critic of President Joe Biden and his administration. She has supported efforts to impeach him, which is a process to remove a president from office. She has also co-sponsored resolutions to impeach other high-ranking officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
Comment about Hitler
On January 5, 2021, Miller gave a speech where she quoted Adolf Hitler. She said, "Hitler was right on one thing: he said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'"
Many people and groups, including the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, strongly criticized her comment. Some lawmakers called for her to resign. Miller later apologized for quoting Hitler but said her words had been twisted by her critics.
LGBT rights
Miller has opposed some LGBT rights. In 2021, she introduced a bill that would prevent transgender girls from using girls' bathrooms in schools. She also voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, a law that protects same-sex marriages.
In February 2025, during a House session, Miller referred to Representative Sarah McBride, who is a transgender woman, as "Mr. McBride."
Foreign policy
Miller has voted against sending military and security aid to Ukraine. She was also one of 18 Republicans who voted against letting Sweden and Finland join NATO, a military alliance.
Immigration
Miller has supported a bill that would end birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship is the rule that a person born in the United States is automatically a U.S. citizen. She also supported a bill to make it harder for companies to hire foreign workers for high-skill jobs.
Personal life
Miller is married to Chris Miller, who is a representative in the Illinois House of Representatives. They own a farm in Oakland, Illinois, where they grow grain and raise cattle. They have seven children and 20 grandchildren.
