Peter Meijer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Meijer
Official portrait, 2020
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 3rd district
In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Justin Amash
Succeeded by	Hillary Scholten
Personal details
Born	Peter James Meijer (1988-01-10) January 10, 1988 (age 37) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Gabriella Zacarias ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	1
Relatives	Hank Meijer (father) Doug Meijer (uncle) Frederik Meijer (grandfather) Hendrik Meijer (great-grandfather)
Education	United States Military Academy Columbia University (BA) New York University (MBA)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	2008–2016
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	325th Military Intelligence Battalion
Battles/wars	Iraq War

Peter James Meijer (born January 10, 1988) is an American politician and business analyst. He was a U.S. representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Meijer's family owns the Meijer superstore chain, which was started by his great-grandfather. Before entering politics, Meijer served in the United States Army Reserve and was sent to Iraq during the Iraq War. He has a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master's degree from New York University.

In 2020, Meijer was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was one of ten Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time. Meijer ran for reelection in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary election.

Early Life and Family

Meijer was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the oldest son of Hank Meijer and the grandson of Frederik Meijer. His great-grandfather, Hendrik Meijer, came to the U.S. from the Netherlands and founded the Meijer supermarket chain. The Meijer family is known for being one of the wealthiest families in Michigan.

When Meijer was a child, his parents changed the spelling of his last name to "Meyer." They did this so he wouldn't be treated differently at school because of his famous family name. When he turned eighteen, he legally changed it back to Meijer.

After graduating from East Grand Rapids High School, Meijer attended the United States Military Academy at West Point for a year. He then transferred to Columbia University and graduated in 2012 with a degree in cultural anthropology.

Military Service

From 2008 to 2016, Meijer was in the United States Army Reserve. He was deployed to Iraq from 2010 to 2011, where he worked as an intelligence advisor. This means he helped gather and understand information for the military.

After his military service, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University in 2017.

Career Before Politics

From 2013 to 2015, Meijer worked as a conflict analyst for a non-profit organization that helps people in other countries. He later worked as an analyst for a development company in Michigan.

During this time, he also worked on projects to help veterans and improve cities in Michigan. He was on the advisory board of a group called With Honor, which helps military veterans run for Congress.

Working in Congress

Elections

2020 Election

In 2019, Meijer announced he would run for Congress in Michigan's 3rd congressional district. He said he supported President Donald Trump and wanted to work with him. Many well-known business families in Michigan and top Republican leaders supported his campaign.

Meijer won the Republican primary election. In the main election, he ran against the Democratic nominee, Hillary Scholten. Meijer won the election with 53% of the vote. It was a close race for a district that usually elects Republicans.

2022 Election

Meijer ran for a second term in 2022. He faced John Gibbs, who was supported by former President Trump, in the Republican primary. Meijer lost this primary election to Gibbs. Later, in the general election, Gibbs lost to Hillary Scholten, the same Democrat Meijer had beaten in 2020.

Time in Office

Meijer speaking at an event in June 2022

After the 2020 United States presidential election, Meijer accepted the results and said that Joe Biden was the new president.

On January 13, 2021, Meijer was one of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump. This vote was very controversial. Meijer later said in an interview that he received threats because of his vote and had to take extra steps to stay safe.

In August 2021, Meijer and another congressman, Seth Moulton, flew to the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. At the time, the U.S. was evacuating people as the Taliban took control of the country. Their trip was a surprise to military and government leaders, who asked other members of Congress not to travel to the area because it was dangerous.

Key Votes and Policies

During his time in Congress, Meijer was known for sometimes working with Democrats. He was a member of groups like the Problem Solvers Caucus, which tries to find bipartisan solutions.

• January 6 Commission: He was one of 35 Republicans who voted to create a commission to investigate the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
• Foreign Policy: He voted to help Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. military get special visas to come to the United States. He also voted to give $40 billion in aid to Ukraine after it was invaded.
• Environment: Meijer believed that climate change is real and that Republicans should work on conservative solutions to protect the environment.
• LGBT Rights: He co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, a Republican bill to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity while also protecting religious freedom. He also voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which protects the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
• Gun Policy: In 2022, he was one of 14 House Republicans who supported a bipartisan gun control bill. The bill included funding for school safety and stronger background checks for buyers under 21.

2024 Senate Campaign

In November 2023, Meijer announced he was running for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan. The seat was open because the current senator, Debbie Stabenow, was retiring.

Even though he had criticized Donald Trump in the past, Meijer said he would support Trump if he became the Republican nominee for president in 2024. In April 2024, Meijer dropped out of the Senate race. He said he did not want his campaign to cause more division within the Republican party.

Personal Life

Meijer married Gabriella Zacarias in 2016. They have one child.

Electoral History

2020

2022