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.

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