2020

Following Justin Amash's departure from the Republican Party in July 2019, Meijer announced his candidacy for Michigan's 3rd congressional district, competing in the Republican primary. He voiced his support for President Donald Trump, saying he would work with Trump to "make sure that we advance policies and an agenda that is in the best interest of West Michigan."^[2] In his primary campaign, Meijer received funding from several wealthy Michigan-based business families and outraised the other Republican candidates.^[13]

The DeVos and Van Andel families, who co-founded Amway, contributed to Meijer's campaign, though United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her husband Dick DeVos abstained from fundraising efforts.^[13] Mark J. Bissell of Bissell home-care products and the late businessman Peter Secchia also donated to Meijer's campaign.^[13] Vice President Mike Pence, Representative Dan Crenshaw,^[14] House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy,^[15] House Minority Whip Steve Scalise,^[16] and Senator Tom Cotton endorsed Meijer.^[17] Meijer defeated Lynn Afendoulis in the August 4 primary election. Meijer faced Democratic nominee Hillary Scholten in the general election.^[18] He raised $2.7 million during the campaign, to Scholten's $3 million.^[19] The 3rd has historically tilted Republican; the district and its predecessors had been in GOP hands for all but 35 months since 1913 (it was numbered as the 5th before 1993). Nevertheless, the race was very close; Cook Political Report rated it a toss-up.^[20]

Ultimately, Meijer defeated Scholten, 53%–47%.^[21] It was the closest race in the district since Harold S. Sawyer was held to 53% in what was then the 5th district in 1982,^[22] and only the second time since 1982 that a Democrat had managed 40% of the vote (Amash's Democratic opponent had taken 43% two years earlier^[23]). He ran slightly ahead of Trump, who narrowly carried the district with 51% of the vote.^[24]

2022

Meijer ran for reelection in the district for the 2022 elections.^[25] His primary opponent was John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official.^[26] In the final days of the primary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee bought TV ads designed to raise Gibbs' profile, believing that Meijer would be the more difficult opponent in the general election.^[26] Meijer lost the August 2 primary to Gibbs.^[27] Meijer said he would not support Gibbs in the November election.^[28] In November 2022, Gibbs lost the general election to Meijer's 2020 opponent, Democrat Hillary Scholten.^[29]

Voting record

During the presidency of Joe Biden, Meijer had voted in line with the president's stated position 36% of the time.^[40]

On May 19, 2021, Meijer became one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6 commission meant to investigate the 2021 United States Capitol attack.^[41]

On October 21, 2021, Meijer was one of nine House Republicans to vote to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for defying the subpoena he received issued by the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2020 insurrection.^[42]

Foreign and defense policy

In June 2021, Meijer was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.^[43][44]

In July 2021, Meijer voted for the bipartisan ALLIES Act, which would increase by 8,000 the number of special immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S. military during its invasion of Afghanistan, while also reducing some application requirements that caused long application backlogs; the bill passed the House, 407–16.^[45][46]

In September 2021, Meijer was among 135 House Republicans to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, which contains a provision that would require women to register for the draft.^[47][48]

Meijer voted for H.R. 7691, the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, which would provide the Ukrainian government with $40 billion in emergency aid.^[49]

Energy and environment

Meijer has acknowledged the existence of anthropogenic climate change.^[50] He believes Republicans should take on the problem with conservative solutions. "Not only embracing conservatism and the Republican party's long history of conservation and environmental protection but extending that forward is frankly where the country is. I think that it is a political imperative and a moral imperative as well", he said.^[51]

On March 21, 2021, Meijer signed a letter pressing Biden to stop Enbridge Line 5, an oil pipeline, from being shut down in May. Congressional members' concerns about the pipeline's closure intensified after Biden revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit.^[52]

Meijer was one of eight House Republicans to vote for the Colorado Wilderness Act.^[53] The bill would designate 600,000 acres of public lands in the State of Colorado as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.^[54]

in May 2022, Meijer was one of 16 House Republicans to vote for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.^[55] The bill would provide states, territories, and tribes with $1.39 billion annually to catalyze efforts to restore habitats and implement conservation strategies, as described in each state's Wildlife Action Plan.^[56]

LGBT rights

In 2021, Meijer co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, the Republican alternative to the Equality Act.^[57] The bill would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and protect the free exercise of religion.

In 2021, Meijer was one of 29 Republicans to vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.^[58] This bill expanded legal protections for transgender people, and contained provisions allowing transgender women to use women's shelters and serve time in prisons matching their gender identity.^[59]

Meijer was one of 31 Republicans to vote for the LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act.^[60]

In 2022, Meijer was one of six Republicans to vote for the Global Respect Act, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of the internationally recognized human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) people, and for other purposes.^[61][62]

On July 19, 2022, Meijer and 46 other Republican representatives voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.^[63]

Immigration

Meijer was a co-sponsor of the America's CHILDREN Act. The bill would prevent the children of long-term visa holders who came to the U.S. legally with their parents from having their visas expire the day they turn 21. If they had maintained legal status in the U.S. for ten years and graduated from an institution of higher education, they were eligible to apply for permanent residency.^[64]

Gun policy

In 2022, Meijer was one of 14 House Republicans to support a bipartisan agreement on gun control, which included a red flag provision, support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, stronger background checks for buyers under 21, and penalties for straw purchases. On July 29, 2022, Meijer joined a majority of his Republican colleagues and five Democrats in voting against H.R. 1808, a bill to ban assault weapons.^[65][66][67]

Antitrust legislation

In 2022, Meijer was one of 39 Republicans to vote for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.^[68][69]

Abortion

Meijer opposes abortion. He has consistently voted against bills to expand abortion access and has an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony list.^[70]