Tonya Schuitmaker is a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 politician and member of the Michigan State Senate. Prior to her election to this position, she served three terms in the Michigan State House of Representatives

Michigan State House of Representatives

The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...

. She was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2004 and then again in 2006 and 2008 from the 80th House District, which included all of Van Buren County, the city of Otsego and the townships of Otsego and Watson in Allegan County. Schuitmaker was also a candidate for the Republican nomination for Michigan State Senate in the 20th District.

Education

Schuitmaker graduated in 1986 from Mattawan High School

Mattawan High School

Mattawan High School is the name of the high school that serves the village of Mattawan, Michigan. The approximate total enrollment for Mattawan High School is 1,200 students....

. She earned a B.A. in business from Michigan State University

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...

 in 1990 and a J.D. from the Detroit College of Law in 1993.

Professional career

Prior to her election to the Michigan House of Representatives, Schuitmaker unsuccessfully ran for an open Van Buren County Circuit Judge seat to replacing a retired judge, she was 28 years old and only had practiced law for 3 years. Schuitmaker was a partner in her father's law firm of Schuitmaker, Cooper and Schuitmaker. At her fathers firm, Schuitmaker focused on estate, family, business and governmental law. Schuitmaker is licensed to practice law in Michigan, Florida and Illinois.

Roles within State House of Representatives

• 2009-2010
  • Michigan Chair of American Legislative Exchange Council
  • Assistant Minority Floor Leader
  • Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
  • Appropriations Committee
    • Subcommittee on Judiciary
  • Energy & Technology Committee
  • Minority Vice Chair, Energy & Technology on Consumer Safety Sub-Committee
  • Michigan Law Revision Commission

• 2007-2008
  • Assistant Minority Floor Leader
  • Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
  • House Education Committee
  • Michigan Tourism Task Force
  • Product Safety Task Force

• 2005-2006
  • Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
    • Chair, Subcommittee on Accountability and Public Safety
    • Subcommittee on Medicaid Fraud Whistleblower Protection (Qui Tam)
    • Subcommittee on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry
  • House Energy and Technology Committee
  • House Commerce Committee
  • House Local Government and Urban Policy Committee

Community involvement

Schuitmaker has served on the State of Michigan Board of Medicine, the Van Buren Community Mental Health Board, and the Intercare Community Health Network. She is also a member of the Van Buren County Community Corrections Advisory Board. Schuitmaker is involved with the Paw Paw Rotary, the Paw Paw Optimist Club, Daughters of the American Revolution

Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....

 and the Farm Bureau. She has also served as president of the Van Buren County Republican Women and as Vice Chair for Van Buren County Republicans. Schuitmaker serves as the State Chairperson for the American Legislative Exchange Council

American Legislative Exchange Council

The American Legislative Exchange Council is a politically conservative 501 non-profit Policy Organization, consisting of both state legislators and members of the private sector. ALEC's mission statement describes the organization's purpose as the advancement of free-market principles, limited...

 (ALEC), a right wing think tank primarily funded by the controversial Koch brothers

Koch family

The Koch family of industrialists and businessmen is most notable for their control of Koch Industries, the second largest privately owned company in the United States. The family business was started by Fred C. Koch, who developed a new cracking method for the refinement of heavy oil into...

, supporters included Exxon Mobile and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.

Personal

Schuitmaker, her husband Steve, and their two children, Jordan and Savina, live in Lawton, Michigan

Lawton, Michigan

Lawton is a village in Van Buren County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,859.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...

.

Electoral history

• 2008 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 61%
  • Jessie Olson (D), 39%
• 2006 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 61%
  • Jessie Olson (D), 39%
• 2004 Election for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 58%
  • Art Toy (D), 42%
• 2004 Republican Primary for State House District 80
  • Tonya Schuitmaker (R), 56%
  • John Henry (R), 26%
  • Steven Goforth (R), 12%
  • Larry King (R), 6%
• 1996 Van Buren County Circuit Court
  • William C. Buhl, Won
  • Tonya Schuitmaker, Lost

External links

• Representative Tonya Schuitmaker House District 80
• Campaign Website