John R. Moolenaar

Biography

Overview

John Moolenaar is a Republican U.S. Representative from Michigan's 2nd congressional district, serving since 2015. Born in Midland, Michigan in 1961, he holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Hope College and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. Before entering Congress, Moolenaar served in the Michigan House of Representatives (2003-2008) and Michigan Senate (2011-2014). He also worked briefly as a chemist at Dow Chemical and served on the Midland City Council.

Career

Moolenaar's legislative focus reflects his Appropriations Committee responsibilities and his prominent chairmanship of the China competition select committee. He has sponsored 20 recent bills covering diverse areas: agricultural support, AI regulation and safety, freight and rail safety, veterans programs, healthcare conscience rights, and national security measures. Most bills remain in committee, indicating early-stage legislative efforts. His voting record shows strong alignment with Republican Party positions on regulatory, energy, and security matters.

Prior political experience

Moolenaar was first elected to Congress in 2014, winning the Republican primary with 52.40% of the vote and the general election with 56.49%. He ran unopposed in the 2016 primary and won the general with 61.62%. In 2018, he again faced no primary opposition, winning the general with 62.62%. In 2020, he defeated the same Democratic opponent with 65.00%. After redistricting in 2022, Moolenaar moved to a new district and won the Republican primary with 65.20% and the general with 63.68%. In 2024, he won the Republican primary uncontested and defeated his Democratic opponent with 65.14%.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal

Conservative

119th Congress+0.447

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1

+1

+0.173

Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 346 scored votes

Campaigns targeting John R. Moolenaar

No active campaigns target John R. Moolenaar right now.

Start a campaign targeting John R. Moolenaar

Officeholding history

Term	Seat	Term dates	Termination	Predecessor	Successor
2nd	U.S. House MI-2	2025–present	In progress	John R. Moolenaar	—
1st	U.S. House MI-2	2023–2025	Term ended	Bill Huizenga	John R. Moolenaar
4th	U.S. House MI-4	2021–2023	Term ended	John R. Moolenaar	Bill Huizenga
3rd	U.S. House MI-4	2019–2021	Term ended	John R. Moolenaar	John R. Moolenaar
2nd	U.S. House MI-4	2017–2019	Term ended	John R. Moolenaar	John R. Moolenaar
1st	U.S. House MI-4	2015–2017	Term ended	—	John R. Moolenaar

Committee assignments

House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
HouseChairman· 2025–present
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
House· 2025–present
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
House· 2025–present
National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs
House· 2025–present
House Committee on Appropriations
House· 2025–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term10

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

Year	Seat	Result	Vote share	Field
—	—	Pending	—	—