Brad Wenstrup

Wenstrup joined the United States Army Reserve in 1998, attaining the rank of colonel in March 2017.[9] In 2005 and 2006, he served a tour in Iraq with the 344th Combat Support Hospital.[10] He called his deployment "the worst thing that ever happened to me and the best thing I ever got to do."[11] Wenstrup was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge.[9]

During his tour of duty in Iraq, Wenstrup's sister asked what she could send him. He told her "I wear the same clothes everyday, we're fed, and most days I'm not leaving the base. But the people here have nothing. They were under an oppressed regime and have had nothing for so long." His sister helped organize donations of toys, school supplies, and hygiene supplies donated by local companies, and Wenstrup worked with the base chaplain to distribute the donations to the locals.[12]

Wenstrup ran for mayor of Cincinnati against incumbent Democrat Mark Mallory in the November 2009 election. Mallory defeated Wenstrup by a 54%-to-46% margin.[13]

Wenstrup ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the newly redrawn Ohio's 2nd congressional district, held by incumbent Republican U.S. Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. He was endorsed by the Anderson Tea Party and the Ohio Liberty Council, a coalition of Ohio Tea Party groups.[14] In a surprise, he defeated Schmidt in the March Republican primary by 49%-to-43%.[15] She carried six counties (all located in eastern part of the CD), while Wenstrup won the two most populous counties (both located in the western part of CD): Hamilton County (59%) and Clermont County (50%).[16]

Wenstrup defeated Democratic nominee William R. Smith, 59%–41%.[17] [18]

Wenstrup won re-election to a second term by defeating Democratic nominee Marek Tyszkiewicz 66%–34%.[19]

Wenstrup won re-election to a third term, defeating Democratic candidates William Smith and Janet Everhard (write in) 65%–32.82%–2.17%.[20]

Wenstrup defeated Democratic candidate Jill Schiller, 58% to 41%, to win election to a fourth term.

Wenstrup defeated Democratic candidate Jaime Castle, 61% to 39%, to win a fifth term.[21]

Wenstrup began his first term on January 3, 2013. During his first year in office he held an open town hall meeting in each of the 8 counties in his congressional district.

In 2013 Wenstrup's office conducted a customer service survey.[22] According to Roll Call, very few congressional offices have conducted "genuine" surveys of constituents, instead surveying with "loaded" questions designed to achieve certain results.[23] According to the survey, 75% of respondents were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their experience with Wenstrup's office.[22]

Wenstrup was an original co-sponsor of H.R. 3949, VA Prescription Data Accountability Act 2017, which became law during the 115th Congress, 1st Session (2017). The bill helps protect veterans receiving prescription medicines and prevents misuse of such prescription medicines.[23]

In December 2020, Wenstrup was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[24] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[25][26][27]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Wenstrup and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[28][29] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Wenstrup and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit. Pascrell argued that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[30]

• Committee on Ways & Means
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Worker & Family Support
• United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support
  • Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation

• Republican Study Committee[31]