Peter Meijer

From 2013 to 2015, Meijer worked as a conflict analyst for an international NGO.[6] He was later employed by Olympia Development of Michigan of Ilitch Holdings as an analyst from April 2018 to January 2019.[6] During this time, Meijer also worked on veterans projects such as Project Rubicon, was on the advisory board of the With Honor super political action committee, and assisted with urban renewal projects throughout Michigan.[9]

During the ArtPrize's Project 1 dynamic art festival in 2019, Meijer refused to host Drag Syndrome, a London-based group that hosted drag performers with Down syndrome, at the Tanglefoot art venue, a property he owned.[5] Meijer said he had consulted various groups and that he believed that the performers were being exploited, stating to ArtPrize organizers that "[t]he involvement of individuals whose ability to act of their own volition is unclear raises serious ethical concerns that I cannot reconcile" and that the performances were to "further an activist message."[5]

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a civil rights complaint to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, claiming that Meijer discriminated against the "disability of the performer and the nature of their performance due to stereotypes regarding gender expression."[12] Meijer said he would not "stop or apologize for doing what is right."[12]

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. Meijer voiced his support for President Donald Trump, saying he would work with the president to "make sure that we advance policies and an agenda that is in the best interest of West Michigan."[6] 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 provided funds for Meijer's campaign.[13] Vice President Mike Pence, Representative Dan Crenshaw,[14] House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy,[15] Representative Steve Scalise,[16] and Senator Tom Cotton endorsed Meijer.[17] Meijer defeated Lynn Afendoulis in the August 4 primary election. Following his victory in the August primary, Meijer competed against Hillary Scholten in the general election.[18] Meijer raised $2.7 million during the campaign, compared to Scholten's $3 million.[19] Meijer defeated Scholten by a 53-47 margin in the general election.

Meijer accepted the 2020 presidential election results, announcing publicly that he accepted the outcome and recognized Joe Biden as president-elect.[20] After experiencing the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Meijer called for Republicans to take responsibility for their "lies" about election fraud.[21] On January 13, 2021, he voted to impeach Donald Trump alongside nine other Republicans.[22][23] The next day, Meijer stated in an interview with MSNBC that he had purchased body armor and made changes to his daily schedule due to threats against his life in reaction to the vote for impeachment.[24] On January 20, 2021, the day of the inauguration of Joe Biden, Meijer was one of seventeen newly-elected House Republicans to sign a letter congratulating Biden and expressing hope of working across the partisan divide.[25]