He swiped past most of the missives. Peter even thanked his lovely wife for her support and credited her and her support for his win in August 2020. The political incentives for elected officials and candidates to deal with existential problems are totally busted. Now they believe they can wait him out yet againeven as the former president readies a campaign to reclaim his old job and makes clear his intent to run not just against a Democratic opponent but against democracy itself. And now it draws to a close because you lost a primary to a Trump-endorsed candidate. Heres the thing: Some people have not let it go. Then a window shattered. But one, from a longtime activist hed gotten to know, caught his eye. Its good versus evil. She was the only statewide candidate who was actually elected in a primary. 2023 Ghanafuo.com & DM Network. This state of affairs produced the surreality where Mr. Trump simultaneously endorsed two Missouri Senate candidates named Eric: Schmitt, who won, and Greitens, who has been accused of domestic abuse, which he has denied. He talked with his wife. TOP FANS SUPPORT NORTON'S STAND ON THE CONSTITUTION And I think it was really unfair that the state party threw her under the bus. But more and more, he belongs in the third. Wren: Where do you think the Trump fixation in the Republican Party is headed? Having been in the crosshairs of his own party for so long, Meijer was delighted to be rebuked by the White House. Public domain. Meijer: Oh, yeah. It reminded me of the time my mom thought she saw a UFO in California; it took her 30 seconds: I saw a UFO. But it took me 45 minutes to figure out that it was a B-2 stealth bomber. Later that day, he joined Gonzalez and eight other House Republicans in voting to impeach Trump. I was surprised to hear Meijer mention Gosar, the conspiracy-spreading, white-nationalist-sympathizing congressman who in November was censured by the House for sharing an animated video that depicted him murdering Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A lot of people can get rich off of that. They were attempting to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Do you want me to be a sore loser? Meijer: I think in a lot of the media theres such a Trump fixation. Michael Maize children: Does Michael Maize have children? The differentiator between a Republican candidate winning or losing tended to be the level of Mr. Trumps support; the winners themselves ranged widely in terms of their own political brands, from hard-core MAGA to business-backed establishment. And that was rare. Describing the strain on his familyhis wife and children required a police escort due to the threats against himGonzalez told The New York Times that seeking reelection wasnt worth it. Meijer: With the idea of running at this moment [against other Trumpist candidates]. The couple doesnt have any children as of now. Peter's father, brother, and grandfather are the company's backbone. Meijer remembers one longtime memberwho confessed that he did not believe the election had been stolen but said he would vote against certification anywaytelling him: This is the last thing Donald Trump will ever ask you to do., Meijer knew that some Republicans had sincere concerns about election integrity; he himself feared that Democratic officials had taken advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and exceeded their authority to enroll absentee voters. He had just spoken to a group of soon-to-be voters whose notions of Republicanism were formed by red hats and angry chants and crazed tweets. But putting this scenario in perspective, he said, if you were to poll the public, cybersecurity wouldnt even register in the top 50 issues.. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo, This is some food chain story Archipalago shamed for chasing clout with Christian Atsus death. Im proud that the prior record for the number of bills signed into law by a freshman in the minority was at two, and now were at least four I would argue five. Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer was among the lawmakers in the Capitol's House chamber last January during the pro-Trump riot just three days after he was sworn in to his first term. When the Capitol was finally secured and members returned to the House chamber, Meijer expected an outraged, defiant House of Representatives to vote in overwhelming numbers to certify the election results, sending a message to the mob that Congress would not be scared away from fulfilling its constitutional obligations. The central policy connection publicly shared by many Republicans who prevailed is some level of rejection of the 2020 election results, ranging from tacit and careful dodging to blasting conspiracy theories. Do you have any regrets? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [2] He has a degree from the University of Michigan. You have the side of light and the side of dark. He says he decided that by actively trying to correct them, I may have been inadvertently postponing the self-correction that would come with some distance from Trumps presidency. His one similarly stormy term in Congress was coming to a close. Meijer: I have no idea how I would do that. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts. And he made an unauthorized trip to Afghanistan to help evacuate Americans and Afghans during the hurried military pullout in August 2021. Katherine Miller is a staff writer and editor in Opinion. Walking back with barely a brisker pace to the gallery, he discovered another officer guarding the door. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Whereas, Peter's grandfather Fred Meijer, is the one who created a supermarket chain. So he backed off. There's a tremendous incentive to be seen as fighting, you know, the traitors in your midst, the RINOs on the right, the DINOs, which admittedly is, I think, a little less catchy in Democratic circles. Its better not to poke the bear, they tell him; better to let Trump and his loyalists forget the name Peter Meijer altogether. I think theres a constructive role that he could be playing, and I have yet to see him make an effort, so to hell with it. Follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn @Cecelia Chintoh. He smirked. Of the 10, Ive got the most respect for Peterbecause he was brand-new, Kinzinger, one of the GOPs anti-Trump ringleaders, told me. Your email address will not be published. In this sense, the Republican Party is embracing that old definition of insanity. As a teen, he tried to avoid the attention and expectations that came with his last name by spelling it Meyer at East Grand Rapids High School. That surprised me. Copyright 2022 NPR. The conversations did not go well. Whats going through my mind is, what happens if we turn the corner and see a group of rioters? GOP elders have told Meijer that because he barely overlapped with Trump, he may not be on Mar-a-Lagos radar like some of the Republican stalwarts who voted to impeach. It was widely criticized. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Meijer: I think Tudor did the best with what she had. He can see the foundational threats facing American self-governmentbut he cant decide how best to counteract them. Interestingly, he has no known male siblings. But they dont think his side can win. He asked his new colleague if he was okay. They arent the ones paying the price when the consequences come due. The same is true, he argued, about the politics of political violence: It is a vital concern that you cant run a winning campaign on. Peters parents however have separated and Hank has remarried Liesel Litzenburger, a writer and novelist. (This last topic allowed Meijer numerous victory laps for the unauthorized trip he took to Kabul during the U.S. evacuation. SIMON: Mr. Meijer, you represent an area of Michigan - Grand Rapids area - that Gerald Ford once represented. Peter Meijer is the eldest of the two children of Hank Meijer. He graduated from Columbia University in 2006. Mr. Meijer and his spouse make a perfect pair and Peter himself admits it often. Theres a lot of work that we were able to get done; but a lot more that we had hoped to be able to do. Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan, who saw the Capitol uprising on January 6 shortly after taking office and then voted with nine other Republicans to remove Donald Trump from office, as a result, has failed in his bid for reelection. Our office handled thousands of cases. Peter is a member of the Meijer family, the founders, and owners of the Meijer superstore chain, founded by his grandfather's father . Meijer lost his seat to John Gibbs for the Republican primary on August 2, 2022. He has thanked all people who have voted for him and led him to be the next member of Congress from West Michigan. Four of his bills were signed into law,. A woman raised her hand, after Meijers luncheon talk at a Grand Rapids country club, and asked him about the insurrection on January 6. MEIJER: You know, I don't want to single out the Republican Party here 'cause I think the party of Gerald Ford on the right and the party of Tip O'Neill on the left, that world is long gone. Wren: You said your departure from Washington and Congress is bittersweet. I take that to mean there is part of you that is happy to be leaving here. Dismayed, a group of freshman Republicans asked for a meeting with Kevin McCarthy shortly after their swearing-in. Do you want me to deny that I lost? Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. If someone brought up the political implications, that was a good indicator that they werent going to vote with us. When Meijer announced his run for Congress, he said, Haley was enthusiastic. So much of the energy is ultimately expended down avenues that are just hamster wheels. Early life [ edit] Meijer was born in 1955, [1] the son of Frederik Meijer, and grandson of Hendrik Meijer, who founded the US supermarket chain Meijer in 1934. MEIJER: You know, I don't want to overextrapolate from my one scenario. MEIJER: I heard the same thing going into Jan. 6 on the Republican side, right? Were in this together, Meijer had told him. There was no fraternizing across party lines; Democrats huddled with Democrats and Republicans with Republicans. Now he laughs at his own navet. What's happening in this country, do you think, in its political institutions? In the space of a year, he transformed from a political romantic to an emboldened survivor to a daunted skeptic. In January 2022, Alexander celebrated his brother's favorite day of the year alongside his father and mother. The first trailer for Disney+'s upcoming live-action puts a new spin on the classic story based on the J.M. [1] Career [ edit] Scores of local election officials nationwide have been run out of office, many of them replaced by people who insist that the system theyre now charged with overseeing is rigged. For a guy who talks a lot about the militants in his party, he doesnt engage with them much. Deeply unsettled by the . And he knew that by voting to impeach he might be committing career suicide before my career ever began. In the days leading up to the vote, Meijer says, he barely slept. They want life in the shoes of the 10 of us to be miserable. The question he and his friends now ask of themselves isnt just Can I win reelection? Instead, he said, Its Am I going to have to talk for the next few years about Italian military satellites and bamboo ballots and whatever [MyPillow CEO] Mike Lindell says?. Meijer graduated from Stern School of Business with a Master of Business Administration in 2017. Peter Meijer siblings: Meet his sister Haley Meijer, Aidan Wallace family, girlfriend, children, parents, siblings. SIMON: Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan, thanks so much for being with us. Meijer knows lots of people who cant let it go. Inside the committee room, there was a lot of tension, a lot of suspicion among the members. He is currently 34 years and was born on January 10, 1988, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Democrats have used that tactic in several states, hoping the more extreme Republican candidates will be easier opponents in the fall. Or maybe this will prove a ruinous miscalculation. Meijer, 29, is the oldest son of Hank Meijer, co-chairman of the family-owned Michigan-based supercenter chain with more 230 stores across the Midwest. I think if a party wants to be self-righteous and sanctimonious and claim to be, you know, the party of democracy, contrasting themselves from the other side of the aisle that they view as an existential threat to the United States as a going concern, you can't hold both of those opinions simultaneously if the same time you're decrying the threat, you're amplifying it and energizing it. Peter Meijer, a Michigan Republican who serves in the US House, has a sister named Haley Meijer. What that faction is banking on is exhaustion, Meijer said. Meijer will face multiple primary challengers in 2022, including a Trump-administration official, John Gibbs, who already has the former presidents endorsement against RINO Congressman Peter Meijer. Because of the districts moderate makeup and his ample finances, Meijer is favored to win reelection. Meijer: Highly uncertain. We had a moment in one of our town halls [when] there were all these people who said, Can we talk about something else now? Meijer recalls. All the Democratic incumbents swept, obviously. Peter Meijer, a Republican, is celebrated by the furthest left media for his anti-Republican actions during his short time in DC. The young man clearly wanted to understand how Meijers version of Republicanism differed from the Trumpist one, how the congressman might distinguish his vision for the party from the current MAGA model. announced that he would seek the Republican nomination, the state GOP chair joked with party activists. The hypocrisy was so transcendent, just the cynicism. Davy Klaassen family, wife, children, parents, siblings. Meijer knew he had to get away. January 6 had ushered in a new era of political mayhem, and one week later, he had put a bulls-eye on his own back. In the final days of Rep. Peter Meijer's close fight for his party's nomination, the Michigan Republican and his allies are slamming Democrats for meddling in Tuesday's GOP primary. Further, Peter is also one of the congressmen who signed for the impeachment of Donald Trump after the Capitol Riot. But the people who never brought it up, I knew they would follow through. Wren: Who? Meijer: Being part of the team that passed the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021. Were a large percentage of the House of Representatives, and we have no police presence with us. So they do nothing, convincing themselves that the problem will take care of itself, while guaranteeing that it will only get worse. You were casting that vote after seeing with your own two eyes what some of these people are capable of, Meijer says. Peter Meijer's Wife, Family And Net Worth - 5 Fast Facts. Under the Constitution, there was nothing left to do but count them and certify the final tally. He ultimately studied at the Military Academy for one year at West Point before transferring to Columbia University. Peter was born on January 10, 1988, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. West Michigan will have its first Democratic representation in Congress since Watergate. Instead, the party continues to rely on grievance and fearand misinformationto scare voters into their ranks. Peter has two siblings, a sister named Haley Meijer and a brother whose information isn't yet disclosed. He sensed that he might be doing more harm than good with his high-minded rhetoric. Also, Peter is listed among the ultrawealthy politicians in the US history of politics. But there was one he had yet to connect with: Anthony Gonzalez, a second-term congressman from Ohio. His father is an American billionaire businessman, co-chairman, and CEO of the Meijer Supermarket chain in the US who graduated from the University of Michigan in 1973 with a degree in literature. (Haley Meijer said in a statement that she loves and admires her brother, though they have differing beliefs on certain subjects.), In her worldview, Meijer says, theres no room for disagreements. Our goal was, if were going to be working on something, it should be toward the end of having it signed into law at the end of the day, rather than doing something only for messaging. Plus moral panic, Johnny Cash, U.S. money laundering, Milton, civil-war prophecies, Hanya Yanagiharas latest, and more. He belongs to a family that is the founder and owner of the Meijer supermarket chain. The first-term congressman served in the Iraq war and cast one of his first House votes to impeach . Wren: This dynamic played out with your Republican primary opponent, John Gibbs, the far-right conspiracy theorist who criticized womens right to vote and propagated the idea that Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta participated in satanic rituals. The couple has not been blessed with children yet and there is no news of any legal adoption by them. 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