Mark Huizenga

Mark E. Huizenga (born July 21, 1967) is a Republican member of the Michigan Senate for the 30th district.

Early life and education Huizenga was born July 21, 1967, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Calvin University and a master's degree in management from Aquinas College. He is a member of the American College of Medical Practice Executives. he remained on the planning commission until 2011. in which he was endorsed by outgoing mayor Barbara Holt. He was elected to a second term in 2017, defeating longtime City Commissioner Al Parent. He opposed a ballot initiative to establish a two-year term limit for the Walker mayor and city commissioners.

Michigan Legislature career Elections Huizenga was elected as a member of the Republican Party to the Michigan House of Representatives from District 74 in November 2018. Huizenga narrowly won the special Republican primary election in August 2021, defeating former state Representative Kevin Green, who came in second place, and state Representative Tommy Brann, who came in third place. The close primary race went to a recount, with Huizenga and Green separated by fewer than 200 votes. In the redistricting, the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission drew Huizenga into the new District 30, a somewhat more competitive district that includes parts of the City of Grand Rapids along with some suburban areas in Kent County (Rockford and the townships of Grand Rapids, Ada, Cascade, and Alpine) and Ottawa County (Marne, Coopersville, Allendale, and Polkton Township). He won the November 2022 general election by a narrow margin, defeating Democratic nominee David LaGrand, a state representative from Grand Rapids. Huizenga received 63,754 votes (49.18%), edging LaGrand, who received 63,363 (48.88%); a Libertarian Party candidate, Theodore Petzold, received 2,516 votes (1.94%).

Tenure In a 2013 guest column for MLive, Huizenga described himself as a "free market conservative"; in the column, he called for conservatives to lead on renewable energy, praised wind energy, and criticized fossil fuel subsidies (such as tax laws benefiting coal-fired power plants). He is a member of the leadership council of the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum.

Huizenga was sworn in as a state senator in January 2023, at the beginning of the 102nd Michigan Legislature.

Personal life Huizenga is Christian Reformed.