Victoria Spartz
Victoria Spartz | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 5th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Susan Brooks |
Member of the Indiana Senate from the 20th district | |
In office October 1, 2017 – November 17, 2020 | |
Preceded by | Luke Kenley |
Succeeded by | Scott Baldwin |
Personal details | |
Born | Viktoriya Kulheyko October 6, 1978 Nosivka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)[1] |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Jason Spartz (m. 2000) |
Children | 2 |
Education | Kyiv National Economic University (BS, MBA) Indiana University, Indianapolis (MAcc) |
Website | House website |
Victoria Spartz (née Kulheyko (Template:Lang-uk);[2] born October 6, 1978) is a Ukrainian-American politician and businesswoman who is the U.S. Representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. The district stretches from the northern fifth of Indianapolis to Marion and includes most of Indianapolis's northern suburbs.[3] Spartz is the first Ukrainian-born member of the U.S. Congress and the first member born in a then-Soviet Republic.[4][5][6] She previously represented the 20th district in the Indiana Senate.[7]
Early life and education
Victoria Kulheyko was born in Nosivka,[4] Chernihiv Oblast, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, today Ukraine.[6] Before moving to the United States, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kyiv National Economic University. She also earned a Master of Accountancy from the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.[8]
While Kulheyko was in college, she met her future husband, Jason Spartz, on a train in Europe and began dating him.[9] They married in 2000.[10] Victoria Spartz immigrated to the United States in 2000 at the age of 22 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006.[11][12][13]
Early career
Spartz was a founding member of the Hamilton County, Indiana, Tea Party.[14] Before her appointment to the Indiana Senate, she served as CFO in the office of Indiana Attorney General.[15] She was also an adjunct faculty member at the Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis,[16] and she has owned real estate and farming businesses.[17]
Spartz was appointed to the Indiana Senate from the 20th district in 2017 after Luke Kenley resigned.[18]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
After incumbent Republican Susan Brooks announced in June 2019 that she would not seek reelection, Spartz announced her candidacy for Indiana's 5th congressional district. She won the Republican primary on June 2, 2020.[19] The district had historically been a bastion of suburban conservatism, but had been heavily targeted by Democrats in the wake of Brooks's retirement and Donald Trump's growing unpopularity in suburban areas; the Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up.[20]
In a May 2020 campaign advertisement, Spartz touted her opposition to the Affordable Care Act; after winning the Republican primary, she muted her opposition to it.[21] Spartz won the November general election, defeating former state representative Christina Hale, the Democratic nominee, by four percent.[22][23][24] This was the closest race in the district since it was reconfigured as a northern suburban district in 1983 (it had been numbered the 6th until 2003), and only the second time in that period that a Democrat had received at least 40% of the vote.[25][26] Spartz prevailed by winning her home county of Hamilton, the most populous county entirely within the district, by 20,100 votes, more than her districtwide margin of just under 17,000 votes.[27] She ran just behind Trump, who won the district with 50.1% of the vote.[28]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Victoria Spartz | 208,212 | 50.0 | ||
Democratic | Christina Hale | 191,226 | 45.9 | ||
Libertarian | Ken Tucker | 16,788 | 4.0 | ||
Total votes | 416,226 | 100.0 | |||
Republican hold |
Tenure
In late 2020, Spartz was identified as a participant in the Freedom Force, a group of incoming Republican members of the House of Representatives who "say they're fighting against socialism in America".[29][30][31][32]
Iraq
In June 2021, Spartz was one of 49 House Republicans who voted to repeal the AUMF against Iraq.[33][34]
Committee assignments
Caucus membership
Personal life
Spartz married her husband, Jason Spartz, in 2000. They have two daughters[10] and live in Noblesville, Indiana.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Американська сенаторка родом із Носівки". golos.com.ua. July 31, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ Bozhok, Snizhana (November 12, 2020). "Вікторія Спартц: як українка потрапила в Конгрес і до чого тут потяг у Москву". BBC News Ukrainian (in Ukrainian).
- ^ "Republican Victoria Spartz wins Indiana's 5th Congressional District race". indystar.com. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "The first Ukrainian-born member of Congress". The Ukrainian Weekly.
- ^ Schultz, Marisa (December 26, 2020). "Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz, raised in Soviet country, says it's 'crazy' for Americans to want socialism here". Fox News.
- ^ a b "FIRST TIME IN HISTORY A UKRAINE-BORN PERSON WILL SERVE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS - VICTORIA SPARTZ, INDIANA'S 5th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT". www.usubc.org.
- ^ "List of All Offices and Office Holders". Capitolandwashington.com. March 5, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ a b Lange, Kaitlin (May 31, 2020). "Republicans try to stand out in crowded Indiana 5th District race". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
Bachelor's degree in international economics and master's degree in business administration from the National University of Economics in Ukraine, professional accountancy master's degree from Indiana University Indianapolis.
- ^ Schultz, Marisa. Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz, raised in Soviet country, says it's 'crazy' for Americans to want socialism here, FOX News, December 28, 2020.
- ^ a b Lange, Kaitlin (August 27, 2020). "How Victoria Spartz's Ukrainian roots influence her conservative values". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ "One on One with Senator Victoria Spartz". Hamiltoncountybusiness.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ "Immigrant proud to be American on this day". The Times. Noblesville, Indiana. January 19, 2017. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018.
- ^ "Victoria Spartz". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ Bowden, John. Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05), The Hill, November 30, 2020.
- ^ "CFO for Indiana Attorney General's office takes over Sen. Luke Kenley's seat - Indiana Economic Digest". Indianaeconomicdigest.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ "Ukrainian immigrant Spartz picked to replace Kenley in Senate". Ibj.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ "Indiana Legislator Database". Legdb.iga.in.gov. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ Sikich, Chris (September 7, 2017). "Republicans make surprise pick to replace Sen. Luke Kenley". Indystar.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Indiana Primary Election Results: Fifth Congressional District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ David Wasserman (October 8, 2020). "October House Overview: Democrats Poised to Expand Majority". Cook Political Report.
- ^ "What Obamacare? Republican candidates go mum on health care law". NBC News. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ Stabile, Angelica (November 9, 2020). "13 GOP women join the House, dominating congressional elections, making history". FOX News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ^ Gibson, Kaitlin Lange and London. "Republican Victoria Spartz wins Indiana's 5th Congressional District race". The Indianapolis Star.
- ^ "Republican Spartz wins hard-fought Indiana US House race". Associated Press. November 4, 2020.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page".
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page".
- ^ Election results from CNN
- ^ Presidential election results by congressional district from Daily Kos
- ^ Jankowicz, Mia. "A group of incoming GOP House members, calling themselves the 'Freedom Force,' are trying to counter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Squad'". Business Insider.
- ^ Parrott, Jeff (December 29, 2020). "GOP's 'Freedom Force' members say they are ready to take on the 'socialist Squad'". Deseret News.
- ^ Parke, Caleb (December 1, 2020). "GOP Congresswoman-elect on forming 'Freedom Force': Left is 'totally out of line' with mainstream". Fox News.
- ^ "The 'Freedom Force': Republican group takes on the Squad and 'evil' socialism". the Guardian. November 30, 2020.
- ^ "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization".
- ^ https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll172.xml
- ^ "Foxx Welcomes Committee Members Recommended for 117th Congress". Committee on Education & Labor Republicans. January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ "Ranking Member Jordan Welcomes Members to House Judiciary Committee for the 117th Congress". House Judiciary Committee Republicans. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
External links
- Representative Victoria Spartz official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Indiana Senate page
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- 1978 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Indiana Republicans
- Indiana state senators
- Kelley School of Business alumni
- Kyiv National Economic University alumni
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana
- People from Noblesville, Indiana
- People from Nosivka Raion
- People with acquired American citizenship
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- Ukrainian emigrants to the United States
- Ukrainian women in politics
- Women state legislators in Indiana