Vicky Hartzler

Vicky Hartzler
U.S. House, Missouri, District 4
Incumbent
In office
January 3, 2011-Present
Term ends
January 3, 2015
Years in position	2
Party	Republican
Predecessor	Ike Skelton (D)
Compensation
Base salary	$174,000/year
Elections and appointments
Last election	November 6, 2012
First elected	November 2, 2010
Next election	November 4, 2014
Campaign $	$2,884,133
Term limits	N/A
Prior offices
Missouri Women's Council (Chairperson)
2005-2007
Missouri House of Representatives from the 124th district
1995-2001
Education
Bachelor's	University of Missouri
J.D.	Central Missouri State University
Personal
Birthday	October 13, 1960
Place of birth	Archie, Missouri
Profession	Teacher, farm equipment dealer
Net worth	$8,036,510
Religion	Evangelical Christianity
Websites
Office website
Campaign website
Vicky Hartzler campaign logo

Vicky Jo Hartzler (b. October 13, 1960) is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. Hartzler was elected by voters from Missouri's 4th congressional district. She ran for re-election in 2012. Hartzler defeated Bernie Mowinski in the Republican primary on August 7, 2012. She was re-elected on November 6, 2012.

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Hartzler is a "rank-and-file Republican".

Biography

Hartzler was raised on a farm near Archie, Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Education, and attended Central Missouri State University where she graduated with a M.S. in Education.

Career

Hartzler taught family and consumer sciences for 11 years in Missouri high schools before becoming involved in politics. She left politics in 2001 but returned at different times to serve as the state spokesperson of the Coalition to Protect Marriage in Missouri in 2004, on the Missouri Women's Council in 2005, and run for her current House seat which she was elected for in 2010.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2013-2014

Hartzler serves on the following committees:

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
  • Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on Budget

2011-2012

Hartzler served on the following committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel
• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
  • Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture

Issues

Political positions

No New Taxes Pledge

In Missouri for 2011, a minority of lawmakers signed the "No New Taxes Pledge." Only four out of 34 state Senate members signed the pledge. Out of 163 state House members, only 35 lawmakers have signed.

From the Missouri delegation heading to the U.S. Congress in 2011, 7 out of 11 lawmakers signed the pledge.

Hartzler signed the pledge.

Campaign themes

2012

On her campaign website, Hartzler lists eleven issues. They are:

• Freedom and Prosperity

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "My life values are faith, family, and freedom, the bedrock of the U.S.A. They have blessed all of us for more than two centuries. These guiding principles are under direct attack by liberal one-party rule in Washington. Our Fourth District congressman has loaned our vote to Nancy Pelosi. When she needs him, he comes running. It is time for a change. American history tells us prosperity always comes from freedom, not from assaults on freedom."

• Spending and Debt

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "I will support an immediate end to the wasteful and inefficient pork-barrel spending, a Balanced Budget Amendment and line-item veto, and a freeze on discretionary spending except for our national defense, including veterans, Medicare, and Social Security. Basic common sense says that nobody can spend themselves rich. You can’t get out of debt by borrowing more money. Congress believes the opposite. We must stop squandering the future of our children and grandchildren. One-party Washington is burying us under a mountain of deficits and new debt."

• Liberty and Free Enterprise

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "Congress and the President are making an unprecedented reach for power to control the economy and just about every part of our life. This grab for power will unleash devastating economic and societal consequences on all Americans. I support the individual liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights because freedom is the foundation for greater opportunities and achievements. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights endowed on all Americans, born and unborn. I am 100% pro-life and a staunch supporter of our Second Amendment."

• Taxes

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "As the founders knew, the government is best which governs least. Therefore, it is imperative that government take in taxes only the minimum required to safeguard our freedom and families. Like you, I dream of a better life for every family. The runaway spending and special interest politics in Washington will lead straight to more taxes and fewer opportunities. New taxes need to be stopped in their tracks. I have a record of proven resolve on low taxes. In the Missouri legislature, I worked for lower taxes on families, job creators and seniors, and voted against every major tax increase bill that came our way."

• Health Care Reform

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "I heard firsthand many good ideas for what would help, and what would not be helpful. I listened while you spoke. A bad bill puts bureaucrats between us and our doctors, raises costs and lowers quality, rations care, or cuts the Medicare promised to our seniors. This Congress gave us a bill that is even worse than bad. Americans oppose ObamaCare or anything like it. Liberal Washington knows we oppose ObamaCare. They just don’t want to listen. They want to shove it down our throats. I support real reform that will lower costs, increase competition, provide affordable insurance for those with pre-existing conditions, prevent unfair insurance policies, expand coverage, and preserve the right to see the doctor of our choice. Washington must start over and get it right."

• Energy Independence

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "The U.S.A. is blessed with abundant resources including many forms of energy. We need to utilize what we have in safe, environmentally-friendly ways. It is imperative to national security that we take proactive steps to become energy independent. Instead of capping our energy resources and limiting energy production here at home, let’s aggressively pursue all energy alternatives, including building more nuclear power plants, drilling for oil and gas in coastal waters and ANWR, developing biofuels, using the abundance of clean coal with which we are blessed, and expanding hydro, wind, and solar-powered alternatives. We cannot allow ourselves to remain hostage to foreign interests. The future depends on it."

• Agriculture

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "Agriculture is a large part of my life. I grew up on a farm, and Lowell and I farm today. We raise corn, soybeans, wheat, and cattle, and we also buy groceries. I know the fundamental importance of agriculture to Missouri and the nation. The American farmer and rancher feed the world and provide a safe, abundant, and low-cost food supply for our citizens. It is vital that our farmers and ranchers have a level playing field as they market their products world wide. They should be able to pass on the farming legacy without the devastating death tax and be able to operate without onerous government regulations."

• Education Reform

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "I believe the best education occurs locally through the commitment of parents, local schools, teachers, and the community. Washington does not know what is best for our children. Parents and teachers know best. This premise should be the focus of any bill."

• National Defense

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "The federal government has the important Constitutional role to provide for the common defense. We have the best military in the world and it must remain the best. In our own Fourth District we have vital bases from which our men and women are called to defend freedom around the world. They must have the best equipment, latest technology, and proactive leadership that recognizes and funds all possible avenues of threat mitigation, including a strong missile defense."

• A Citizen Legislator

• On her campaign website, Hartzler says, "With your help, I will go to Congress as a true citizen legislator. I’ll fight for what we know is right. I’ll work to bring us back to a course that is true to our beliefs and right for America’s future. I’ll stand up for an America that allows each of us, regardless of the circumstances of our birth, to achieve the full measure of life."

Specific votes

Fiscal Cliff

Hartzler voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. She was one of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Elections

2012

See also: Missouri's 4th congressional district elections, 2012

Hartzler was seeking re-election in 2012. She defeated Bernie Mowinski in the Republican primary. She was re-elected on November 6, 2012.

According to the Washington Post, redistricting has turned the 4th district from a safely conservative seat into a swing district. Hartzler faced real competition from Democrat Teresa Hensley, who recently had been raising more money than the incumbent.

U.S. House, Missouri, District 4 General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Teresa Hensley	35.5%	113,120
	Republican	Vicky Hartzler Incumbent	60.3%	192,237
	Libertarian	Thomas Holbrook	3.3%	10,407
	Constitution	Greg Cowan	0.9%	2,959
Total Votes				318,723
Source: Missouri Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Republican Primary

The primary took place on August 7.

Missouri's 4th Congressional District Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Vicky Hartzler	84%	71,615
Bernie Mowinski	16%	13,645
Total Votes		85,260

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Vicky Hartzler, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Vicky Hartzler won election to the United States House. She defeated Ike Skelton (D), Jason Michael Braun (L) and Greg Cowan (Constitution) in the general election. U.S. House, Missouri District 4 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Vicky Hartzler 50.4% 113,489      Democratic Ike Skelton incumbent 45.1% 101,532      Libertarian Jason Michael Braun 2.7% 6,123      Constitution Greg Cowan 1.7% 3,912 Total Votes 225,056

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Hartzler is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Hartzler raised a total of $2,884,133 during that time period. This information was last updated on May 16, 2013.

Vicky Hartzler's Campaign Contribution History
Year	Office	Result	Contributions
2012	U.S. House (Missouri, District 4)		$1,510,603
2010	U.S. House (Missouri, District 4)		$1,373,530
Grand Total Raised			$2,884,133

2012

Breakdown of the source of Hartzler's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

Hartzler won re-election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Hartzler's campaign committee raised a total of $1,526,893 and spent $1,016,702.

U.S. House, Missouri's 4th congressional district, 2012 - Vicky Hartzler Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,510,603
Total Spent	$1,404,888
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$834,591
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	{{{opponent spent}}}
Top contributors to Vicky Hartzler's campaign committee
Russell Stover Candies	$20,000
National Auto Dealers Assn	$15,000
Larson Group	$14,400
TC Jacoby & Co	$12,500
Wiedenmann & Godfrey Construction	$12,500
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Leadership PACs	$88,879
Crop Production & Basic Processing	$73,952
Retired	$73,950
Agricultural Services/Products	$57,500
General Contractors	$51,600

2010

Breakdown of the source of Hartzler's campaign funds before the 2010 election.

Hartzler was elected to the U.S. House in 2010. Her campaign committee raised a total of $1,373,530 and spent $1,351,176.

U.S. House, Missouri, 2010 - Vicky Hartzler Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,373,530
Total Spent	$1,351,176
Total Raised by General Election Opponent	$2,923,038
Total Spent by General Election Opponent	$3,107,552
Top contributors to Vicky Hartzler's campaign committee
Diamond Pet Foods	$19,200
Loren Cook Co	$13,700
Starline Inc	$12,100
Durham Co	$11,850
Eagle Forum	$10,200
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Retired	$109,367
Leadership PACs	$83,800
Agricultural Services/Products	$48,350
Republican/Conservative	$45,115
Crop Production & Basic Processing	$44,436

Analysis

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Hartzler missed 29 of 1,698 roll call votes from Jan 2011 to Apr 2013 which is 1.7% of votes during that period. This is better than the median of 2.2% among the lifetime records of representatives currently serving.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Hartzler paid her congressional staff a total of $780,555 in 2011. Overall, Missouri ranked 21st in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

Net worth

See also: Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives

2011

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Hartzler's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $2,218,026 and $13,854,995. That averages to $8,036,510, which is higher than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2011 of $7,859,232. Her average net worth decreased by 9.6% from 2010.

2010

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Hartzler's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $3,154,027 to $14,634,997. That averages to a net worth of $8,894,512, which is higher than the average net worth of Republicans in 2010 of $7,561,133.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year, National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted, as compared to other members in the previous year. More information about the analysis process can be found on the vote ratings page.

2012

According to the data released in 2013, Hartzler was ranked the 102th most conservative representative during 2012.

2011

According to the data released in 2012, Vicky Hartzler was ranked the 85th most conservative representative during 2011.

Percentage voting with party

November 2011

The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Vicky Hartzler voted with the Republican Party 93.8% of the time, which ranked 79th among the 242 House Republican members in November 2011.

Personal

Vicky and her husband, Lowell, run a diversified farming operation and are owners of Hartzler Equipment Company with store locations in Harrisonville, Nevada, and Lamar. The Hartzlers live with their daughter, Tiffany, near Harrisonville, Missouri.

Recent news

This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Vicky + Hartzler + Missouri + House

All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.

Vicky Hartzler News Feed

• Rising consumer demands aids organic industry sway - KXAN.com
• Public Invited To Ceremonies At Cemeteries - Mdcp.nwaonline.com
• Lawmakers want to spear catfish inspection program - The Hill (blog)
• Hartzler and House vote on behalf of working families - El Dorado Springs Sun
• It's high time other workers should get flex time - Springfield News-Leader
• House Agriculture Committee passes new farm bill - Agri-Pulse
• Vicky Hartzler's View from the Capitol - Waynesville Daily Guide
• House panel's Farm Bill would remove catfish inspection from USDA - AgraNet (subscription)
• Organic Food Industry Gains Clout On Capitol Hill, Causing Tensions Within ... - Huffington Post
• IRS scrutiny of Tea Party groups drawing heat - STLtoday.com

External links

• Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler official U.S. House site
• Vicky Hartzler for U.S. Congress official campaign site

• Social media:
  • Twitter
• Biographies:
  • U.S. Congress
  • NNDB
  • Wikipedia
• Political profiles:
  • GovTrack
  • National Journal
  • OpenCongress
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Roll Call
  • CongressMerge
• Financial:
  • FEC
  • OpenSecrets.org
  • LegiStorm.com
• Interest group ratings:
  • National Journal
  • Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions:
  • On The Issues
  • Project Vote Smart
• Legislation:
  • Congress.gov
• Public statements:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Voting record:
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Washington Post
• Media appearances:
  • C-SPAN
• Media coverage:
  • Washington Post

References

Political offices
Preceded by Ike Skelton	United States House of Representatives - District 4 2011–Present	Succeeded by '
Preceded by Gene Olson	Missouri House of Representatives - District 124 1995–2001	Succeeded by Rex Rector