GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga leans on business background, in tight Michigan reelection battle

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Voters in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District are taking a closer look at the candidates competing to represent the state in Washington as tight polling turns the race into a high-stakes battle for both parties.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who has represented Southwest and West Michigan in Congress since 2011, is defending his seat against Democratic challenger Sean McCann, a state senator from Kalamazoo.

Huizenga, a third-generation small business owner, is campaigning on his deep business roots and a bipartisan focus on tackling the national debt. First elected to Congress in 2010 after serving in the state House, Huizenga highlights his work as co-chair of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum—a group he notes was intentionally given the acronym "BFF."

"It's a bipartisan group, equally between Republicans and Democrats who are concerned about our debt and our deficit," Huizenga said.

During his tenure in Washington, Huizenga said he has pushed for tax relief designed to put money directly back into working families' paychecks. Pointing to tax proposals targeting overtime, tips, and retirement income, Huizenga stressed the importance of lowering everyday tax burdens.

"What that did is it said, if you're making overtime, we're not going to tax you on that. If you are dependent on tips, you're not going to get taxed on that," Huizenga said. "Seniors aren't going to have their Social Security taxed."

Huizenga also points to outside nonpartisan rankings to emphasize his effectiveness in passing legislation, citing reports that named him the most effective member of Michigan’s congressional delegation. He attributes that recognition to his ability to work across party lines.

Looking ahead, Huizenga is advocating for a bipartisan fiscal commission aimed at balancing the federal budget and capping the national debt relative to economic growth.

"Ultimately, what I'd love to do is to have our U.S. federal budget balanced," Huizenga said. "We've got to make sure that we are spending less than what our economy is growing, and if we can wrestle that to the ground, that will help us tremendously."

For Huizenga, the campaign centers on fiscal discipline and economic stability.

"At the end of the day, I want to make sure that we have a healthy economy that is putting more money back in your pocket," Huizenga said. "I want to make sure that your tax dollars are being respected, and I want to make sure that government is working for you, not against you."