Stutzman is a fourth-generation farmer who grew up on a farm located in both St. Joseph County, Michigan and LaGrange County, Indiana. He graduated from Lake Area Christian High School located in Sturgis, Michigan in 1994. He attended Glen Oaks Community College and Tri-State University, currently known as Trine University. He did not graduate from either school. As co-owner with his father, Albert, he runs Stutzman Farms, farming in the Michiana area. He is also owner of Stutzman Farms Trucking.
First elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2002 at the age of 26, Stutzman served as the youngest member of the legislature until 2006. In 2009, he was elected to the Indiana Senate representing the 13th district. He ran for the Republican nomination for the 2010 U.S. Senate election in a bid to replace retiring incumbent Evan Bayh. ;Committees
Stutzman was elected in a November 2, 2010 special election to fill the rest of resigning Representative Mark Souder's term. He was simultaneously elected to a full two-year term to expire in 2013.
Political positions
Stutzman consistently received 90% ratings or above from the Chamber of Commerce and other small business associations for his support of pro-business legislation. In 2008 he won the Small Business Champion Award from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. He was cited as a Taxpayer Friendly State Legislators by Indiana WatchDog an independent, volunteer organization. He served as the ranking member of the Indiana State Senate Utilities and Technology Committee and helped to pass alternative energy incentive legislation in Indiana. In 2006 he served as the chairman of the Indiana Public Policy Committee taking strong stands for conservative values on controversial issues.
Government waste
Stutzman advocates for more accountability in state government operations. He co-authored a bill to establish the Hoosier Grace Commission which passed in 2003. The commission helped eliminate wasteful state government spending and has brought fraud and/or scandals to public awareness.
Education
Stutzman authored a bill that required more money to go directly to the classroom. The bill was instrumental in paying back the $600 million that was owed by state government to schools, and increased funding for students six years in a row.
In Congress, Stutzman has opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In September 2013, he advocated attaching a measure defunding the Act to must-pass legislation funding the federal government. After the government subsequently shut down, Stutzman remarked that the issue at stake was no longer merely the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and Republicans would need some concession in order to reopen the government.
Stutzman ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by incumbent Evan Bayh. He lost to former U.S. Senator Dan Coats in the primary.
2010 U.S. House campaign
Incumbent U.S. Representative Mark Souder resigned after admitting to an affair. This event occurred after he won the Republican primary on May 4. On June 12, Republicans from Indiana's third district met in Columbia City to choose Souder's replacement. Stutzman won decisively on the second ballot. He defeated the Democratic candidate in both the general election and the special election to fill the remainder of Souder's term.
2012 U.S. House campaign
Stutzman defeated his Democratic opponent Kevin Boyd by a 67%–33% margin.
2014 U.S. House campaign
Stutzman defeated his Democratic opponent Justin Kuhnle by 66% - 27% margin. Libertarian candidate Scott Wise received 7%.
2016 U.S. Senate campaign
Stutzman ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2016. He was endorsed by the Club for Growth and Senator Rand Paul. Stutzman was defeated by fellow Republican Todd Young in the primary election.
Electoral history
Personal life
Stutzman and his wife, Christy, have two sons, Payton and Preston. On May 8, 2018, Christy Stutzman won the Republican primary to represent Indiana's 49th State House district. On November 6, 2018, Christy was elected to the State House.
