Peter DeGraaf (born April 11, 1957) is a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
former member of the
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafti ...
, representing District 82 from 2008 to May 31, 2017. He resigned from the state House on May 31, 2017, due to complications with Parkinson's disease.
Prior to his election to the House, DeGraaf served as Gore Township
precinct committeeman
A precinct captain, also known as a precinct chairman, precinct delegate, precinct committee officer or precinct committeeman, is an elected official in the American political party system. The office establishes a direct link between a political ...
,
treasurer for Ray LaBoeuf for Senate, and chairman of the
Sumner County Republican Central Committee. DeGraaf is a 1979 graduate of the
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
and an associate pastor at Faith Community Church.
Issue positions
DeGraaf's website says that he is a "Conservative Republican: who believes in "lower taxes, less government, family values, better education," and "financial common sense."
DeGraaf supports restricting abortion coverage. During May 12, 2011 House debates, DeGraaf supported restrictions of health insurance coverage for abortions, including disallowing coverage for abortions in the case of rape unless the woman had purchased separate "abortion only-policies." When Rep. Barbara Bollier, a Mission Hills Republican who supports abortion rights, questioned whether women would buy abortion-only policies long before they have crisis or unwanted pregnancies or are rape victims, DeGraaf asked "We do need to plan ahead, don't we, in life?" When Bollier questioned whether a woman should be expected to plan ahead in life for the possibility of being raped and becoming pregnant, DeGraaf responded: "I have spare tire on my car. I also have life insurance. I have a lot of things that I plan ahead for."
Committee membership
* Appropriations
* General Government Budget
* Financial Institutions
* Insurance
Sponsored legislation
* H 2084 Cities; annexation; strip annexations restricted. March 17, 2009
* H 2150 Property taxation; 2% limit on valuation increases. February 27, 2009
* H 5014 Expanded rail service; Kansas City to Fort Worth, Texas; congratulating Kansas Department of Transportation and others; urging action. March 17, 2009
Major donors
The top 5 donors to DeGraaf's 2008 campaign were:
Follow the Money – 2008 Campaign Contributions
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# 4th District Republican Central Committee $1,250
# Kansas Republican Party $1,250
# Kansas Independent Business PAC $1,000
# First Intermark Corporation $1,000
# Koch Industries
Koch Industries, Inc. ( ) is an American privately held multinational conglomerate corporation based in Wichita, Kansas and is the second-largest privately held company in the United States, after Cargill. Its subsidiaries are involved in the ...
$1,000
References
External links
*
*
Project Vote Smart profile
Kansas Votes profile
State Surge – Legislative and voting track record
* Campaign contributions
2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Degraaf, Peter
Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives
Living people
United States Air Force Academy alumni
1957 births
21st-century American politicians