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Tonya Schuitmaker

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Tonya Schuitmaker
President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate
In office
January 12, 2011 – January 9, 2019
Preceded byRandy Richardville
Succeeded byAric Nesbitt
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 26th district
In office
January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2019
Preceded byTom George
Succeeded byAric Nesbitt
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 80th district
20th district (2011–2014)
In office
January 1, 2005 – January 1, 2011
Preceded byMary Ann Middaugh
Succeeded byAric Nesbitt
Personal details
Born (1968-03-10) March 10, 1968 (age 56)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSteve Mucci
EducationMichigan State University (BA, JD)

Tonya Schuitmaker (born March 10, 1968) is an American politician. She is a member of the Republican party who represented the 26th district of the Michigan Senate from 2011 to 2018. She was the President Pro Tempore of the Senate for the duration of her term in office.[1]

Prior to her election to the Senate, she served three terms in the Michigan State House of Representatives. She was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2004, 2006, and 2008. In that time she represented Michigan's 80th House District, which included Van Buren County, the city of Otsego, and the townships of Otsego and Watson in Allegan County.

She was a candidate for Attorney General of Michigan in the 2018 election.[2]

Education

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Schuitmaker graduated in 1986 from Mattawan High School. She earned a B.A. in business from Michigan State University in 1990 and a J.D. from the Detroit College of Law in 1993.

Professional career

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Schuitmaker was a partner in her family's law firm of Schuitmaker, Cooper and Schuitmaker.[3] At her family's firm, Schuitmaker focused on estate, family, business and governmental law. She is licensed to practice law in Michigan, Florida, and Illinois. Prior to her election to the Michigan House of Representatives, Schuitmaker unsuccessfully ran for an open Van Buren County Circuit Judge seat in 1996.

Community involvement

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Schuitmaker has served on the State of Michigan Board of Medicine, the Van Buren Community Mental Health Board, and the Intercare Community Health Network. She is also a member of the Van Buren County Community Corrections Advisory Board. Schuitmaker is involved with the Paw Paw Rotary, the Paw Paw Optimist Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Farm Bureau. She has also served as president of the Van Buren County Republican Women and as Vice-Chair for Van Buren County Republicans. Schuitmaker was named a 2014 Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow.[4]

Personal life

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Schuitmaker, her husband Steve, and their two children, Jordan and Savina, live in Lawton, Michigan.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tonya Schuitmaker selected president pro tem of the incoming Michigan Senate". 2010-11-09.
  2. ^ "State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker announces candidacy for Michigan attorney general". 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  3. ^ Gazette, Paula M. Davis | Kalamazoo (2010-07-11). "Tonya Schuitmaker: An attorney who emphasizes experience, collaboration". mlive. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  4. ^ "About the Rodel Fellowship Program".
[edit]
Michigan House of Representatives
Preceded by
Mary Ann Middaugh
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 80th district

2005–2011
Succeeded by
Michigan Senate
Preceded by Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 20th district

2011–2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 26th district

2015–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate
2011–2019
Succeeded by