Jack Hoogendyk has been a long-time leader for core conservative principles. After serving as National Sales and Marketing Manager with a Fortune 500 company, Jack spent seven years as the Executive Director of a faith-based non-profit organization. In 2000, Jack ran for public office as a limited-government conservative. He was elected to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners and in 2002, brought those beliefs to the state level as a representative in Michigan legislature.
During his six years as a state Representative, Jack distinguished himself as a solid conservative. He never voted for a tax increase and was twice named "most conservative" lawmaker in Michigan. He is known for introducing and fighting for key pieces of legislation, including TABOR (taxpayer bill of rights), right-to-work legislation, implementation of a part-time legislature, making English the official state language, and government transparency legislation, requiring all government agencies to post their budgets and spending online. He was one of only four lawmakers (out of 148) to vote against a $1.4 billion spending increase following a $1.5 billion tax increase, (which he also voted against).
In addition to his proactive fight for conservative values in the legislature, Jack has remained an active statesman at the grassroots level as well. Over the last several years he has provided strong support to citizen’s initiative measures, including ballot initiatives to prohibit partial-birth abortion, a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage, and the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.
Currently, Jack is the Director of the Citizens’ Alliance for Life and Liberty, a 501-c-4 non-profit with a goal to defend and protect the God-given right to life, liberty and property. He is also leading the Michigan Freedom to Work Coalition working to pass legislation to make Michigan a right-to-work state. Jack also chairs monthly meetings of the Center-Right Coalition, attended by 50-70 lawmakers, tea party leaders, staffers and lobbyists who come to learn what can be done to limit government. Jack has traveled the state extensively spreading the message of limited government and Constitutional principles. He also writes an online newsletter called “Core Principles” read by over 8,000 subscribers statewide, teaches political science and Constitution classes to home school students, and writes a political opinion and news blog.
Jack resides in Texas Township (Kalamazoo) with his wife Erin and their youngest son, Benjamin. He is active in his community and church. Jack and Erin also have four married children and 10 grandchildren.