Victoria Spartz

Victoria Spartz (née Kulheyko; Ukrainian: Вікторія Кульгейко, romanized: Viktoriya Kul'heyko;[1] born October 6, 1978) is an American politician and businesswoman who is the U.S. representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. The district stretches from the northern fifth of Indianapolis to Marion and includes most of Indianapolis's northern suburbs.[2] She previously represented the 20th district in the Indiana Senate.[3]

Victoria Spartz
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 5th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded bySusan Brooks
Member of the Indiana Senate
from the 20th district
In office
October 1, 2017 – November 17, 2020
Preceded byLuke Kenley
Succeeded byScott Baldwin
Personal details
Born
Viktoriya Kulheyko

(1978-10-06) October 6, 1978
Nosivka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Jason Spartz
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2
EducationKyiv National Economic University (BS, MBA)
Indiana University, Indianapolis (MAcc)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life and education

Victoria Kulheyko was born in Nosivka, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Ukraine).[4][5][6] Before moving to the U.S., she earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kyiv National Economic University. She also earned a Master of Accountancy from the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.[7]

While Kulheyko was in college, she met her future husband, Jason Spartz, on a train in Europe and began dating him.[8] They married in 2000.[9] Victoria Spartz immigrated to the United States in 2000 at the age of 22 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006.[10][11][12]

Early career

Spartz was a founding member of the Hamilton County, Indiana, Tea Party.[13] Before her appointment to the Indiana Senate, she served as CFO in the office of Indiana Attorney General.[14] She was also an adjunct faculty member at the Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis,[15] and she has owned real estate and farming businesses.[16]

Spartz was appointed to the Indiana Senate from the 20th district in 2017 after Luke Kenley resigned.[17]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana § District 5

After incumbent Republican Susan Brooks announced in June 2019 that she would not seek reelection, Spartz announced her candidacy for Indiana's 5th congressional district. She won the Republican primary on June 2, 2020.[18] The district had historically been a bastion of suburban conservatism, but had been heavily targeted by Democrats in the wake of Brooks's retirement and Donald Trump's growing unpopularity in suburban areas. The Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up.[19]

Spartz won the November general election, defeating former state representative Christina Hale, the Democratic nominee, by four percent.[20][21][22] This was the closest race in the district since it was reconfigured as a northern suburban district in 1983 (it had been numbered the 6th until 2003), and only the second time in that period that a Democrat had received at least 40% of the vote.[23][24] Spartz prevailed by winning her home county of Hamilton, the most populous county entirely within the district, by 20,100 votes, more than her districtwide margin of just under 17,000 votes.[25] She ran just behind Trump, who won the district with 50.1% of the vote.[26]

Indiana's 5th congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Victoria Spartz 208,212 50.0
Democratic Christina Hale 191,226 45.9
Libertarian Ken Tucker 16,788 4.0
Total votes 416,226 100.0
Republican hold

Tenure

Spartz is the first Ukrainian-born female member of Congress and the first member born in a former Soviet republic.[5][27][4] At least two past members of Congress were born in the then-Russian Empire, Herman Kopplemann and Herman Toll.[28]

In late 2020, Spartz was identified as a participant in the Freedom Force, a group of incoming Republican members of the House of Representatives who "say they're fighting against socialism in America".[29][30][31][32]

Iraq

In June 2021, Spartz was one of 49 House Republicans who voted to repeal the AUMF against Iraq.[33][34]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

Spartz called the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine "a genocide of the Ukrainian people by a crazy man."[35] At the time of the invasion, Spartz had family still living in Ukraine, including her grandmother, who was living in Chernihiv, which was under siege by Russia.[36]

Committee assignments

Caucus membership

Personal life

Spartz married her husband, Jason Spartz, in 2000. They have two daughters[9] and live in Noblesville, Indiana.[7]

See also

References
  1. Bozhok, Snizhana (November 12, 2020). "Вікторія Спартц: як українка потрапила в Конгрес і до чого тут потяг у Москву". BBC News Ukrainian (in Ukrainian).
  2. "Republican Victoria Spartz wins Indiana's 5th Congressional District race". indystar.com. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  3. "List of All Offices and Office Holders". Capitolandwashington.com. March 5, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  4. "FIRST TIME IN HISTORY A UKRAINE-BORN PERSON WILL SERVE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS - VICTORIA SPARTZ, INDIANA'S 5th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT". www.usubc.org.
  5. "The first Ukrainian-born member of Congress". The Ukrainian Weekly.
  6. "Американська сенаторка родом із Носівки". golos.com.ua. July 31, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  7. Lange, Kaitlin (May 31, 2020). "Republicans try to stand out in crowded Indiana 5th District race". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. Retrieved January 1, 2021. Bachelor's degree in international economics and master's degree in business administration from the National University of Economics in Ukraine, professional accountancy master's degree from Indiana University Indianapolis.
  8. Schultz, Marisa. Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz, raised in Soviet country, says it's 'crazy' for Americans to want socialism here, FOX News, December 28, 2020.
  9. Lange, Kaitlin (August 27, 2020). "How Victoria Spartz's Ukrainian roots influence her conservative values". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  10. "One on One with Senator Victoria Spartz". Hamiltoncountybusiness.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  11. "Immigrant proud to be American on this day". The Times. Noblesville, Indiana. January 19, 2017. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018.
  12. "Victoria Spartz". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  13. Bowden, John. Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05), The Hill, November 30, 2020.
  14. "CFO for Indiana Attorney General's office takes over Sen. Luke Kenley's seat - Indiana Economic Digest". Indianaeconomicdigest.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  15. "Ukrainian immigrant Spartz picked to replace Kenley in Senate". Ibj.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  16. "Indiana Legislator Database". Legdb.iga.in.gov. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  17. Sikich, Chris (September 7, 2017). "Republicans make surprise pick to replace Sen. Luke Kenley". Indystar.com. Retrieved November 30, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. "Indiana Primary Election Results: Fifth Congressional District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  19. Wasserman, David (October 8, 2020). "October House Overview: Democrats Poised to Expand Majority". The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  20. Stabile, Angelica (November 9, 2020). "13 GOP women join the House, dominating congressional elections, making history". FOX News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  21. Gibson, Kaitlin Lange and London. "Republican Victoria Spartz wins Indiana's 5th Congressional District race". The Indianapolis Star.
  22. "Republican Spartz wins hard-fought Indiana US House race". Associated Press. November 4, 2020.
  23. "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page".
  24. "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page".
  25. Election results from CNN
  26. Presidential election results by congressional district from Daily Kos
  27. Schultz, Marisa (December 26, 2020). "Rep.-elect Victoria Spartz, raised in Soviet country, says it's 'crazy' for Americans to want socialism here". Fox News.
  28. Andrews, Eliza Collins and Natalie (March 5, 2022). "GOP's Victoria Spartz, Born in Ukraine, Aims to Step Up U.S. Response to Russia". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  29. Jankowicz, Mia (November 30, 2020). "A group of incoming GOP House members, calling themselves the 'Freedom Force,' are trying to counter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Squad'". Business Insider. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  30. Parrott, Jeff (December 29, 2020). "GOP's 'Freedom Force' members say they are ready to take on the 'socialist Squad'". Deseret News. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  31. Parke, Caleb (December 1, 2020). "GOP Congresswoman-elect on forming 'Freedom Force': Left is 'totally out of line' with mainstream". Fox News. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  32. Noor, Poppy (November 30, 2020). "The 'Freedom Force': Republican group takes on the Squad and 'evil' socialism". the Guardian. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  33. Shabad, Rebecca (June 17, 2021). "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization". NBC News. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  34. "HR 256 To repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002: Final Vote Results for Roll Call 172". Clerk of House of Representatives. June 17, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  35. Griffiths, Brent D. (March 1, 2022). "Ukrainian-American Rep. Victoria Spartz makes an emotional plea for stronger US action: 'This is a genocide of the Ukrainian people by a crazy man'". Business Insider. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  36. Rafford, Claire (March 2, 2022). "Rep. Victoria Spartz delivers emotional speech as Russia wages war on Ukraine". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  37. "Foxx Welcomes Committee Members Recommended for 117th Congress". Committee on Education & Labor Republicans. January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  38. "Ranking Member Jordan Welcomes Members to House Judiciary Committee for the 117th Congress". House Judiciary Committee Republicans. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  39. "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
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