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Randy Niemeyer told Fox News Digital Rep. Frank Mrvan’s voting record is ‘more with the far left’ than it is with those he represents

By Kyle Morris, Fox News – Published May 28th, 2024

FIRST ON FOX: A Republican looking to flip a House seat from blue to red in Indiana says his Democratic challenger has abandoned the “hardworking” constituents of his district and aligned himself with “the far left” and the “D.C. political machine” after joining Congress more than three years ago.

Randy Niemeyer, the Republican nominee to represent Indiana’s 1st Congressional District in the House, will face off against incumbent Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan in the state’s general election later this year.

“Currently, Frank Mrvan’s voting record is more with the far left than it is with these hardworking, middle-class, conservative-natured people in his district. He doesn’t do a lot that’s representative of that,” Niemeyer told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Mrvan’s voting record, according to Niemeyer, proves the votes he takes in Washington do not align with the aspirations of those in the Hoosier State’s 1st District.

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“Frank has really aligned himself with the D.C. political machine and become very well ingrained in that and has forgotten that his district is not being represented right now by his votes the way it should be and can be,” he said.

Niemeyer also said he rarely sees Mrvan interacting with or listening to his constituents in the district, unless it’s for a public appearance or speaking event.

“If there’s a parade or an opportunity to speak somewhere, he always takes advantage of that. If there’s a ribbon cutting for some project that was funded by the infrastructure bill or the Inflation Reduction Act… he shows up to those things, too,” he said of Mrvan. “But I don’t see a lot of him or hear a lot of him just interacting within the community and being places where people are to listen and to learn and to make sure that he’s connected to the grassroots and really to the boots on the ground that pay the taxes and pay the freight for this country.”

Mrvan won election to Congress in 2020, defeating his GOP challenger, Mark Leyva, by nearly 53,000 votes. He was re-elected to his post in the 2022 cycle, defeating Jennifer-Ruth Green by a little more than 12,000 votes.

Niemeyer previously served for 12 years, 10 as president, on the Cedar Lake Town Council. That experience, along with the lessons he learned from it, is something he often reflects on as he seeks to earn trust and support from voters ahead of the general election.

“I think one of the biggest things that we can do in government service comes back to my 16 years in local government, where we’re really connected to the people, and we make sure that the folks that we represent, the work that we do, is truly on their behalf,” he said.

Niemeyer, who defeated his Republican challengers in the state’s May 7 primary election, has spent his entire life in Northwest Indiana and has been hauling milk for his family’s trucking business for nearly 30 years.

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Pointing to his upbringing, his work ethic, and his combined 16 years of local government experience, Niemeyer said he shares “a lot of the same struggles” that those in his district have.

“I’ve driven three million miles behind the wheel of a tractor trailer. I run a small business. I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. The business I run operates on slim to no margins at times. I have college debt that I’m going to be paying for my daughter,” he said. “We’ve got those similar life experiences.”

“I still drive a truck,” he added. “I like to give perspective to people that I’m out there working with them. I’m sweating with them. We’re doing the blue-collar work. We’re helping to feed this country and that perspective, I think, separates me from Frank, who has just gone along with the farthest left of his party most of the time.”

Though he has family members that have public service experience, Niemeyer said his greatest influence in posing a challenge to Mrvan comes from an individual “who never had her name on a campaign sign anywhere.”

“My grandmother was a 35-year cafeteria worker at a local school, and she passed away a year after her retirement from cancer,” recalled Niemeyer, who was 16 years old at the time of her death. “We had over 1,100 people come through the line at multiple wakes that we had for her who told similar stories of how she would take money out of her own purse and put it in the cash register so a kid would have a hot meal that might not have a hot meal at home.”

“Those people told me these stories, and it really inspired, for me, a real knowledge of what true public service meant,” he added.

Niemeyer will face off against Mrvan, as well as three independent candidates, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Dan Carden – NWITimes.com – May 25, 2024

The Republican seeking to represent Northwest Indiana in Congress is taking a unique approach to highlight his blue collar bona fides as he tries to end more than nine decades of Democratic control of the Hoosier State’s 1st Congressional District.

Lake County Councilman Randy Niemeyer, R-Cedar Lake, since December has posted nearly two dozen short videos on social media platforms that typically feature Niemeyer speaking from behind the wheel of a milk tanker truck as he delivers milk from dairy farms to dairy processors across the Midwest.

It’s a familiar seat for Niemeyer, who has logged more than 3 million miles over 28 years hauling for Niemeyer Milk Transfer Inc., a fourth-generation family business.

But, like many 24/7 operations, it’s hardly a glamorous life. Niemeyer’s earliest “Randy on the Road” videos show him waiting to make milk deliveries on cold winter nights at cheese plants in Wisconsin, Chicago and elsewhere, including on Christmas Eve, the day after Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

“Dairy farming and livestock farming goes 365 days a year. There’s never a break,” Niemeyer said. “Remember: While you’re enjoying your food someone is producing it, someone is hauling it, someone has to be at these plants to manufacture it and someone is selling it. So give a shout out to all those people.”

Niemeyer is hopeful that populist message resonates in a Region where hard work and long hours are a way of life for many — in contrast to the serious and silly policies, and sometimes outlandish personalities, for which the current Congress is known.

“Ask yourself a question: How many members of your Congress, who are serving right now, are doing the work that I’m doing right now? I can answer that question. None. I’m the only one,” Niemeyer said in his Dec. 26, 2023, video.

“If you want to elect someone that’s like you, that works at all times day and night, and who will work very hard the same way I do now, once elected, you’ve found your guy.”

Niemeyer’s videos aren’t just campaign ads, however. He also takes time to celebrate National Milk Day (Jan. 11) and National Pizza Day (Feb. 9), praises the hearty breakfasts and insightful conversations on offer at Main Street Cafe in Crown Point, and urges high school students to consider pursuing careers in the carpenters’ union and other building trades.

Subtly connecting each of the videos is Niemeyer emphasizing to the viewer that “we have a whole bunch in common” — even if he is a Republican — “and your perspective in Washington needs to be represented.”

“My family has been deeply invested in this community, in Northwest Indiana, for many years. We’re blue collar people, we’re hard working. We do work that matters, just like you do. That perspective is important to be represented in Washington D.C. I’ll bring that with me when I vote on bills, when I legislate. It’s not always just about party. It needs to be about you. That’s what you get when you elect me to the U.S. Congress,” he said.

The former 12-year member and president of the Cedar Lake Town Council easily won the Republican nomination for Northwest Indiana’s U.S. House seat by defeating perennial candidates Mark Leyva and Ben Ruiz at the May 7 primary election.

In the days leading up to the primary, and certainly afterward, Niemeyer’s videos increasingly have touched on specific policy issues and delivered pointed criticisms of U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, the two-term incumbent and former 15-year trustee of Lake County’s North Township.

For example, Niemeyer claims Democratic President Joe Biden and his congressional allies, including Mrvan, welcome the recent surge in illegal immigration because it reduces job opportunities and pushes down wages for American workers.

“It’s kind of interesting that our president and my opponent this fall, the current congressman, say that they’re creating an economy for everyone,” Niemeyer said.

“When really the top 1% has about $150 trillion in wealth — the most ever — while personal savings accounts are at an all time low, 8.4 million people according to the Bureau of Labor (Statistics) are working two jobs … just to make ends meet, credit card debt is at $1.1 trillion, household debt is at $12 trillion, non-household debt at $4 trillion. I would say that this economy is not working for most people.”

Niemeyer does not specify in his short videos how he would turn those economic conditions around. Among his few specific policy prescriptions is defunding the IRS because he claims 63% of recent audits targeted “middle class” Americans earning less than $200,000 a year.

“Isn’t it great to know that your government is looking out for you?” he asked sarcastically.

Niemeyer also said May 19 that he’s committed to changing how the U.S. Census has counted the population of the United States since the Founding Fathers organized the first census in 1790.

Specifically, instead of tallying “all persons” residing in the United States as the Constitution directs, Niemeyer wants separate counts of U.S. citizens and all other individuals living in the country, including legal permanent residents, and only citizens used as the basis of state population counts for U.S. House seats and electoral college votes.

“So if we ever have to wonder what’s behind some of this open-border policy of the Biden administration, let’s take a look at where the illegal immigrants are being welcomed. These are blue states that look to gain more influence and they’re utilizing our open borders to do so,” Niemeyer said.

It’s unclear why Niemeyer believes there still will be a need to change a 240-year-old rule for counting the population by the time the 2030 Census rolls around, since Republican former President Donald Trump has pledged to “quickly” roundup and relocate anyone living in the United States without legal permission if he’s elected at the Nov. 5 general election.

Nevertheless, Niemeyer said if he’s elected alongside Trump he will, on this issue, “bring some common sense back to Washington.”

“You’re losing your voice due to these policies. It’s time to stand up and be counted,” he said.

Meanwhile, Democrats insist no matter how much Niemeyer tries to turn his lifelong anti-worker, anti-abortion Republicanism into some kind of blue collar populism, Mrvan is the only candidate in the race working to deliver for Northwest Indiana families.

“Whether it’s bringing job-creating investments to the district, standing in solidarity with workers and organized labor, or lowering costs for families, no one puts their head down and gets to work like Congressman Frank Mrvan. While Frank’s top priority is making it easier for the middle class to get ahead, Randy Niemeyer has spent his career putting his own profits and power over workers,” said Suzan DelBene, chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

For Immediate Release
May 21, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – Today, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican nominee for Indiana’s First District condemned Rep. Frank Mrvan’s vote against the Israel Security Assistance Support Act which compels the delivery of aid and services to Israel and reaffirms the right that Israel has the right to defend itself in the face of terrorist threats:

“Time and time again, Mrvan has turned his back on our allies in favor of the most radical wing of his party. He’s taken contributions from the billionaire megadonors funding the antisemitic protests on campuses across the country, has voted against Iron Dome funding three times, voted against censuring Rashida Tlaib for her antisemitic comments, and now as Israel faces threats from neighboring terrorist organizations, Mrvan voted against providing them the support they need to defend themselves. This pattern of behavior puts Israeli lives at risk and emboldens the terrorist groups who seek to do us harm. Northwest Indiana deserves leadership who will stand strong with our allies in the face of terrorists.” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
May 9, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – The Biden administration is waging war on our energy sector and Frank Mrvan is happy to be Biden’s foot soldier. In January, even after the Biden Administration backed off their extreme gas stove ban, Frank Mrvan voted in favor of banning them.

This week, he voted against H.R.6192, The Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act which would’ve forced the Department of Energy to consider the cost-effectiveness of new regulatory standards on home appliances, including how it would impact low-income families. Republican Congressional Nominee in IN-01, Randy Niemeyer, issued the following statement”:

“For Frank Mrvan, the long arm of government knows no bounds and he doesn’t care about how it might impact costs for working and middle-class Hoosiers.  He is coming from your dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and gas stove. We have to end the ridiculous government overreach into our everyday lives,” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
May 7, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Crown Point – Following his victory in the Indiana Republican primary election, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican Congressional Nominee for Indiana’s First District issued the following statement:

“I am deeply honored to accept the nomination as the Republican candidate for Indiana’s 1st Congressional District. This victory belongs to everyone who has stood by my side throughout this journey, and we are only getting started. As we look ahead to November, let us remember that the real work begins now. It’s time to roll up our sleeves, unite together, and do the hard work necessary to deliver true representation for every Hoosier in Northwest Indiana. Let’s work together to secure the border, protect good paying jobs, & the steel industry, and tackle the rising cost of living,” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
May 6, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – Following the recent news uncovering that Pro-Palestinian protesters are backed by some of President Biden and Rep. Frank Mrvan, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican Congressional candidate for Indiana’s First District called on Rep. Frank Mrvan to refuse the donations:

“It has come to light that the recent protests that have turned violent on campuses across the country have received the financial backing of donors backing Joe Biden and Frank Mrvan. The Tides Foundation, funded by Susan Pritzker, has supported the Adalah Justice Project which has been involved in protests at Columbia University and Palestine Legal, a legal defense fund that offers legal assistance to “students mobilizing against genocide.” Susan Pritzker has donated $6,600 to the Biden Victory Fund and $2,000 to Rep. Frank Mrvan.

“I call upon Rep. Mrvan to decline any contributions from any anti-Israel-aligned groups and donors. Hoosiers deserve a representative in Congress who will stand firmly against violent demonstrations of antisemitism and reject the influence of those who seek to undermine the security of one of our strongest allies,” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
May 3rd, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – Today, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican Congressional candidate for Indiana’s First District condemned the recent antisemitic protests on college campuses across the country and expressed disappointment over President Biden’s delayed response, and Rep. Frank Mrvan’s silence on the issue:

“The disruption we are seeing on our college campuses has to stop. Every student has the right to feel safe as they pursue an education. Calling for the destruction of our country is despicable. Biden’s words are too little too late, and Frank Mrvan’s silence is unacceptable. It’s unbecoming of a member of Congress to accept donations from anti-Israel aligned groups and then stay silent as our campuses are taken over by those violently supporting terrorist groups and advocating for the demise of our country and our allies,” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
April 25, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – Today, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican Congressional candidate for Indiana’s First District called out Rep. Frank Mrvan’s vote against the H.R.3602, intending to prohibit the intentional hindering of immigration, border and customs controls:

“Rep. Mrvan’s track record on border security is abysmal. Teaming up with Biden, he’s overseen the worst border crisis in our nation’s history. Rather than fixing the mess he helped create, Mrvan doubled down, rejecting vital legislation designed to protect Hoosiers and secure our borders. His hyper-partisan loyalty to Joe Biden’s radical agenda is putting our security at risk,” stated Niemeyer.

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For Immediate Release
April 19, 2024
Contact: Kyle Walsh
[email protected]

Cedar Lake – Following the latest escalation of Middle East tensions, Randy Niemeyer, Lake County Councilman and Republican Congressional candidate for Indiana’s First District urged support for our ally and criticized Rep. Frank Mrvan for his repeated abandonment of Israel:

“I stand unequivocally with Israel in the face of escalating threats. Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks is non-negotiable. We must ensure unwavering support for our strongest ally in the Middle East. Yet time and time again, Frank Mrvan has shown that his allegiances lie with radical antisemites, whether it’s voting against censuring Rashida Tlaib’s antisemitic comments, accepting funding from anti-Israel groups, or voting against funding for Israel’s Defense system three times, Mrvan has turned his back on our friends in their time of need,” stated Niemeyer.

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