Biography:

Stephen E. Buyer (pronounced BOO-yer) was born in Rensselaer, Ind., and resides in Monticello, Ind. He earned a bachelor's degree from The Citadel in South Carolina in 1980 and received an officer's commission into the medical service corps of the Army.

A delay from active duty allowed him to return to Indiana and earn his law degree at Valparaiso University in 1984.

After returning to active duty, he served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he was assigned to be a special assistant to the U.S. attorney in Virginia. From that role, he litigated more than 1,500 civil and criminal cases.

After leaving active duty, he returned to Indiana and worked as a deputy state attorney general and counsel to the Indiana Commodity and Warehouse Licensing Agency.

He left in 1988 to open his own law practice in Monticello, Ind.

On active reserve status, Buyer was called up in the fall of 1990 to serve in the Persian Gulf. He served as legal counsel for the 22nd Theater Army in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Buyer provided legal advice to combat service support commanders in the combat zones in Saudi Arabia, southern Iraq and Kuwait. He also served as the U.S. armed forces' legal adviser at the Western Enemy Prisoner of War Camps and worked as a U.S. liaison to the international Red Cross to ensure humane treatment of displaced civilians.

He was awarded the Bronze Star and nominated for the Humanitarian Service Medal. He continues to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.

He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992.

Buyer and his wife, Joni, have two children.

Past Campaigns:

Steve Buyer was elected to the U.S. House in 1992 with 51 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent Democrat James Jontz. He was re-elected in 1994 with 70 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat J.D. Beatty. In 1996, he was re-elected with 65 percent of the vote against Democrat Douglas Clark.

In 1998, Buyer won a fourth term, defeating Democrat David Steele with 63 percent of the vote. In 2000, he was re-elected with 61 percent of the vote.

Buyer won the May 2002 GOP primary with 55 percent of the vote. In the only Indiana primary featuring two incumbent congressmen, Buyer spent more than $800,000 in defeating Rep. Brian Kerns in the newly drawn 4th District. The district includes all or parts of 12 counties in a vertical swath of western Indiana.

Buyer went on to win the general election with 71 percent of the vote.

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