The body so I'm really proud of that. I left and Governor and I work together for service or legislative director. It was in a really important to kind of mature history Dunn's head and have control of those bodies from 40 years ago 45 or 40 years of facets so my job was to try to get as much done in a very short period of time. I'm very proud of all the things that were accomplished in
six months you know, the restrict the restoration workers rights. Getting rid of them large expansion, while also creating more jobs in our communities, getting investments in the future, the auto industry jobs that are being built. And finally, what the budget of equalization funding for the first time was a lot of investments that were lagging behind in our Legislature for years. So it was a fun six months. It was chaotic,
doesn't say sounds busy.
It was very busy. I will tell you that. People would ask me I gotta run for the congressional seat and for the first three months, I didn't have time to think about my job every single day was working to try to get the right thing done for Michigan people. Michigan's people while I was there, until spring break, vacation, talk with my family and sat down as a family meeting for that. I could tell you
what your family supportive of it,
the kids the kids first concerns were safety. Which is sad, but in today's world, you know they've seen you know, they thought
they saw our cat will be attacked to death. So that was the first concerns. But they were all very very supportive. And my wife has been
go out the journey, this is getting right to something. So to make this work appears that is my my wife was like Well, we made a bit of Director of Health and Human Services if you stood up that happened
this is what we do. We believe in public service. I was really lucky. I'm lucky. I'm lucky to have a family that's so supportive. It really is sort of humbling. allow their their loved one to serve under the current condition
of your wife and together.
Elizabeth and I have been married for 12 years, 13 years. And how many we got married in 2010. So yeah, 13 years.
Okay. Yeah. My dad the same question he has. We have
we have four kids. Okay. Although they're now in college, so two of them are in college one is a senior what it means that's great, but the house is quieter, much quieter. The grocery bills are much less.
I can imagine we're just two years. Yeah. You know, being from the hotel family, it's public services in a way kind of in your blood. Just to backtrack a little bit Can you kind of tell me what it was like growing up as a member of the hotel family someone who's very you know, well known in Michigan.
I never I wasn't brought up to think like, my dad used to always tell us that. He had an important job, but that didn't make him an important person. And I think there's a humility in doing public service. And so it was never expected that any of us to run others are expected to be happy but also be happy if they're happy in their lives. You know, for me, it was seeing that public service can be a force of people. It was finding ways to cross out certain depths and Republicans were splitting the legislature. They had to find a way to make it work. That works today, right? I mean, like I think sometimes our politics are so broken. That it's hard, but I only ever got to think about working out and getting things done. I serve in the minority the entire time. I'm proud of what we were able to. But I would say that that I'm proud of my family's history of public service and that business miles away for my dad sir because I never wanted anyone to ever vote for me because
following with their history of public service, not just the being another line.
Well, it sounds like you have a great respect for it. Did that kind of I guess then lead you to public service rather than the name?
Yeah, I mean, like I watched my dad change people's lives. I watched him the way he served people the way he helped people in the way he respected and listened. And that to me, was what led me to want to be part of it. But a lot of it started with my grandfather ran a barbecue site Detroit served in World War Two was shot. I had a Purple Heart thing that went to bar and then went back to school to become a teacher in town the Detroit public schools on government classes in Detroit Public Schools. Inspired three sons to go into public service. And I'm an extension of that extension of that commitment to making the world a little bit better. For the people. So that's important.
But this kind of fun. Now 100 years of service to the state of
legacy, but I'm more proud of the service.
Well, could you kind of talk about what your relationship with is with people in this district? I mean, your Senate seat was in the same area,
right. The entire the entirety of my Senate district.
Okay. Yeah.
So it's incredibly important. I mean, I think that my whole career has been irrational. You know, when I was in a county commissioner, we explained that health care to 90,000 people that live inside this district and it's a precursor to the Affordable Care Act. Some of them models expanded. We passed a rural farmland development that actually protected farmland and green space in capitals and families. Now the partnership between the Farm Bureau and the Sierra Club, you don't find that very often we're getting brand new members of Congress degree in something worked together. When I was registered deeds here in the middle of the foreclosure crisis I handled that office as an officer, a voice and good for people. We actually ended individual cases of foreclosure fraud. We saved people's homes, to calm the major banks trying to get to pay their taxes. We turned over working with the Republican attorney general's when we turned over DACA documents of fraud will lead to the largest case of foreclosure fraud being prosecuted in Michigan history.
You know, these were all things I was in the Senate the same way the work that we did the firefighters make a huge on the job that we did to invest in schools. These are all things with all been part of this district. But I also will say that when I was Senator for this district, it didn't mean that I didn't care about the place typically but just outside. So when they couldn't get help from their
elected representatives, we took on those cases during the the unemployment situation with COVID. We took cases from all the neighboring counties because people needed help and our office wanted to help them and so I think I have a special relationship with the people working in county but also in the surrounding counties around. And so you know, I was the I was the speaker as the Clinton County Dems and Shiawassee County Dems while I was in the Senate as well. I came campaigned a lot for Angela Whitworth, who I helped recruit to run for office. So I think that being a Senate certainly gives me an opportunity to have the relationship with not only the people being counted, but people.
Since you've had such an extensive career in public service, are there any things that you've had to kind of learn along the way to adjust to I mean, just the climate politics that you talked about earlier with your children? I mean, how do you adapt?
Well, first of all, I think every day you have to learn something that's the best part about the things that we've forgotten the most important part of the job is to listen. I really do. I feel like if legislators could spend more time listening, they would do a lot better. The problem is I think that too often
we get a title. Everyone treats you better. You're special. You're not none of us are the smartest person in every room.
So we have a responsibility to be open to learn in terms of the current conditions of our politics I've found that the biggest thing is we're gonna disagree about that's just the way it is. I don't know a person in the world I agree with. Certainly not. Certainly not, you know, anybody, right? I mean, like who have you ever met? So being able to watch my time in the Senate, I gave fiery speeches at times. There were times they called for them. There were times that they called me to say pretty tough. But it also caused me to go into backwards workout to find the degree. And I think that's that's the thing is you have to give yourself the space to find a way between two separate ideas. You have to at least accept the fact that you might be wrong about something
wrong. There are things in my core things. Rights for a woman to choose what's the right for all people to live and who they are and married with a life without discrimination
lessens the civil rights movement. Very strong concerns about economic inequality in this country. Those are things that are part of my soul and are never going to change but most things aren't those most things are actually spaces where we can find a way to work with each other. And look at what's happening in Washington DC right now. It's chaos. We're in the middle of a situation where two of our allies attack. And that response is at a standstill, because we can't even decide who Leader of the House houses who can't figure that out, to figure out the rest right so I mean, we need people to go to Washington DC in their race, knowing that you're gonna lose, right are you gonna find sometimes that's the best you get.
mentioned some issues that are important to you but I was wondering if you could specifically talk about what you are focusing on for this campaign and how you came to those kinds of central core ideas.
I think we're spend a lot of time talking about creating jobs. You know, I helped negotiate
federal payments being built here. I'm proud of the 5000 jobs that are being created.
Jobs that are creating ancillary beyond that because each one of those workers is going to go to the restaurant. raise kids in the district will be part of the economic engine that is our local community. The good thing God forbid I voted for him and my vote. That's going to be a huge part of this race. To get us to look at where are the best cars and Langston are all around they're all around here where? Because they have their economic builders. So that that's really a big part of what we're talking about freedom. You know, I think that too often Democrats have not used the word or not. We're living in a time where freedoms are under attack, specifically the backside of our country the idea of a government will tell you what you do with it. Strongly push for 100% white flight, but no exceptions, not even for the wife or kids with ravenica So there's a huge divide between
but I wasn't an overall human I talked about a lot is the willingness to compromise and get things. I was in the minority in the State Center. I was brought in to help craft agreements that are trying to bring jobs back in Lansing. I was part of the initial team negotiating. When we were in budget crisis. We couldn't come to a agreement. Republican leaders and the governor brought me in as the person they actually negotiated. It's not easy for him to get in that room, I was because we they all knew that it was fair for both sides.
The solutions, we need problem solvers. People that are going to put aside partisan politics. That's the people. I I'm not going to shy away. But it's not a jersey. It's not like that, but as far as next weekend, they're going to say Yeah, but I'm still gonna put there my team right so.
To me, this country is craving people that are problem solvers. Work. Aside, they're tired, they're tired of the chaos. So we need to be part of Team normal if you're working to actually get things done, and I think that will speak to a lot of people in the district as well. That's great. That's great.
Well, mentioning your opponent, you and Tom Barrett spent some time together in the Senate. What is your relationship like? If you have one at all?
You're friendly. I mean, listen, I I spend most of my time legislature working with people that were willing to work across the aisle and get things done. Nice. Didn't find a time that was the case. So you know, I work I worked a lot with Wayne Schmidt who has been kind enough to contribute to the campaign. Republicans Republican from Traverse City. worked a lot with Jamestown when we were booking approximately, I believe. So I think there may be a fitting for bills that Tom and I worked together on but it's certainly we're friendly with each other. But most of my time is spent in different realms, because I was more concerned about they actually get a
fair enough thing being that his race was Slotkin last year was one of the most, if not the most competitive race in the US. Are you ready to kind of have that battle with him kind of duke it out? And how would you go about ensuring that your campaign is competitive as possible?
And I look forward to the debates. I think those are moments that I relish in terms of competitiveness, in our first campaign filings were yesterday. We raised three quarters of a million dollars and he was under half a million. So we outraged by $275,000 cash I mean significantly different as well. I'm a workhorse in army and I get out there and work every single day. Part of that is fundraising. A lot of us men going to every fair Farmer's Market Festival parade in the district and being other campaigns. No one's gonna work. I'm not worried about that whatsoever. So I think we've shown the early numbers and the early work. We already had the signatures to get on the ballot by the way, which I think is a pretty early for that.
I know about how many signatures you have are just brought enough. You can you can only file up to 2000 but we have some
Yeah, we're gonna go through the validation process. Really important to do that, considering you know, some people forget to do this last year for this type of team, but you can submit good ones and we have more than that. So cool. So we feel good. I feel good about that. You know, I mean, it wasn't a closest selection. Country was the most expensive which, unfortunately, is crazy. I really do think we should work. Well funding reform. campaign funding reports at some point. But hey, but I think that I think we've proven in the very early part of this. We're willing to put the work in and that's really nice.
Before you announced that you're running there was no Democrat candidate in the race. It's like in play any role in that. I mean, did you reach out to be like, Hey, you are the guy I would like to see you represent our district.
I think the congresswoman has said that she recruited a couple of
sorry, I think the congresswoman has stated publicly that you know that's, that's That's true. We have a lot of family meetings. Not only my own personal family, but also within the Democratic family to have conversations about this seat is incredibly having built the majority in the Michigan Legislature I have no interest in being part of a losing program. So I do think that not having a primary is important. Because that allows us to save what is most suitable to your country to save those dollars. But I'm proud of the records and relationships that I've built that have led him to this point we have the income endorsement. All the local state reps and states are capitalized the district of federal Democrats. Obviously, Congress, flock and support is incredibly important. And many of the local elected leaders as well. A good and a good number of current and former Republicans have also stepped up and given the support
of the campaign to an interesting Could you name any
way Schmidt would have been a good example. If you look at our campaign, they're all public.
Congressman Joe Schwartz an important example representing Eaton County in Congress.
former treasurer, Doug Roberts. Going into the campaign
with those names, I was wondering why do you think that there are some Republicans who are willing to switch sides and support a Democrat?
Because because of my record of being willing to work to get things done? I think they're are Republicans that are frustrated with the current state of the Republican Party as well. And are tired of the chaos as well. They just, they just want people that are good people. That will work across the aisle to get things done. I've got to get more than what most normal people are doing the people that are in the politics every single day, which is the average person I don't when I was knocking on doors throughout the state last year. All the time. Listen, I don't like the public. It's not like government perhaps. It just wants somebody who's gonna work for me. And just want somebody to listen to a little bit and try to try their hardest to make positive change. They're not a lot less ideological than people wouldn't like it wasn't an issue they weren't talking about and want to talk about the state of our government. And that has not gotten better. You know, I mean, I think people are just tired. They're tired and they don't want to have to pay attention to Washington DC they want to Washington DC. And that's where it really is falling down.
I mean, personally, the discourse as someone who's in politics everyday the discourse on social media, I think has skewed a lot of people's perception of what's actually going on.
I don't know. I don't know if social media has been a good thing for us in America. I don't know if at some point there are only so many interesting stories to tell what's interesting has to do. With the division is the only thing that's interesting was like average person just wants to pay a little bit more attention to getting things done to
people care a Republican or Democrats are winning in Washington, DC. Most of them don't have a dog. All they want is a little more effective.
What are some things that you think most everyday people are concerned with?
Inequality is a huge part of it. I think that certainly inflation is part of it, but a lot of that skews long term. Second, stagnation of wages in this country. I think we're seeing that right now on the on the picket lines for the for the UAW. You know, in 1960, the average CEO made about 50 times what their employee made, which was you know, good deal for them. It's like 350 times, and I think people are tired of it. They're tired of seeing the prices of fingers go up, but their income and their wages not go up. It's become really hard to raise a family in America. This generation is the slowest generation to buy a car to start a family. And it's not just cultural. Everyone thinks that it's because they're culturally different. It's not because their culture, it's because we haven't given any choices. And so, you know, I think we have to have a real conversation about that. In this country, we'd have to talk about the fact that Reid can only can only be cannot sustain us as a nation. Everyone needs to share the prosperity. And so I think the UAW is currently fighting for that I support they're struggling that on the picket line to help you there. Because I think that's really important. And I also think it's the backsliding on writing just the story of America. Today long struggle towards bending the moral arc of justice. Dr. King, was that our job was dependent.
On a revolution of revolution, our idea of self government, governance wasn't only for certain people, like slavery 50 years. Women's Suffrage another 40 years the civil rights movement over the years. Governor took that that's the midst of a struggle to be more present. But in this reason, you've actually seen a max backslide, we're seeing attacks on our loved ones and family members we're seeing attacks a woman's right to control her own body. So that moral arc starts with men the opposite breakfast goes in there, but we've always chosen to think that's really important.
Before I forget, I did want to ask about your relationship with Governor Whitmer. Being that you were a member of her administration, all those things. What was it like when you told her that you were going to enter the congressional race and how was that
I don't want to go to Governor and I have no eyes but more importantly, very, very good. The governors first job and all that. My father was my sterile senator. And my governor, I was her Senator
I'm not going to get into the personal conversations, but she's always been wonderfully supportive. To my career of trying to help people make things better, and I think that we share a lot of the same values. Like, I don't want to get into personal conversations from her because those were very personal.
Absolutely. Last question. For someone who, you know, doesn't know who you are, is looking to get more involved in politics in the seventh congressional district. I mean, how would you pitch a vote for yourself to someone who's never heard of you before?
Yeah, so I am somebody who has spent my whole career trying to make people's lives better anyways. And I'm certainly so I have a strong record of getting things done to people making people's lives better the districts that I've listened, listening and working with anyone, whether it be Republican, Democrat or otherwise. To do that, I think that's what people are looking for somebody who is willing to listen to them. You find common ground and get good finish.
Is there anything else that we didn't talk about? I mean, I was hitting you back to back I came prepared for it. Hopefully I did as well. Yes, yes. I appreciate your time today. Great. Thank you. And thank you so much for coming out to I'm this is my second week with the American Independent wish I had some cards to hand out. I don't even have a badge or anything yet, so I'm working on it. Thank you. I just got back from DC a couple of days ago. So still trying to get back into the flow of everything with the legislature and just political coverage in general. But this is a great start. Thank you so much.
