Two Democrats and two Republicans are seeking their party’s nomination for the Nov. 5 General Election.
Democrats Callie Barr of Traverse City and Dr. Bob Lorinser of Marquette on the ballot.
On the Republican side of the ballot, the race is on for the 1st Congressional seat representing the northern tip of the mitt and the Upper Peninsula.
Incumbent Jack Bergman is being challenged for the Republican nomination by Josh Saul of Roscommon.
Barr is a fifth generation northern Michigander. She graduated from Cheboygan High School and earned her juris doctorate from the University of Michigan.
She worked as a teacher and served as a military-family advocate. She has two young daughters.
Lorinser’s resume includes a decade of experience with the U.S. Foreign Service, working as a physician for the U.S. State Department including time under fire in Iraq. His five tours of duty with the State Department included stints in Afghanistan and Pakistan during the search and capture of Osama bin Laden.
Saul, a retired Army infantryman and Purple Heart recipient, is a certified public accountant. He and his wife of 11 years have a 2-year-old daughter.
Bergman was elected to the 1st Congressional seat in 2016. The United States Marine Corps lieutenant general retired after 40 years of service.
He did not respond to the Enterprise questionnaire. The winners of each Primary will have their names on the Nov. 5 ballot.
We asked the candidates three questions. Their responses follow.
1.) Under a new program, about 300 members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, were reimbursed for about $5.8 million in lodging and food costs they incurred in 2023. What are your thoughts on the program and would you use it, if elected?
BARR: This tax-payer funded program is ripe for abuse because it does not require receipts for reimbursement, resulting in a complete lack of transparency. This is deeply troubling.
Case in point, our current Representative, Jack Bergman, was the top spender of this program, paying himself an extra $44,000 (on top of his $174,000 salary). Instead of fighting to lower costs, he’s lining his pockets with the hard earned taxes paid by struggling families. No thank you.
LORINSER: The program was poorly designed, implemented, and communicated. It needs revisions. Increasing reimbursements is politically risky and should be avoided to maintain public trust. In 2022, Rep. Jack Bergman nearly outspent the entire Michigan delegation in taxpayer-funded self-promotions. Now, he outspent all 435 members of the House in taxpayerfunded lodging and food reimbursements. As his constituents financially struggled, this waste was insulting and out-of-touch. I would not have taken the stipend.
SAUL: I don’t think this program should exist, we already reimburse Congress for these expenses, it’s called a salary. And with my military disability I can survive on that with the salary I will receive. However our incumbent doesn’t share that regard, in fact he has abused this program worse than any member of the House. The people are sick of Congress treating the taxpayer like their own personal credit card.
2.) The House of Representatives has been fraught with leadership challenges this year with the removal of the speaker and threatened removal of others. What needs to be done to right this ship.
BARR: We need to elect leaders who are willing to put country over party, who are more concerned about their constituents than their own celebrity, who want to legislate not dominate, and who are willing to do what is right, not what is easy. Getting there will mean disincentivizing the draw of partisan politics for political gain, which includes supporting efforts for bipartisanship, campaign finance reform, and an end to gerrymandering.
LORINSER: When I look to a Speaker, we must prioritize someone willing to foster bipartisanship and unity. The Speaker should represent the entire House, not a far wing of its party. They must establish clear rules to ensure stability, promote transparency in leadership decisions, and strengthen leadership skills by managing conflicts and effectively navigating political challenges. We’ve had enough chaos in House leadership.
SAUL: The reason the Republican party has lost every election since 2016 is because we gave our base a reason to stay home because we don’t follow through. We made lofty promises of a secure border and controlled spending, but only followed through on tax cuts. To right the ship we need to be willing to follow through on the things we say we are going to do.
3.) A bipartisan immigration plan was not approved this year, with many blaming former President Trump. What do you think needs to happen to get a bipartisan plan in place to begin fixing a decades-long failing immigration policy?
BARR: For a bipartisan plan, we should encourage bipartisanship– and that means electing folks who aren’t working to divide us for political gain.
Bergman’s on the bullhorn about the border, but lacks the moral courage to go from issue spotting to issue solving. And, it’s not just immigration.
For instance, the Bipartisan Problem-Solver’s Caucus works to address issues facing the nation.
Bergman has shown zero interest in this. Fortunately, that’s a problem we can solve. Vote.
LORINSER: Immigration reform is overdue. To create a bipartisan immigration plan, we must focus on family reunification, economic contribution, refugee protection, diversity promotion, and providing a legal path to citizenship. A successful policy will result in economic growth and cultural enrichment. Both parties should agree on increased border security, but we must uphold human rights. Our Nation must always be a beacon of refuge, hope, and inspiration.
SAUL: We know how to secure the border, look at the impact of the Trump policies on illegal immigration. We just need to have the courage to legislate them. The key that I see is we must have safe third country policies, remain in Mexico agreement, along with a physical barrier. Together these policies can allow for asylum seekers to have their claims heard, while removing the incentive for illegal attempts to game the system.
