Upper Peninsula representatives withdraw support for the region’s representative in Washington D.C.
On Tuesday, the Upper Peninsula Caucus of state Senator Ed McBroom and representatives Greg Markkanen, Dave Prestin and Karl Bohnak withdrew support from Representative Jack Bergman, following his decision to endorse former representative Beau LaFave for the Republican nomination for the 38th district senate seat.
Senator McBroom and the Upper Peninsula’s representatives endorsed Representative Dave Prestin’s bid for McBroom’s expiring position in Lansing. Representatives shared their experience working with Bergman has been strained at times.
McBroom was quoted: “Even more disturbing is that Beau just hired Jack’s chief-of-staff’s consulting services. Jack has a clear history of automatically endorsing Tony’s clients, helping his own employee’s personal business. Regardless, I will not be voting for Jack again. He said he wanted our endorsements last summer but it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t want them now.”
Representative Markkanen also shared that Representative Bergman did not communicate with the group before endorsing LaFave, saying: “For years, Congressman Bergman has been criticized for being absent from the U.P. This only reinforces that concern.”
Representative Bergman and state senate candidate Beau LaFave quickly responded to the Upper Peninsula representatives. In a statement from the congressman, Bergman said: “Beau LaFave, Jack Bergman, and Donald Trump all won their primaries in 2016 with these same establishment Lansing hacks working against them – and with the President’s full support – we look forward to winning again and beating the do-nothing establishment hacks.”
LaFave noted a recommendation letter he received from McBroom when applying to law schools, adding details of his experience working with other representatives during his time in the state house.
“I gave 12+ years of my young adult life supporting Ed McBroom and the UP legislative team in Lansing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough for them. I was fired by Greg Markkanen for not endorsing their favorite candidate: a former Chicago nightclub owner who plead guilty to domestic battery after beating his wife for years. Beating women wasn’t exactly the ‘U.P. Values’ I had assumed Ed and Greg were talking about.”
In October, Representative Prestin announced his intent to run for the Republican nomination in the 38th Michigan senate district. He was joined at that conference by colleagues in support of him replacing Senator McBroom at the end of his term-limited service. Since then, another candidate, Chris Reynolds, dropped out of the senate race in favor of running for election in the 108th house district. If successful, Reynolds would replace Prestin.
In addition to LaFave and Prestin seeking McBroom’s term-limited position, Delta County Commissioner Kelli Van Ginhoven and Dickinson County veteran Chris Mapps each seek nominations in the state senate race.
Find full statements below.
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Upper Peninsula Delegation:
State Senator Ed McBroom and U.P. Representatives Greg Markkanen and Karl Bohnak today rescinded their endorsement of Congressman Jack Bergman after he released an endorsement of Beau LaFave in the 38th Senate district and he and his staff began personally attacking the current U.P. Team of state lawmakers. The 38th Senate seat is currently held by Sen. McBroom, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. McBroom was last elected in 2022 with 63 percent of the vote.
“Jack promised me he would not be endorsing in this race. I wish I could say I’m surprised that he lied to me or that this is out of character for my time working with Jack, but it’s not,” McBroom said. “I’ve seen him be disloyal to local party members, interfere in races
outside his district, stab fellow Republicans in the back, and even publicly attack me. Those were internal party matters. This time is different. This time, he straight up lied to me. Now he’s siding against the clear, best option for the U.P. I will not stand by silently while he undermines the work we have done for the U.P.”
“Even more disturbing is that Beau just hired Jack’s chief-of-staff’s consulting services. Jack has a clear history of automatically endorsing Tony’s clients, helping his own employee’s personal business,” said McBroom.” Regardless, I will not be voting for Jack again. He said he wanted our endorsements last summer but it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t want them now.”
Bergman was recruited by downstate Republicans to challenge lifelong U.P. resident Tom Casperson in the 2016 congressional race. At the time, Bergman was largely unknown across the region and lived much of the time in Louisiana.
“For years, Congressman Bergman has been criticized for being absent from the U.P.,” said Markkanen. “This only reinforces that concern. He never contacted any of us to understand why we chose to endorse Rep. Dave Prestin. That decision was made carefully by us who live here and have worked with both candidates for years. Dave has the experience, commitment, and understanding the U.P. needs right now. He has worked as a first responder, owned a small business, and served on community boards across the Michigan 1st District region while raising his daughter with his wife of more than 25 years. Building a community while raising a family is no small task. Dave knows what real life is like up here.”
“The Upper Peninsula is facing the greatest threat to its future we have ever seen with the energy law passed in 2023,” Bohnak said. “Dave Prestin’s leadership and policy knowledge are critical as environmental extremists and anti-mining, anti-forestry, and anti-labor forces work against our heritage industries and everyday ratepayers. You would think the Congressman might ask those of us in Lansing why we support Prestin before backing someone else and trashing us. Instead, this is just another example of his disconnect from what’s actually happening in the U.P.”
“We need a congressman who listens to the people who live here and understands what’s at stake,” Markkanen added. “Not someone who drops in for carefully staged public appearances.”
“A handful of wins over ten years and token constituent service will not amount to much of a legacy if our mines and mills are shut down by crushing energy costs,” Bohnak said. “Our people need fighters, and they need the chance to earn a good living.”
Dave Prestin, who is running for the 38th Senate seat to succeed McBroom, welcomed the lawmakers’ support.
“I am deeply grateful for the full support of the U.P. legislative team,” Prestin said. “Unity is essential to the Upper Peninsula’s survival and our ability to push back against forces in Lansing and Washington that don’t understand our way of life. I never sought Congressman Bergman’s endorsement. I want the support of people who live here, work here, and know what’s happening in the U.P. For me, this race is about peninsula over party.”
McBroom, Markkanen, and Bohnak endorsed Prestin in October. In addition to these endorsements, Prestin has been endorsed by residents across the U.P. including Diane Casperson, wife of the late Sen. Tom Casperson.
Representative Jack Bergman:
“It’s sad that this group will come together for a meaningless press release but not to support one of their own they used to employ and champion – simply because they cannot control him.
“Lame duck Ed McBroom has been in office since 2011. While Ed raised gas taxes, did nothing on electricity rates, and fought against President Trump – he wants to blame the problems the UP faces on General Bergman winning a primary in 2016 against the candidate Ed supported.
“Beau LaFave, Jack Bergman, and Donald Trump all won their primaries in 2016 with these same establishment Lansing hacks working against them – and with the President’s full support- we look forward to winning again and beating the do-nothing establishment hacks.
“General Bergman takes his orders from the constituents of the First District, not anti-Trump Ed, wife-beater Dave, or Greg.”
Beau LaFave for State Senate:
