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Michigan Legislative Candidate Questionnaires Answered

November 2nd, 2012

With elections for Michigan’s Congress and House of Representatives just days away, MUCC had an opportunity to find out where candidates stood on some of the most pressing issues surrounding natural resources for MUCC’s members.

 

Two questionnaires, one for state representative candidates and another for Michigan congressional candidates, were sent out asking whether candidates supported key issues.

 

This year, there are 217 candidates running for the position of state representative in Michigan’s 110 districts. Given a month to send in responses, MUCC collected only 74 responses from state representative candidates.

 

State Representatives were asked the following six questions:

  1.  Do you support Proposal G, the sound scientific management of natural resources? (74 in support, 0 against)
  2. Will you support policies that enhance and preserve Michigan’s public land and our rights to recreate on those lands? (73 in support, 1 against)
  3. Will you work to uphold citizens’ gun rights? (73 in support, 1 against)
  4. Will you protect Michigan’s Sport Shooting Ranges Act? (68 in support, 4 against, 2 requested further information)
  5. Will you help establish a long-term funding model for natural resources management? (70 in support, 3 against, 1 requested further information)
  6. Will you support Michigan’s leading role preventing invasives using Ballast Water restrictions? (68 in support, 3 against, 3 requested further information)

These issues have been in the spotlight this fall and will continue to be landmark issues within the House and Senate for those elected in the upcoming election. A second questionnaire was sent to Michigan’s 26 congressional candidates. Also given a month to send in responses, MUCC collected 11 responses from congressional candidates.The specific results are below:

 


State Representative Questionnaire Responses  
District First Last 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Brian Banks
1 Dan Schulte 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 Daniel Grano 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 Alberta Talabi
3 Broderson Dolores
3 John Olumba
4 Ron Michalski
4 Rose Mary Robinson
5 Samuel Rodriguez
5 Fred Durhal
6 Darrin Daigle
6 Rashida Tlaib
7 Mark Price
7 Thomas Stallworth
8 David Porter
8 David Nathan
9 Rene Simpson 1 1 1 1 1 1
9 Harvey Santana
10 Jasmine Bridges
10 Phil Cavanagh
11 Kathleen Kopcyzk 1 1 1 1 1 1
11 David Knezek
12 Joanne Michalik
12 Douglas Geiss
13 Tony Amorose
13 Andrew Kandrevas
14 Edward Gubics
14 Paul Clemente
15 Priscilla Parness 1 1 1 1 1 1
15 George Darany
16 Robert Kosowski
16 Mary Stargell
17 Anne Rossio
17 Bill LaVoy 1 1 1 1 1 1
18 Candice Rusie
18 Sarah Roberts
19 Richard Tannous
19 John Walsh 1 1 1 1 1 1
20 Tim Roraback
20 Kurt Heise 1 1 1 0 0 1
21 Joe Barnabei
21 Dian Slavens
22 Art Blundell
22 Harold Haugh 1 1 1 1 1 1
23 Tom Boritzki 1 1 1 1 1 1
23 Pat Somerville
24 Philip Kurczewski
24 Anthony Forlini
25 Sean Clark
25 Henry Yanez
26 Mark Bliss
26 Jim Townsend
27 Ezra Drissman
27 Ellen Lipton
28 Steven Klusek
28 Jon Switalski
29 Brian Stebick
29 Tim Greimel
30 Joseph Bogdan 1 1 1 1 1 1
30 Jeff Farrington
31 Lynn Evans
31 Marilyn Lane
32 Sheri Smith 1 1 1 1 1 1
32 Andrea LaFontaine
33 Martha O’Kray 1 1 1 0 1 1
33 Ken Goike
34 Bruce Rodgers
34 Woodrow Stanley
35 Tim Sulowski
35 Rudy Hobbs
36 Robert Murphy 1 1 1 1 1 1
36 Pete Lund
37 Bruce Lilley
37 Vicki Barnett
38 Chuck Tindall
38 Hugh Crawford 1 1 1 1 1 1
39 Klint Kesto
39 Pam Jackson
40 Michael McCready
40 Dorian Coston 1 1 1 1 1 1
41 Martin Howrylak 1 1 1 1 1 1
41 Mary Kerwin
42 Shanda Willis
42 Bill Rogers
43 Neil Billington 1 0 1 1 1 1
43 Gail Haines 1 1 1 1 1 1
44 Tom Crawford
44 Eileen Kowall 1 1 1 1 1 0
45 Joanna VanRaaphorst 1 1 1 1 1 1
45 Tom McMillin
46 Daniel Sargent
46 Bradford Jacobsen 1 1 1 1 1 1
47 Shawn Desai
47 Cindy Denby 1 1 1 1 1 1
48 Jeffrey Woolman
48 Pam Faris 1 1 1 1 1 1
49 Robert Daunt 1 1 1 1 1 1
49 Jim Ananich
50 Miles Gadola 1 1 1 1 1 1
50 Charles Smiley 1 1 1 1 1 1
51 Steven Losey
51 Joseph Graves 1 1 1 1 1 1
52 Gretchen Driskell
52 Mark Ouimet 1 1 1 1 1 1
53 John Spisak
53 Jeff Irwin
54 Bill Emmerich
54 David Rutledge 1 1 1 1 1 1
55 Owen Diaz
55 Adam Zenke 1 1 1 1 1 1
56 Larry Crider
56 Dale Zorn
57 Jim Berryman
57 Nancy Jenkins
58 Thomas Amaryllis
58 Kenneth Kurtz 1 1 1 1 1 1
59 Mike Moroz 1 1 1 1 1 1
59 Matt Lori 1 1 1 1 1 1
60 Mike Perrin 1 1 1 1 1 1
60 Sean McCann
61 Michael Martin
61 Margaret O’Brien 1 1 1 1 0 0
62 Kate Segal
62 Mark Behnke
63 Bill Farmer
63 Jase Bolger
64 Barbara Shelton 1 1 1 1 1 1
64 Earl Poleski
65 Bonnie Johnson 1 1 1 1 1 1
65 Mike Shirkey 1 1 1 1 1 1
66 Richard Rojkovich
66 Aric Nesbitt
67 Tom Cochran 1 1 1 1 1 1
67 Jeff Oesterle 1 1 1 1 1 1
68 Timothy Moede 1 1 1 1 1 1
68 Andy Schor 1 1 1 0 1 1
69 Susan McGillicuddy 1 1 1 0 1 1
69 Sam Singh 1 1 1 1 1 1
70 Mike Huckleberry 1 1 1 1 1 1
70 Rick Outman
71 Theresa Abed
71 Deb Shaughnessy
72 Scott Urbanowski
72 Ken Yonker
73 Scott Schuiling
73 Peter MacGregor
74 Richard Erdman
74 Rob VerHeulen 1 1 1 1 1 1
75 Nathan Sneller
75 Brandon Dillon 1 1 1 1 1 1
76 Roy Schmidt
77 Scott Barton
77 Tom Hooker
78 Jack Arbanas
78 Dave Pagel
79 Jim Hahn 1 1 1 1 1 1
79 Al Pscholka 1 1 1 1 1 1
80 Stuart Peet
80 Bob Genetski
81 Patrick Phelan 1 1 1 0 0 1
81 Dan Lauwers 1 1 1 1 1 1
82 John Nugent
82 Kavin Daley 1 1 1 1 1 1
83 Carol Campbell
83 Paul Muxlow 1 1 1 1 1 1
84 Terry Brown 1 1 1 1 1 1
84 Dan Grimshaw
85 Paul Ray 1 1 1 1 1 1
85 Ben Glardon 1 1 1 1 1 1
86 Brian Bosak
86 Lisa Lyons
87 Sherry Anderson
87 Mike Callton
88 Roger Victory 1 1 1 1 1 1
89 Don Bergman
89 Amanda Price 1 1 1 1 1 1
90 Joe Haveman 1 1 1 1 1 0
91 Holly Hughes
91 Colleen Lamonte
92 Travis Shepard
92 Marcia Hovey-Wright 1 1 0 0 1 1
93 Paul Silva
93 Tom Leonard
94 Tim Kelly 1 1 1 1 1 1
94 Judith Lincoln
95 Jeff Baker 1 1 1 1 1 1
95 Stacey Oakes
96 Chad Dewey
96 Charles Brunner
97 Chris Breznau
97 Joel Johnson 1 1 1 1 0 1
98 Joan Brausch 1 1 1 1 1 1
98 Jim Stamas
99 Adam Lawrence
99 Kevin Cotter 1 1 1 1 1 0
100 Ida DeHaas
100 Jon Bumstead 1 1 1 1 1 1
101 Allen O’Shea 1 1 1 1 1 1
101 Ray Franz
102 Brendan Maturen
102 Phil Potvin 1 1 1 1 1 0
103 Lon Johnson 1 1 1 1 1 1
103 Bruce Rendon 1 1 1 1 1 1
104 Betsy Coffia
104 Wayne Schmidt 1 1 1 1 1 1
105 William Wieske
105 Greg MacMaster
106 Kenneth Hubbard
106 Peter Pettalia
107 Suzanne Shumway
107 Frank Foster
108 Sharon Gray
108 Ed McBroom
109 Jack Hubbard 1 1 1 1 1 1
109 John Kivela
110 Matt Huuki 1 1 1 1 1 0
110 Scott Dianda
74 73 73 68 70 68
1 denotes a YES, 0 denotes a NO/No Comment.

 

Congressional candidates were asked the following questions:

  1.  Will you support efforts to prevent the spread of Asian Carp into the Great Lakes such as closing the Chicago Area Locks? (11 in support, 0 against)
  2. Will you support Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding and ensure these monies are used appropriately? (11 in support, 0 against)
  3. Will you support reauthorization of the Farm Bill and its programs at existing funding levels while maintaining access programs? (11 in support, 0 against)
  4. Will you support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and continued funding? (10 in support, 1 against)
  5. Will you uphold citizens’ gun rights? (11 in support, 0 against)

Congressional Candidate Survey Responses
District First Last 1 2 3 4 5
1 Dan Benishek 1 1 1 1 1
1 Gary McDowell 1 1 1 1 1
2 Bill Huizenga
3 Justin Amash
3 Steve Pestka 1 1 1 1 1
4 Dave Camp 1 1 1 1 1
4 Debra Wirth
5 Daniel Kildee 1 1 1 1 1
5 Jim Slezak
6 Fred Upton 1 1 1 1 1
6 Mike O’Brien 1 1 1 1 1
7 Tom Walberg 1 1 1 1 1
7 Kurt Haskell 1 1 1 1 1
8 Mike Rogers
8 Lance Enderle 1 1 1 1 1
9 Sander Levin
9 Don Volaric
10 Candice Miller
10 Chuck Stadler
11 Kerry Bentivolio
11 Syed Taj
12 John Dingell
12 Cynthia Kallgren 1 1 1 0 1
13 John Conyers Jr.
13 Harry Sawicki
14 Gary Peters
14 John Hauler
11 11 11 10 11

 

Despite limited responses for both surveys, those who responded provide significant support for Michigan’s natural resources. The majority of respondents supported key issues that are sure to stay at the top of the priority list for conservation and natural resources management in the next few years.

 

But what about the majority of candidate who did not respond? This is where MUCC, its members and partners must work to build relationships with elected officials and educate them on the importance of Michigan’s natural resources and outdoor heritage. For us, it is not only a big economic driver for the state, it is a way of life.

 

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