Editor's note: Congressman Jack Bergman and his team did not respond to WCMU's multiple requests for an interview. Our invitation remains open. This story was written by Mark Constance from the Up North Voice and is being distributed by the Northern Michigan Journalism Collaborative.
Incumbent US Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, faces six candidates trying to unseat him in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Bergman faces Democrat Callie Barr, Libertarian Arnett Satterla, Green Party candidate LaVeta Davenport, independent candidate Zebulon Featherly, US Taxpayers Party candidate Doc Kovaly and Working Class Party candidate Liz Hakola in the contest to represent the northern Lower Peninsula and all of the Upper Peninsula in Congress.
Bergman answered questions from Up North Voice within the following guidelines:
- Do not mention your opponent or opposing political party.
- Answers will not be edited.
- Answers are word limited. If the answers exceed the word amount, that response will not be used and the following statement will be put in that space, “Candidate exceeded word count.”
- If candidate chooses not to answer a question, the following statement will be put in that space, “Candidate declined to answer question.”
1. Age. County of residence:
79. Gogebic County.
2. Tell us about your family, education, and private-sector career.
My wife Cindy and I have called Watersmeet home for over 3 decades. My grandparents immigrated to the U.P. in the Late 1800’s. I served 40 years in the Marine Corps, commercial airline pilot for 22 years, and ran a small business for years as well.
3. What life experience best prepares you to represent the 1st Congressional District?
Forty years in the Marine Corps, 22 years as a commercial pilot, running a small business, and representing this district have taught me servant leadership.
4. What are your weaknesses?
As a Marine, I can be direct and impatient with bureaucracy. But I’ve learned that delivering results often requires persistence, listening, and working with anyone willing to solve problems.
5. The national debt has exceeded $40 trillion. If elected, what will you do to ensure the House of Representatives submits a balanced budget?
I’ve consistently voted to rein in Washington spending and supported balanced-budget proposals. I’ll continue demanding fiscal discipline, eliminating waste, and forcing Congress to live within its means.
6. We have borrowed $37 billion to fund the war with Iran. If elected, what will you do to help facilitate the end of that conflict?
As a retired Lieutenant General, I believe in peace through strength. I have consistently supported a strong military while demanding accountability for taxpayer-funded foreign assistance.
7. How would you improve access to health care and emergency services in rural Michigan?
I’ve fought to strengthen rural health care, supported telehealth expansion, introduced legislation protecting community health centers from harmful drug-pricing practices, and backed efforts improving rural emergency care. Washington must give rural providers flexibility and resources to keep care local.
8. Specifically, what will you do as a representative to protect Michigan’s water and natural resources at the federal level?
I helped enact historic Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, fought invasive species, backed critical Brandon Road protections against Asian carp, and secured resources addressing PFAS contamination. Protecting the Great Lakes and our outdoor heritage has been, and will remain, a priority.
9. How will you stay connected with residents across such a large and mostly rural district? Are you willing to host town halls? (25 words)
Candidate exceeded word count
10. Are you willing to support a law that suspends the pay of all elected officials in the case of a government shutdown?
I cosponsored this legislation.
11. Do you support reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement?
No.
12. How do you plan to protect Michigan residents from any added costs related to the operation of data centers?
Michigan families should not subsidize massive data centers through higher utility bills. I have consistently fought federal policies that drive up energy costs and threaten grid reliability. I’ve supported expanding reliable American energy production and introduced legislation protecting critical services from unreliable electricity supplies. Any data center should pay its own way, including the generation and infrastructure necessary to serve it, rather than shifting those costs onto families, farms, and small businesses.
13. What rural Michigan issues do you believe need more attention from Washington, DC?
Rural health care, reliable energy, broadband, infrastructure, Veterans’ services, agriculture, forestry, housing, and Great Lakes protection. I’ve worked on each because rural communities deserve equal attention from Washington.
14. Why should Michigan elect you?
I’ve delivered results: millions recovered for constituents, stronger Veterans’ services, Great Lakes investments, rural infrastructure, and support for our military. I know this district, understand the needs of the people, and have a proven record of putting Northern Michigan and the U.P. first.
