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There are times in each of our lives when one must stop and consider what matters most to you. This has never been more relevant than in the current environment we find ourselves in as a country.

For my family and I, there is nothing more important than God, family, and country. In looking at recent events in this country, it has become readily apparent that many elected individuals have forgotten the oath they took to uphold the Constitution of the United States. It is truly disheartening the stance many have taken in regards to the "People's Rights" or Bill of Rights and specifically the Second Amendment.

We, the residents of the 29th District, have an opportunity to send someone to Richmond who I have known to be willing to take a stand in defending our Constitutional rights. That man is Richard Traczyk. It has been an honor to work with Mr. Traczyk in numerous capacities over the past 15 years and it has been refreshing to see him stand for many of the same conservative principles I cherish which include being a strong supporter of the Constitution, pro-life, and family initiatives.

Mr. Traczyk needs your help to make it to Richmond. On Saturday, August 8th, there will be a Firehouse Primary at the Millwood Fire Station. I encourage you to check out Mr. Traczyk's achievements and support him with your vote in the Republican Primary.

Shawn Graber

Frederick County Board of Supervisors, Back Creek District representative

Read more:
Letter to the editor: Traczyk will defend conservative principles - The Winchester Star

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Voters filing absentee ballots and headline to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 4, will decide a number of primary contests and tax proposals in Kalamazoo County and across the state.

Absentee and in-person votes will be tallied Tuesday in several contested primary races in Kalamazoo County, including for the 60th District state House seat, the 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, sheriff, county clerk and for six of the 11 county Board of Commissioners districts.

Related: A guide to Kalamazoo-area candidates, tax proposals on Aug. 4 primary ballots

Many voters have chosen to vote absentee for this election, amid the coronavirus pandemic. County clerks have encouraged voting absentee rather than in-person to slow the spread of COVID-19, though voters still can go cast a ballot at designated polling locations on Tuesday. Residents can also still obtain ballots or register to vote, through Election Day, by visiting their city or township clerks office.

Ahead of Tuesdays primary election, here are seven key races to watch in Kalamazoo County:

60th District Representative in State Legislature

Kalamazoo County Commissioners Stephanie Moore, left, and Julie Rogers, right, are Democrats seeking their party's nomination for the District 60 state House seat in the upcoming Aug. 4 primary election. (Photos provided by candidates)

Two current members of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners are running for the Democratic nomination for the District 60 seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. Commissioners Julie Rogers and Stephanie Moore will face off on Aug 4. The candidate who wins the primary will face off against the lone Republican candidate Gary Mitchell in Novembers general election.

Related: 2 Kalamazoo County commissioners compete for Democratic nomination in state House race

Rogers, 44, is a former board chairperson and is serving her fourth term on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. She serves as the vice president for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Health Steering Committee and sits on the Michigan Assoc. of Counties Board of Directors. She works as a physical therapist at Ascension Borgess.

Moore, 48, is a former chairperson of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, and has served on that board for seven years. Prior to the county board, Moore served on the Kalamazoo City Commission for eight years.

Rogers resigned as the boards chairperson on July 7. The newly elected board leadership said Rogers was asked to leave because of past behavior. Rogers denies the claim, calling the information released by fellow commissioners a politically motivated smear campaign.

The 60th District seat, which is currently held by state Rep. Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, includes all of the city of Kalamazoo as well as portions of the city of Portage and Kalamazoo Township.

6th District U.S. Representative Republican primary

Republicans Elena Oelke and Fred Upton will be on the Aug. 4 ballot for the 6th congressional district.

In the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, will face challenger Elena Oelke in the race for Michigans 6th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Related: Businesswoman will challenge U.S. Rep. Fred Upton in Republican primary for Michigans 6th District

Oelke is a self-employed real estate agent. According to her website, Oelke, 49, of St. Joseph, grew up in the Soviet Union and became an American citizen in 1998.

As for the issues, Oelke cites several positions including being pro Second Amendment, opposed to red flag gun laws, pro education with more individual choices, against illegal immigration with incentives and supportive of border security.

Upton, 67, R-St. Joseph, is running for an 18th consecutive term. He was first elected in 1986. Prior to his election to Congress, Upton worked for President Ronald Reagan in the Office of Management and Budget.

According to his campaign website, Uptons focus remains on passing important legislation to encourage job creation, protect taxpayers, help our community and enhance the quality of life for everyone in Southwest Michigan and throughout our country.

Michigans 6th congressional district encompasses Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties, plus most of Allegan County.

6th District U.S. Representative Democratic primary

State Rep. Jon Hoadley and science teacher Jen Richardson will face off in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House District 6 seat on Aug. 4.

On the other side of the aisle, state Rep. Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, and Jen Richardson, a research director and a science teacher at the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center, will face off for the Democratic nomination in the 6th District race.

Related: Kalamazoo teacher and state lawmaker face off in U.S. District 6 Democratic primary

Hoadley, first elected to represent the 60th state House district in 2014, is currently serving his third and final term in the Michigan House of Representatives. He serves as minority vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and is also a member of the National LGBTQ Task Force, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, the American State Legislators for Gun Violence Prevention.

Richardson is the research director and a science teacher at the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center. She has a bachelors degree in biology from Western Illinois University and a masters in education from California Coast University.

The winner of the contest between the two Democrats on Tuesday will go on to face the winner of the Republican primary in the Nov. 3 general election. The congressional seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, who is running for reelection and faces a challenge from fellow Republican Elena Oelke.

Kalamazoo County 911 Proposal:

Voters in Kalamazoo County will consider a countywide tax for the purpose of funding a central public safety communication system and 9-1-1 service system.

Related: New 911 millage would fund Kalamazoo County consolidated dispatch through 2029

The tax, not to exceed 0.65 mills, or $0.65 on each $1,000 of taxable value, would be distributed to the Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority for countywide 911 facilities, functions and services as provided in the Kalamazoo County Emergency 911 Service System Plan. If approved, the millage would operate for 10 years and raise an estimated $6,111,513 in the first year.

After more than three decades of planning, the consolidated dispatch authority went live in 2018, bringing together the City of Kalamazoo, the City of Portage, the County of Kalamazoo, the Charter Township of Kalamazoo and Western Michigan University.

Representatives from each of the five entities signed an initial funding amendment in December 2017 to establish a five-year funding solution, totaling $21.5 million to be paid over a period from 2018 to 2023. There is no long-term funding solution currently in place, and if the millage proposal is approved by voters, Executive Director Jeff Troyer said it would replace the current short-term agreement effective immediately.

The authority also receives additional funding by way of a 42-cent surcharge on phone bills.

In addition to generally funding the operation, maintenance and expansion of the newly consolidated dispatch authority, Troyer said the tax would also provide funding to bring Portage Public Safetys police department onto the same centralized system. The department is the lone law enforcement agency in the county not currently on the consolidated system, the director told MLive.

Kalamazoo County Sheriff:

Kalamazoo County Sheriff's candidates Shannon Bagley, left, and Thomas Swafford, right, are set to square off in the Aug. 4 Republican primary election. (Courtesy photos)

Looking to lead the countys sheriffs office are two Republicans and incumbent Sheriff Richard Fuller, a Democrat running for reelection in November. Republicans Thomas Swafford and Shannon Bagley will go head-to-head in August, seeking the GOP nomination for the office of Kalamazoo County sheriff.

Related: Current deputy, former Kalamazoo police captain square off in GOP sheriff primary

Bagley is a retired Kalamazoo Public Safety captain, and Swafford is a Kalamazoo County Sheriffs deputy. Swafford ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in 2016, losing to Fuller in the primary. The incumbent secured 76% of the vote in that election.

Bagley, 51, works as a police officer at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, according to biographical information submitted to the Vote411 voter guide. He has a bachelors degree in organization and resource management from Spring Arbor University, as well as an associates degree in criminal justice from KVCC.

Swafford, 57, is a 10-year veteran deputy sheriff in Kalamazoo County, is a graduate of the Kirtland Regional Police Academy and is certified as a corrections officer, according to his submitted bio. Swaffords bio also said he has served as a volunteer reserve officer for local police agency.

Fuller, who was first elected sheriff in Kalamazoo County in 2008, is running unopposed in Augusts Democratic primary.

County Clerk / Register of Deeds

Pictured (l-r) are Doreen Gardner, Sarah Joshi and Meredith Place.

Doreen Gardner, Sarah O. Joshi and Meredith Place are all seeking the Democratic nomination for Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds. The winner of the partys nomination after Tuesdays primary will go on to face lone Republican candidate Mona Lisa Watson in the November general election.

Related: Three Democrats competing for Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds nomination

Doreen Gardner is a communication coordinator. She attended Moody Bible Institute, Cornerstone University and International Theological Institute. She lists 25 years of management at AT&T among her qualifications and experience for the office.

Sarah O. Joshi is currently the deputy county clerk and elections specialist. For education, she lists a masters degree from Western Michigan University and a bachelors in public relations and journalism, also from Western Michigan University. She said she has proven skills in planning, management, and performance improvement, and a strong work ethic.

Meredith Place is currently serving as commissioner representing the countys District 11, and works as a contract administrator at the Clerical Technical Union at Michigan State University. Place said she has a bachelors degree from the University of Iowa and has experience in local government and being accountable to voters.

Current Kalamazoo County Clerk Tim Snow previously announced his retirement when his current term expires, explaining he would not seek reelection in 2020.

Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners:

The seventh race to watch in Kalamazoo County Tuesday will actually be six separate races. Six of the 11 seats on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners have contested primaries on August ballots. The winners of each primary will advance and face any remaining opposition in Novembers upcoming general election.

Tami Rey

Tami Rey and Andrew D. Sellin are vying for the Democratic nomination to represent District 1.

Related: Two Democrats running for District 1 seat on Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners

The seat is currently occupied by Commissioner Stephanie Moore, who is running for state House rather than seeking reelection. No Republican candidate filed to run for the seat.

Tami Rey serves as chairperson of the city of Kalamazoo Community Development Act Advisory Committee and recently worked as a property manager at Herman & Kittle, where she was a member of the public safety review and appeals board. Rey is a member of the ISAAC gun violence task force and has worked as a NAACP branch secretary.

Sellin has worked as a machine operator at ARVCO Container Corporation since 2014.

The countys 1st District includes a portion of the city of Kalamazoo as well as an eastern portion of Kalamazoo Township.

Democrats Monteze Morales and Zac Bauer are campaigning for the District 2 seat on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Democrats Monteze Morales and Zac Bauer are running for the District 2 Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners seat.

Related: Kalamazoo Promise expert challenges newly appointed county commissioner for District 2 seat

In October 2019, both Bauer and Morales interviewed for the open seat after a commissioner stepped down due to a move out of the district. Morales received one vote from the board. Bauer was appointed with six votes.

No Republican candidate filed to run for the seat.

Morales, 43, has worked as an educator for 20 years including her current position as program manager of Kalamazoo Promise Services at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Bauer, 39, is a Navy veteran. He currently works as program officer focusing on affordable housing and economic development through nonprofit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Previously, he worked as a law clerk for Zoetis Inc., a community investment manager of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and was executive director of the Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center.

District 2 encompasses Milwood, Edison, Southside and some of the Vine neighborhoods of Kalamazoo.

Democrats Jen Strebs and Mike Seals are campaigning for the District 4 seat on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Democrats Jen Strebs and Mike Seals are campaigning for the District 4 seat on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Related: Kalamazoo Township trustee challenges longstanding county commissioner for District 4 board seat

Both Democrats will be on the Aug. 4 ballot, and primary voters will determine whether the incumbent or challenger is nominated to face Republican Andrew Smith in Novembers general election.

Strebs, 43, has served on the townships board for three years. She also serves on the, regional water and wastewater commission and on the board of directors for Public Media Network. Previously, she served on the election commission in Kalamazoo Township. Strebs has also served in Kalamazoo County roles, on the ID advisory board and health equity task force.

Seals, 59, has held the District 4 seat for 10 years, making him the longest serving commissioner currently on the board. He was recently appointed to a leadership role, as Vice Chairperson. He is the first Black man to hold that position. Seals is a retired lineman for Consumers Energy. For more about his experience and campaign, visit his Facebook page.

Pictured are Veronica McKissack (left) and Chris Pomeroy (right)

Democrats Veronica McKissack and Chris Pomeroy are facing off in the race for seat representing District 5 on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Related: Social worker, union leader face off in Kalamazoo County Democratic primary for District 5

The winner of the upcoming Aug. 4 party primary will go on to face the lone Republican candidate for the seat, Valarie Cunningham, in Novembers general election.

The seat is currently held by Commissioner Julie Rogers, who is running for the Democratic nomination in the District 60 state House race against fellow Commissioner Stephanie Moore.

McKissack, 43, works as a clinical social worker at the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. She holds a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters degree in social work from Western Michigan University.

Pomeroy, 48, is a labor organizer who currently serves as the director of organizing for Operating Engineers 324 union.

Republicans Vince Carahaly and Jeff Heppler are vying for the District 6 seat on the Kalamazoo County board of commissioners.

Vince Carahaly and Jeff Heppler are looking to secure the District 6 on the Kalamazoo County Commission for the Republican Party.

Related: Business owner, police chief battle in Republican primary for Kalamazoo County Commission

When Republican Ron Kendall resigned last August from the commission, Democrat Jen Aniano was appointed to serve out his term. Aniano is running unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination. The Republican nominee will face Aniano in November.

Vince Carahaly founded The Alcott Center for Cognitive Enhancement and Jeff Heppler is the Augusta police chief and village manager.

Heppler, 67, previously held the District 6 seat for 14 years until he left in 2016 to run for Kalamazoo County Sheriff. He has been the police chief for the Village of Augusta for 38 years and village manager for six years. He also cites being a fireman for 38 years and business owner for 32 years. He previously worked as the Galesburg Police Chief but was fired in 2017. It was a 4-3 vote and the reason cited was that he wasnt responsive to city needs. He sued, saying the firing was over alleged age and weight discrimination but the case was dismissed.

Carahaly, 52, provides services to children with various learning disabilities and disorders at The Alcott Center for Cognitive Enhancement that he founded. He is currently chair of the four-county regional planning council and the vice-chair of the county planning commission. He was a finalist for the District 6 appointment in 2019. He shared that he has extensive private, public, and non-profit experience in many capacities.

The countys 6th District commissioner is elected by and represents residents of Cooper, Richland and Ross townships.

Republicans Dale Shugars, left, and Brian Kovacik, right, are squaring off in the Aug. 4 primary. The two are running for the GOP nomination for the District 9 seat on the Kalamazoo County Commission. (Courtesy photos)

Brian Kovacik and Dale Shugars are set to square off for the GOP nomination in the race to represent District 9 on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Related: Republicans square off for fourth time in Kalamazoo County board race

The winner of the Aug. 4 Republican primary will face Democrat Keshia Dickason as all three look to fill the seat being vacated by Democrat Christine Morse, who is instead running for state House. Dickason is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Shugars has defeated Kovacik in all three prior contests between the two. He went on to win the general election in 2014 and 2016, but lost to Morse in a closely contested race in 2018 after picking up 77% of the vote in the Republican primary.

In addition to serving the District 9 county commissioner from 2014-2018, Shugars, 67, was a state senator for eight years, served in the state house for four years and sat on the Portage City Council for seven years. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where he majored in accountancy and policy. A registered CPA, he is self-employed and, according to his bio, performs management and consulting services.

Kovacik, 55, is a sales consultant who works for a packaging supplies distributor. He studied secondary education at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Western Michigan University. He has no political experience.

The 9th District commissioner is elected by and represents residents of Texas Township as well as a southeast section of Oshtemo Township.

Also on MLive:

Read more:
7 races to watch on Election Day in Kalamazoo County - mlive.com

HILLSDALE Whether Hillsdale and Branch County voters head to the polls for Michigans Aug. 4, 2020 Primary Election or vote by mail, they wont be picking only local or federal candidates.

Theyll also be casting a vote for someone to replace third-term state Rep. Eric Leutheuser, whose current term of office expires Dec. 31, 2020.

With no incumbent candidate seeking reelection, the 58th District primary has become a hotly-contested race on the Republican side. In total, five candidates, four Republicans and one Democrat, have declared for the office.

Candidates vying for the Republican nomination have spent more than $75,000 in the run-up to the Aug. 4 election, making it one of the most expensive primary races since the current district boundaries were redrawn in 1992.

Here is a brief rundown of the five candidates who will appear on the ballot, presented in alphabetical order by last name.

Tamara Barnes

Barnes, a 44-year-old public historian from Coldwater, is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket. The only Democrat in the entire field, she has a clear route to clinching the Democratic nomination for the second time in a row.

Though a presumptive longshot, given Hillsdale and Branch Counties electoral history, Barnes is hoping to wage an unconventional campaign as a change candidate in an extremely red-leaning District. A self-described progressive Democrat, Barnes says she wants to clean up corruption in state government and craft policies that benefit a majority of citizens.

"I believe Republican-led legislation at the state level has been a catastrophic failure for most people in Hillsdale and Branch counties," she said. "Workers continue to be paid unfair wages, corporations continue to receive enormous subsidies in the name of economic development, public schools continue to be critically underfunded, proposed cuts to Medicaid continue to put our most vulnerable citizens at risk and our legislators continue to take money from special interest groups in exchange for favors."

Barness platform includes increasing access to quality healthcare, addressing racial and economic inequities in the 58th District and increasing funding for public schools. She supports raising the states minimum wage and expanding Medicaid via the Healthy Michigan Plan (Affordable Care Act) as a placeholder for an eventual universal medical care system.

Barnes, who has spent her entire career working for non-profit organizations, says her research experience and coalition-building skills enable her to consider multiple viewpoints and implement workable solutions for challenging problems. She says those traits make her well-suited for the office of state representative.

"I believe that I am the only candidate who is concerned with people in this district who struggle those making less than a living wage and those who have health issues and remain underinsured," she said.

Barnes has been endorsed by the Branch County Democratic Party and Hillsdale County Democratic Party.

The Democratic nominee two years ago, Barnes was defeated by incumbent Republican state Rep. Eric Leutheuser in the November 2018 general election.

Barnes possesses a Master of Arts in museum studies from State University of New Yorks Cooperstown Graduate Program and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Western Michigan University.

Andrew Fink

Fink, a 35-year-old attorney from Hillsdale and father of five, announced his candidacy last November at a Hillsdale County Republican Party meeting. A former U.S. Marine Judge Advocate, he is the only candidate running with a military service background.

A Hillsdale College graduate and practicing attorney since 2014, Fink moved back to Hillsdale from Ypsilanti in 2017 to open a branch of his familys law firm, Fink and Fink, PLLC. He was also recently Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkeys district director in Hillsdale County. Fink says the current political climate prompted him to run out of a sense of duty.

"I'm running because the national liberal movement Bernie Sanders' socialism, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal, and Nancy Pelosi's distrust of American citizens are here in Michigan, too," he said. "As the father of five children, a Marine Corps veteran, and a constitutional law attorney, I believe it's my duty to defend our Constitution and American way of life against those who would throw it all away."

Finks platform includes advocating for fiscally-responsible small government, defending the rights of parents to have choices about their kids education, and supporting Second Amendment and pro-life causes. He has also taken a strong stance on reigning in the executive branchs power in Michigan.

Having worked at all levels of government, ranging from the local to federal level, Fink says his experience handling a wide scope of legal issues sets him apart from other candidates.

"I have the experience and abilities to be a conservative leader in the legislature from day one," he said. "Being a Marine officer, constitutional law attorney who has sued Governor Whitmer for her shut down orders, recipient of a scholarship from the National Rifle Association to study politics at Hillsdale College, and a board member of the Michigan Lawyers chapter of the Federalist Society, I am more ready to get in the fight on day one to help restore our economy, ensure public safety, and stop our overreaching governor in her tracks."

Since his campaigns launch, Fink has raised more than $44,000 more than any other Democratic or Republican candidate.

Fink is the only candidate in the race endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan. He has also received endorsements from state Sen. Mike Shirkey, former state Rep. Ken Kurtz, the Police Officers Association of Michigan, Citizens for Traditional Values and local business owners Bob Galloway and Dave Haylett among others.

Fink possesses a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hillsdale College.

Adam Stockford

The 40-year-old mayor of Hillsdale announced his bid for office last October, becoming the first Republican candidate to do so. The first-term mayor, who assumed office in Nov. 2017, is the only candidate in the race currently holding an elected office.

As an elected official whose day-job is in workforce development, Stockford has argued he has more to offer than any other candidate when it comes to understanding local issues and the concerns of 58th District residents, billing himself as both pragmatic and effective in representing his constituents.

"Im running for office because our area deserves a representative that understands the unique interests of this district," Stockford said. "The 58th isnt like any other district, and as the mayor of one of the two major cities and a businessman whos worked with most of the major industries in the district, I have a unique insight into the needs of the people of this area."

Stockfords platform involves increasing revenue sharing for local governments, reforming Michigans grant system, and seeing that rural communities arent left out when it comes to road and infrastructure repair. He is also a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, has endorsed constitutional carry legislation, and identifies as pro-life.

Stockford says his experience as a city councilor and mayor, as well as his blue-collar background, sets himself apart from his opponents.

"My experience in local government and in workforce development gives me the best mix of business and politics of any candidate," he said. "Ive also worked a plethora of blue-collar jobs, as a carpet installer and a factory worker, and I think if youre going to make decisions that affect the people of this district, you should walk a mile in their shoes."

Stockford has no support from PACs, but has received personal endorsements from several prominent figures including Charles Steele, Hillsdale Colleges Chairman of Economics, Business and Accounting, Hillsdale College politics professor Mickey Craig and Union City Village Manager and Police Chief Chris Matthis among others.

Andy Welden

Welden, 68, a retired farmer from Jonesville, became the fourth Republican candidate to jump into the 58th District race when he formally declared his bid for office in May. Despite his late entry into the race, his campaign raised $21,895 in the three months since its launch, the second-highest haul of any candidate.

The only candidate from either party with a background in agriculture, Welden, who served as the principal and owner of Welden Farms in Jonesville for 35 years, has made his knowledge of farming and nearly two decades of experience in township and county government the centerpiece of his campaign, billing himself as a trusted neighbor and dedicated public servant.

"Im running to represent the residents and their priorities," Welden said. "I believe I am capable of doing this well."

Weldens platform involves giving agriculture a larger voice in Lansing and using his leadership experience to fight for a better quality of life for Branch and Hillsdale County residents. A lifelong NRA member, Welden supports the Second Amendment. He also identifies as pro-life.

A Jonesville High School alumnus hailing from a multi-generation farming family, Welden says he believes hes the best candidate for the job because of his local roots and deep-seeded passion for service.

Welden has been endorsed by the Michigan Corn Growers Associations Friends of Corn PAC and the Michigan Association of Counties MACPAC, but has not taken any contributions from any political action committees.

Welden possesses an Associates degree from Michigan State University.

Daren Wiseley

Wiseley, a real estate agent from Osseo and Indiana University law school graduate, was the third Republican to enter the race, announcing his candidacy last December. At 28 years old, he is the youngest candidate seeking the 58th District seat.

The recent law school graduate, who has never held a public office, but worked for the Hillsdale County Prosecutors Office, says that his inaugural campaign is less about experience and more about the ideological lens he says he will apply to decision-making if elected. Wiseley has used his political-outsider status as one of his main selling points in appealing to voters.

"The 58th District is a heavy red district, and I think the people here deserve not just a Republican, but a conservative one that actually reflects their values," he said. "I'm tired of moderate, establishment Republicans not fighting for the best interests of our district, but instead serving the interests of the lobbyists and kowtowing to the Left I'm running to give our district someone willing to take that hard stand and actually fight for tough issues such as: protecting life, defending gun rights, and opposing corporate welfare to support the hard-working people of this district and our great small businesses."

Wiseleys platform includes reducing taxes and cutting regulations on a state level, as well as fighting for a balanced state budget. The pro-Second Amendment candidate says he will oppose any red flag laws and advocate for constitutional carry legislation. He also opposes taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.

"I'm a principled conservative who shares the commonsense values of my hometown community," he said. "Voters always say they want a conservative fighter and I've put the work in to give them that choice."

Wiseley has been endorsed by Michigan Trump Republicans and Young Americans for Liberty, two conservative grassroots organizations.

Wiseley possesses a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University-Bloomingtons Maurer School of law and completed his undergraduate studies at Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech).

More here:
Meet the candidates for Michigans 58th District House of Representatives seat - The Hillsdale Daily News

Strategists and politicians on the left and right agree: The race to represent Colorados Republican-leaning 3rd Congressional District got a lot more interesting at the end of June, when gun-rights activist and first-time candidate Lauren Boebert toppled five-term incumbent Scott Tipton in the GOP primary.

Boebert, owner of the attention-grabbing Shooters Grill in Rifle where the waitresses are armed will face former state Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, the Steamboat Democrat who also served on the Routt County Commission and was seeking a rematch with the more traditionally conservative Tipton, who beat her by 8 percentage points in the last election.

In an observation echoing national election forecasters, a number of seasoned politicos with roots in the sprawling district told Colorado Politics that Mitsch Bushs chances of moving the seat into the Democratic column are better than they would have been had the less flamboyant Tipton had won the nomination, but itll still be a tough lift among the 3rd CDs largely rural and smaller-town voters.

The rest of the state might be trending blue, but the Eastern Plains and Western Slope arent as likely to follow the Front Range and more liberal mountain towns, former state GOP chairman and statewide campaign veteran Dick Wadhams said.

Political consultant Greg Brophy, a former Republican state senator from Wray, the other side of the state, echoed Wadhams, saying that no matter how blue the state trends overall, the Western Slope is still a broad swath of red.

But Alan Salazar, who hails from Grand Junction and is chief of staff to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, said it would be a mistake to count electoral chickens in 2020.

Its a right-of-center district but not a crazy ideological one, he said. I feel like this is the year where Trump is so unpopular in Colorado, its a very good year to be a Democrat in the state, no matter where.

A note of optimism

State Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Eagle, who occupies the House District 26 seat Mitsch Bush held before she resigned to run against Tipton last time, sounded a note of optimism for his fellow Democrat.

Absolutely its a district a Democrat can win. A lot of things need to come together for that to happen, and we might be seeing those things happening this year. Youve got an open seat with no incumbent, a national trend going against the Republican Party, and a pretty inexperienced candidate running on the Republican side, he said.

Roberts, who organized most of the Western Slope for the President Barack Obamas 2012 re-election campaign, acknowledged its a hurdle.

The reality of the district is, its such a gigantic and diverse district, where the numbers have been trending more conservative going against the statewide move toward the Democrats. Its still hard for a Democrat but its possible.

It will be difficult for both candidates to put themselves in front of voters, particularly with the pandemic restricting the kind of face-to-face campaigning that works in a district with so many distinct communities, the experts said.

Both nominees run the risk of allowing their opponent to paint them as too extreme to represent a seat that has a habit of sending more middle-of-the-road politicians to Congress, including Tipton and John Salazar, the Democrat he unseated, rancher and former state lawmaker, and Republican Scott McInnis and then-Democrat Ben Campbell before him.

Tyler Sandberg, an executive at the education-reform group Ready Colorado and the campaign manager for former U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, who lost his suburban 6th Congressional District seat in an anti-Trump wave in the last election, said polling hes seen suggests Republicans could be in more peril than theyre acknowledging.

The Trump factor

The presidents support among his party, Sandberg said, has been dropping from the rock-solid 95% level Trump enjoyed until recently into the low 80s. Trump is bleeding out in swing-state polls around the country, he said, adding that if similarly largely rural states like Missouri are in play, he must be bleeding out pretty badly.

Wadhams said if the bottom drops out, Republicans from U.S. Sen Cory Gardner on down will face a blowout in November.

Colorado voters have been notorious about ticket splitting, but I dont think thats a dynamic thats going to be much in play in 2020, said Alan Salazar. Trump is such a polarizing figure. My gut sense is people are looking for a return to calm, order, a process we can trust to get away from some of this craziness.

Boeberts flirtations with the right-wing conspiracy movement QAnon could pose a risk for her, if dissatisfaction with Trump and the GOP brand runs as deep as some Republicans fear, Wadhams said.

Former state Sen. Josh Penry, a native son and a state political strategist, said the pox on both your houses frustration among voters could play both ways, though, noting that Mitsch Bush might be from the Western Slope but lives in a resort community.

If John Salazar is the nominee? This is an absolute dogfight, Penry said. But a liberal politician from a resort town talking about turning the district blue, I think theyve got an imperfect messenger for this district.

The pent-up frustration in rural America, which helped lift Trump to a 12-peercentage point win in the district four years ago, he added, hasnt gone away.

Alan Salazar said itll come down to which candidate voters believe represents Western Slope values and interests and which provides a level of comfort.

Scott Tipton wouldve been somebody a lot of people could have voted for, but Im not sure about Ms. Boebert, he said.

This district is very diverse, Roberts said. There are communities in the mountains where tourism and the environment and conservation are the top issues, then you head into Grand Junction, the San Luis Valley, where agriculture and energy are the biggest topics. You need somebody who can speak to all those different issues and have their finger on a variety of pulses.

Mitsch Bush, he said, has deep experience on all those issues and laid down a record as a county commissioner and in the legislature.

I have confidence that Diane, when she goes to different communities, can speak well and is very informed on the particular issues that matter to those communities, he said, adding, I havent seen Lauren Boebert speak about any issue but the Second Amendment and freedom, quote unquote.

However the race shapes up, Sandberg said, the Democrats get a win. TV time in the district which covers all four of Colorados markets, including the expensive Denver market will be pricey.

Republicans will have to spend a million or two to defend the seat that they wouldnt have spent if the nominee had been Tipton, Sandberg speculated.

If you wanted to have a knock-down-drag-out in CD3, it could get pretty expensive, pretty quick, he said. Will the Democrats spend money to put that one seat into play? Will the Republican super PACs spend money to keep it?

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THE RACE FOR CD3 | This got a lot more interesting, observers say - coloradopolitics.com

During President Donald Trump's nationwide address on Monday evening, he announced his intent to use all federal resources to help stop the rioting and looting that's taking place across the country. He also mentioned that he would protect the rights of law-abiding citizens, including the right to keep and bear arms. Naturally, progressives and those who hate the Second Amendment were up in arms over the mention of the Second Amendment.

Apparently encouraging people to protect themselves when cops are attempting to stop rioters is encouraging "racist supporters" to "start shooting black protestors."

They also seem to think that if you support the Second Amendment that you should automatically take to the streets to over martial law.

Here's what these folks fail to understand: the Second Amendment is there to protect our freedoms, including our First Amendment rights, but it's also there for self-defense. Relying on cops to protect you when they're trying to keep rioters from looting and literally burning down cities, it's up to you to protect yourself, your family and your property. Even when there aren't massive riots taking place across the country, it can take cops minutes, sometimes even hours,to arrive to a person's call for help (depending on where they live and how well-staffed their police and/or sheriff's department is).

Progressives can make the assumption that Trump is telling people to go out and shoot protestors and looters. That is notwhat he said. He's simply saying that people's Second Amendment rights will not be taken away, that people will have the ability to protect themselves and their families should someone try to cause them harm.

Remember: there are still rules and responsibilities that come with owning and carrying a firearm. Pretty much every gun owner will say the same thing: they never want to have to utilize their firearm but they have it should the need arise. Defending life is when a firearm should be utilized. It should and always will take priority over a person's property.

Guns, however, have been proven to be a deterrent that keeps people from breaking into buildings and stealing. Just look at what happened when all hell broke loose and "armed rednecks" stepped up to protect various businesses.

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Trump's Mere Mention of the Second Amendment Sent ...