Up North Progressive

For the 38th state senate district in the state there are two candidates running as Democrats in the August 5 primary election. They are Chris LaMarche of Gladstone and Christopher Germain of Escanaba.

Chris LaMarche has been a Yooper his entire life. Growing up he was an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow. He graduated from Michigan State University with Bachelors’ degrees in Biology and Genetics. LaMarche’s background in science he believes gives him a unique outlook on politics, and wants to bring that unique ability to Lansing. He was named to the Demmer Scholars program and worked as an intern for Senator Debbie Stabenow helping with her work in the Senate Agriculture Committee. He had experience watching a senate bill go through the process of becoming law.

Issues Chris LaMarche feels very strongly about are the lack of opportunities for young people in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Providing what young people need to want to move to the 38th district. There needs to be better high paying jobs for skilled workers. Raising the minimum wage would help other people living in the area and boost the local economy. Right to Work has not helped the people of the 38th district because it contributes to lowering wages. Schools are underfunded, which contributes more to people looking for opportunity falling behind. LaMarche also wants to see improvements made to Internet and wifi accessibility in the region. This is another issue that discourages young people from staying in the upper peninsula.

LaMarche has seen first hand how Lansing’s bad decisions have hurt the people of Northern Michigan. Staff cuts, privatization of the food service at the Marquette Branch Prison have meant more people losing jobs while the costs to run the prison have risen.

To learn more about Chris La Marche and his campaign, you can visit his campaign page on Facebook.

Christopher Germain was born and raised in Escanaba. His career over the past ten years has been selling real estate in Delta County. He is also captain of the local volunteer fire department where he facilitates all of the fire department related training programs. He is also a member of the Delta County Jaycees and the Delta Lodge 195 of the Free Masons. Through his work as a real estate agent and being involved with the community as a volunteer, he knows what the people of the 38th district want. Germain believes he is the best candidate because he cares about the people. He also believes that the upper peninsula of Michigan doesn’t get a fair chance or has a loud enough voice in Lansing,

Germain believes there is too much government waste and all government departments need to have cuts made to them to make them run more efficiently. He especially wants to see more cuts to welfare because there is too much abuse of the system. Other issues important to Christopher Germain include a world class education, having enough jobs for the highly skilled workforce in the upper peninsula, such as more mining, and putting an end to unfair tax hikes on the elderly and less fortunate.

Germain has focused on meeting as many people as possible during the primary election period, and to share his message on how to get Michigan to work for all Michiganians. To learn more or volunteer you can visit Christopher Germain’s website.