Michigan’s New Leaders 2015-2016 United States Senate U.S. Senator-elect Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Hills), 55, is a third-term member of Congress who sits on the Financial Services Committee. A former Rochester Hills City Councilman, Peters briefly ran for governor in 2002 and lost a bid to become MichiganAttorney General by 5,200 votes that same year. He’s at 248-799-0850 or www.petersformichigan.com. He defeated Terri Lynn Land 55 to 41 percent. United States House of Representatives 4th Congressional District U.S. Rep.-elect John Moolenaar, 53, was a first-term State Senator when he decided to run to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dave Camp. He successfully beat businessman Paul Mitchell in a very expensive primary in the 4th Congressional District. Prior to serving in the Senate, he served in the Michigan House. Moolenaar is a former Midland City Council member who worked on the staff of then-State Senator Bill Schuette. He began his career as chemist/industry specialist developing new markets for products. He can be reached until January at 989-430-4344. 8th Congressional District U.S. Rep.-elect Mike Bishop, 47, of Rochester, is a former Republican Senate Majority Leader who served in that capacity during Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s last term along side Democratic Speaker of the House Andy Dillon. Bishop was serving as chief legal officer for International Bancard Corporation when he decided to run for the right to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Brighton). Bishop, who was endorsed by Rogers, defeated Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) in the 8th CD primary and defeated the Ingham County Treasurer, Democrat Eric Schertzing, 55 to 41 percent in the general. Michigan Information & Research Service Inc - 910 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing MI 48915 MIRSnews.com 517-482-2125 United States House of Representatives (cont.) 11th Congressional District U.S. Rep.-elect David Trott is a former trial attorney who built the family law firm Trott & Trott into a very large and successful foreclosure firm. Trott, 53, was a member of the University of Michigan Advisory Board and served on the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Kerry Bentivolio in the August primary. In November he defeated 39-year-old Bobby McKenzie 57 to 41 percent. McKenzie was a former counter-terrorism advisor for the U.S. Department of State. Trott can be found online at www.trottforcongress.com. 12th Congressional District U.S. Rep.-elect Debbie Dingell, 60, is a Dearborn Democrat and Michigan Democratic Party National Committeewoman. She is president of D2 Strategies as well as chair of the Manufacturing Initiative of the American Automotive Policy Council. She’s also a former GM official who led the General Motors Foundation for 30 years. The wife of retiring U.S. Rep. John Dingell, Dingell can be found online at www.debbiedingellforcongress.com. Dingell defeated Republican Terry Bowman, 48, in the November general election 65 to 31 percent. 14th Congressional District U.S. Rep.-elect Brenda Lawrence, 59, is a four-term Mayor of Southfield. She defeated long- term Mayor Donald Fracassi in 2001 to become Southfield’s first female mayor. During the Democratic primary, she defeated former U.S. Rep. Hansen Clarke and state Rep. Rudy Hobbs. In the general election she defeated Republican Christine Barr 77 to 20 percent. She can be reached at 248-262-7502 or brendalawrence.com or [email protected]. Michigan’s New Leaders - 2015-2016 Page 2 MIRSnews.com 517-482-2125 Michigan Senate 5th District Senator-elect David Knezek, a Dearborn Heights Democrat, is a first-term House member who sits on the House Education and Health Policy committees. Knezek came in second during a mid-term election for House Minority Floor Leader. Prior to his election, Knezek was the student body president at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He graduated in April 2012 with a bachelor's in Political Science. Knezek is an Iraq War veteran who did two tours of duty. He is currently a Sergeant in the U.S. Marines. In addition to his military service, he's a substitute teacher. He is at 313-451-4586, www.voteknezek.com/senate, or www.voteknezek.com. Knezek beat former Rep. Shannelle Jackson and current Reps. David Nathan and Thomas Stallworth III of Detroit in the primary. In the November general election Knezek defeated Republican Jennifer Rynicki 82 to 18 percent. 13th District Senator-elect Marty Knollenberg, 50, a Troy Republican, is a former three-term House member who sponsored a Right to Work bill that the House passed in 2011. He finished second in 2013 during a Troy mayoral race. He attended Albion College and owns an insurance company in Oakland County. Knollenberg served as Oakland County Commissioner from 2002 to 2004 and as the county's Parks and Recreation Commissioner from 2004 to 2006. The son of former Congressman Joe Knollenberg is on Facebook and at 248-709-3858. In the primary, Knollenberg defeated former Reps. Chuck Moss and Andrew Raczkowski. In the November general election Knollenberg defeated Democrat Cyndi Peltonen 58 to 42 percent. 16th District Senator-elect Mike Shirkey, 60, is a Republican from Clark Lake. He was in his second term in the Michigan House when he decided to run to replace retiring Sen. Bruce Caswell. Shirkey was a key force behind passing the expansion of Medicaid in Michigan as well as a leading voice behind passage of Right to Work legislation. He ran unopposed in the 16th during the primary election. In November he defeated Jackson Democrat Kevin Commet 61 to 39 percent. Shirkey can be reached at www.mikeshirkey.com or at 517-780-4265. Page 3 Michigan’s New Leaders - 2015-2016 MIRSnews.com 517-482-2125 Michigan Senate (cont.) 17th District Senator-elect Dale W. Zorn, 60, an Ida Republican, is a second-term House member who is the vice chair of the House Commerce Committee. He also serves on the committees on Health Policy, Energy & Technology, and Military & Veterans Affairs. Before joining the House, Zorn spent 20 years working as the Monroe County commissioner, including three years as the chair. The auto service business owner also served Raisinville Township for ten years. He is at 734-269-6175 or www.dalewzorn.com. In the general election he defeated former Rep. Doug Spade, an Albion Democrat, 51 to 46 percent. 20th District Senator-elect Margaret O’Brien is a second-term GOP House member and the vice chair of the House Tax Policy Committee. She also sits on Criminal Justice, Insurance, Oversight, and the Transportation and Infrastructure committees and has been elected to leadership twice as the Associate Speaker Pro Tempore of the House since 2011. O'Brien is a licensed realtor and a former social worker who previously won two elections to the Portage City Council. O'Brien graduated from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1996. She is at 269- 324-9626, [email protected] or www.margaretobrien.com. O’Brien narrowly defeated Rep. Sean McCann, 44 of Kalamazoo, by 59 votes. On November 20, McCann announced he’d be seeking a recount. 23rd District Senator-elect Curtis Hertel Jr., a Democrat of Lansing, is the Ingham County Register of Deeds, a position to which he was first elected in 2008. He was re-elected in 2012. He graduated from Michigan State University in 2000 with a degree in social relations after which he worked as a commissioner for Ingham County for eight years. During his tenure, he focused on expanding access to healthcare through the Ingham Health Plan. He also worked as a legislative liaison for the Department of Community Health from 2003 to 2008. He’s at www. hertelforsenate.com and 517-281-3574. In the general election he defeated Republican Craig Whitehead 66 to 34 percent. MIRS Bio Piece: Hertel Michigan’s New Leaders - 2015-2016 Page 4 MIRSnews.com 517-482-2125 Michigan Senate (cont.) 28th District Senator-elect Peter MacGregor, 48, is a Rockford Republican who’s served two terms in the Michigan House. He chairs the Appropriations Subcomittee on Human Services. He also sits on other subcommittees including Community Health, Higher Education, and Military and Veterans Affairs. MacGregor was a small business owner and served as Cannon Township supervisor, trustee and planning commissioner. While he survived a competitive nine-person primary in 2010, he ran unopposed in the 2012 GOP primary. He is at 616-295-7909 or electpetermacgregor.com. In the general election he defeated Democrat Deb Havens 66 to 34 percent. 32nd District Senator-elect Ken Horn, 55, is a Frankenmuth Republican. A former member of the House, he served as the chair of the House Energy and Technology Committee in his last term. Prior to that, he was a Saginaw County commissioner for 14 years. The former vice president of the Saginaw County Foundation is also a former substitute teacher and a small business owner. Horn holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Concordia University. He is on Facebook and at 989-652-2665 or www.friendsofkenhorn.com. He defeated Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes of Saginaw in the general election 54 to 46 percent. 36th District Senator-elect Jim Stamas, 49, is a Midland Republican who won the right to replace Sen. John Moolenaar, who ran for the 4th Congressional District. He is current Majority Floor Leader, the second-highest ranking member in the chamber. The lifelong Midland resident managed Pizza Sam's, the downtown Midland eatery the Stamas family has owned for nearly 50 years.