103rd House District

Vice President Kamala Harris is running for president and has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as her vice president. Between them, Harris and Walz have a wealth of executive and legislative experience, and both have demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting our freedoms and fighting for a brighter future for all Americans.

Before serving as vice president, Kamala Harris was California’s Attorney General and served in the U.S. Senate. Tim Walz spent 24 years in the US Military before his professional career as a teacher and coach, before serving six terms in Congress and one full term as governor of Minnesota.

Harris and Walz’s vision for America centers on protecting the rights and freedoms of people across the country and fighting back against the attacks MAGA Republicans have launched on abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality, voting rights, and racial justice. They also aim to foster an economic environment where everyone can thrive, not just corporations and the wealthy, protect our environment from corporate polluters, and enact common-sense gun violence prevention laws to make us all safer.

Harris and Walz have been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: Clean Water Action, Emgage Action, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Sierra Club - Michigan.

Vice President Harris’s opponent in this race is former president Donald Trump, a con man whose time in the White House was characterized by chaos, bigotry, and a focus on taking care of himself and his wealthy friends. Trump has selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate. Vance has limited experience in governing and has followed Trump’s lead in spreading harmful racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most progressive choices in this race

Vice President Kamala Harris is running for president and has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as her vice president. Between them, Harris and Walz have a wealth of executive and legislative experience, and both have demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting our freedoms and fighting for a brighter future for all Americans.

Before serving as vice president, Kamala Harris was California’s Attorney General and served in the U.S. Senate. Tim Walz spent 24 years in the US Military before his professional career as a teacher and coach, before serving six terms in Congress and one full term as governor of Minnesota.

Harris and Walz’s vision for America centers on protecting the rights and freedoms of people across the country and fighting back against the attacks MAGA Republicans have launched on abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality, voting rights, and racial justice. They also aim to foster an economic environment where everyone can thrive, not just corporations and the wealthy, protect our environment from corporate polluters, and enact common-sense gun violence prevention laws to make us all safer.

Harris and Walz have been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: Clean Water Action, Emgage Action, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Sierra Club - Michigan.

Vice President Harris’s opponent in this race is former president Donald Trump, a con man whose time in the White House was characterized by chaos, bigotry, and a focus on taking care of himself and his wealthy friends. Trump has selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate. Vance has limited experience in governing and has followed Trump’s lead in spreading harmful racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most progressive choices in this race

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who has represented Michigan for three terms in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives, is running this year for her first term representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Slotkin spent much of her career working on national security issues for the federal government. After losing her mother to cancer and witnessing firsthand the way families dealing with a serious illness must also navigate tremendous financial stress, she decided to run for Congress and work toward a more just healthcare system.

In addition to taking on big pharma and insurance companies, Rep. Slotkin’s policy priorities include creating safer communities via gun violence prevention laws, protecting abortion rights, reducing inequality and ensuring all families have what they need to thrive, and defending our democracy and voting rights.

Rep. Slotkin has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Sierra Club - Michigan.

Rep. Slotkin’s opponent is Mike Rogers, a Trump-endorsed candidate who shares many of the former president’s priorities, including harsh, authoritarian immigration and policing policies, criminalizing abortion, and supporting corporations over everyday Americans. Mike Rogers recently moved back to Michigan after living in Florida for years in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the most progressive choice in this race.

Callie Barr is running for her first term in Congress to represent the 1st District. In addition to being a mother and a military spouse, Barr has taught English at the high school level and is now a lawyer working to connect veterans with free legal services.

Barr wants to fight for the needs of families in northern Michigan who are struggling to make ends meet. Her policy platform includes defending democracy, securing Internet access for rural residents, supporting the middle class, making sure everyone has access to healthcare, and creating safer communities via common-sense gun violence prevention laws.

Barr has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, and Sierra Club - Michigan.

Callie Barr’s opponent in this race is Republican Congressman Jack Bergman, who opposes abortion rights and gun violence prevention laws and has supported the MAGA agenda. Bergman is also endorsed by the anti-reproductive freedom organization Right to Life Michigan.

Callie Barr is the most progressive choice in this race.

Betsy Coffia is an incumbent Democrat running for her second term in the Michigan House of Representatives representing House District 103. Coffia grew up in northern Michigan and has long been an activist in the community. She was the first Democratic woman in over three decades to be elected to the Grand Traverse County Commission in 2018 and was re-elected as a commissioner in 2020.

​​Coffia served in a historic legislative session with a Democratic majority that took major strides forward on key progressive issues. The Democratic majority passed the Reproductive Health Act, ensuring all Michiganders can make their own decisions about how and when to start a family, gave Michigan's kids free school breakfast and lunch and additional funds to support our students, and passed common sense gun violence prevention measures. Putting hard-working Michiganders' first, they also quintupled the Working Families Tax Credit, got rid of the retirement tax, and got rid of so-called "right to work" anti-worker legislation to ensure workers have bargaining power to stand up to greedy corporations. Coffia also helped expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and codify parts of the Affordable Care Act into law that protect LGBTQ+ Michiganders from discrimination in healthcare, housing, and the workplace.

Coffia’s priorities include fighting for an economy that works for everyone, preserving Michigan’s natural resources, protecting reproductive rights, and protecting voting rights. She will work to address the climate crisis, expand access to quality mental and physical health care, and ensure everyone has a living wage. Coffia will support fully funding public education, standing with teachers and fighting to make sure they have the resources they need. She will fight to ensure LGBTQ+ equality, support common sense gun violence prevention measures, and protect workers’ rights.

Coffia has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Clean Water Action, Equality Michigan Action Network, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Education Association, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan United Action, Service Employees International Union - Michigan, Sierra Club - Michigan, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and We the People - Michigan.

Coffia is running against Republican Lisa Trombley, who is decidedly anti-progressive. Trombley is anti-abortion and stands against Attorney General Dana Nessel’s actions to shut down Line 5 and safeguard Lake Michigan from oil spills. Trombley has also taken thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Betsy DeVos and is endorsed by the anti-public education, DeVos-backed organization the Great Lakes Education Project.

Betsy Coffia is the most progressive choice in the race.

Democratic incumbent Edward Hoogterp is running for another term as Benzie County Drain Commissioner. Hoogterp says on his personal blog, “We need to care for the Earth and each other.”

He is running against Republican Mike Fiebig.

Given the limited information we have about both candidates, we are unable to determine whether either candidate could be considered progressive to any degree, but at this time we are recommending voters consider Edward Hoogterp over Mike Fiebig based on the information we were able to find.

Faith Hoekstra is a Democrat running for her first term as Leelanau County Drain Commissioner. She is running against Republican Timothy O’Non. Given the limited information we have about both candidates, we are unable to determine whether either candidate could be considered progressive to any degree, but at this time we are recommending voters consider Faith Hoekstra over Timothy O’Non based on the information we were able to find.

[CHOOSE TWO] Garth Greenan is a Democratic incumbent running for re-election as Leelanau Road Commissioner, where he is the only Democrat on the board. He has a civil engineering background and previously was the traffic services supervisor for the Grand Traverse County Road Commision. Greenan has focused on working closely with local townships on road projects and getting residents engaged on road construction plans. Garth Greenan is the best choice in this race.

Lauren Flynn is a Democrat incumbent running for her second term on the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, where she serves on the Opioid Task Force. She is a single mother, has a master’s degree in business management and is in school working on another master’s degree in nonprofit leadership. She has worked many different positions in industries such as hospitality, real estate, retail, and higher education. She also serves on the boards of Veterans Affairs, Networks Northwest, Economic Development, and Northern Nexus.

Her priorities include child care affordability, housing insecurity, mental health accessibility, and government transparency.

Flynn has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: We the People - Michigan.

Flynn is running against Republican Daniel Smith.

Lauren Flynn is the best choice in this race.

Ashlea Walter is a Democrat incumbent running for her second term on the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners. She works as assistant vice president, and marketing and communications manager at Honor Bank. Prior to becoming county commissioner, Walter served as a Traverse City commissioner from 2019 to 2022 and was also on the Empire Village Council. She now serves in board roles with the Commission on Aging, Area Agency on Aging, and Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency.

Walter’s priorities include better care for seniors, affordable workforce housing, mental health, childcare, equality for all people, public education, the arts, and combating the climate crisis.

Walter is running against Republican Brian Hagerty.

Ashlea Walter is the best choice in this race.

Fern Spence is a Democrat running for commissioner on the Grand Traverse Board of Commissioners for the 4th District. She is a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a master’s in urban and regional planning. Spence serves on Garfield Township’s Parks and Recreation Commission as co-chair and is also on the township’s zoning board of appeals.

Spence’s priorities include improving the county's integrity and transparency, addressing the housing crisis, encouraging smarter transportation, increasing childcare options, and improving our environment with practical available tools. She also wants to make it safer for people, especially kids, to walk and get outside.

Spence is running against Republican incumbent Brad Jewett who was arrested in June 2024 during an undercover operation for solicitation of prostitution. He has been charged with two misdemeanors including engaging the services of a prostitute and using a computer to commit a crime. So far he has pleaded not guilty and the case is pending.

Fern Spence is the best choice in this race.

Trenton Lee is a Democrat running for commissioner on the Grand Traverse Board of Commissioners for the 5th District. He was raised in Traverse City and graduated from Traverse City Saint Francis High School. After high school he attended the University of Michigan and majored in Sociology and Women’s Studies and then from there he attended the University of Westminster in London, England and graduated with a master’s degree in Social Media, Culture and Society, and worked as a Lecturer of Media Theory for 3 years. He currently works as a Media & Communications Specialist for North Country Community Mental Health.

Lee’s priorities include expanding and protecting access to healthcare, addressing the housing crisis, promoting civic engagement and transparency, community safety, and protecting the local environment.

Lee has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: We the People - Michigan.

Lee is running against Randy Kamps, who has no party affiliation, and Republican incumbent Robert Hentschel. In 2021, Hentschel defended the right-wing extremist group called the Proud Boys. Hentschel, as chairman of the Board in 2021, also laughed when board member Ron Clous infamously brandished a rifle during a virtual Board meeting.

Trenton Lee is the best choice in this race.

Jan Wyant is a Democrat running for commissioner on the Grand Traverse Board of Commissioners for the 6th District. She moved to Traverse City in the 1990s and together with her husband they founded Wyant Technologies, which provides IT and cybersecurity services, in 2003, they also have three grown children.

Wyant’s priorities include affordable housing, protecting local parks, government transparency, access to mental health services, protecting the watershed, and safe bike paths to minimize carbon impact and traffic.

Wyant is running against Republican incumbent Darryl Nelson.

Jan Wyant is the best choice in this race.

T.J. Andrews is a Democrat incumbent running for her second term on the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners for the 7th District. An attorney for more than two decades, she originally grew up in South Africa and then Texas. Andrews is now married and has two children. She is a member of the Michigan Association of Counties’ Environmental and Agriculture committees and also serves as the Board of Commissioners’ liaison to the County Pavilions DHHS Board.

Andrews’ priorities include bringing inclusivity, civility, accountability and transparency to county government. She also wants to protect what makes her district so great, including the environment and quality of life. Andrews will also work to improve road planning and management, support the local workforce with affordable housing and childcare, respond to climate change, and invest in community spaces for everyone.

Andrew has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: We the People - Michigan.

Andrew is running against Republican Kathleen Haueisen, a staunch Trump supporter who has shared conspiracy theories about election fraud.

T.J. Andrews is the best choice in this race.

Pamela Kaiser is a Democrat running for the Grand Traverse Board of Commissioners for the 9th District. She is a fourth-generation resident of the county, attended Traverse City public schools, and she has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kalamazoo College, as well as master’s degrees in American studies from Purdue University and education from Rivier College. She is a former teacher of English and French at Purdue University and adjunct instructor at Northwestern Michigan College.

One of Kaiser's highest priorities is common sense gun violence prevention laws. She lost her 24-year-old son to gun suicide hours after a local gun merchant defied state law without any legal penalty to sell him a semiautomatic rifle. This happened just a month after the Second Amendment sanctuary resolution was adopted by a majority of the GOP members of the board. She intends to overturn that policy.

Kaiser’s other priorities include government transparency, protecting our green environment and keeping our freshwater ecology clean and healthy, providing critically needed mental health care services in the county, access to affordable child care, access to affordable housing, and access to healthcare.

Kaiser is running against Republican incumbent Penny Morris.

Pamela Kaiser is the best choice in this race.