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Two U.P. Democrats join congressional race

Dana Ferguson and Dwight Brady

Two more Democrats have jumped into the race for U.S. Congress in northern Michigan. Both are from the Upper Peninsula.

Northern Michigan University professor Dwight Brady made his announcement at an event in Marquette on Monday. Brady says he considered running for the seat in 2010 but decided against it and campaigned for former state Rep. Gary McDowell. 

Brady says he wants to be a congressman in the mold of former Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak.

“I think we all remember this man who would come back from Washington and when he got back in his district he was on the road visiting constituents, not hiding from them,” Brady says. “Bart Stupak set the standard and that’s the standard I intend to keep.”

Dana Ferguson, a carpenter and small business owner in Negaunee – west of Marquette – is also running as a Democrat in the 1st District. He made a bid for the seat in 2014 but did not collect enough signatures to make the primary ballot. 

Ferguson says the district’s next representative should represent all people – not just Democrats or Republicans. 

 “There’s just continuing conflict and growing problems in the political scene,” Ferguson says. “It feels like both parties are fighting so hard for their stances but they’re not seeing the other side at all.”

Retired Marine Corps officer Matt Morgan (D-Traverse City) formally announced he was a candidate last week.

Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) was elected to his first term in office in November.