Northern Michigan Democrats have picked Lon Johnson to run for U.S. Congress. Johnson, the former chair of the state Democratic Party, took 72 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary election against former Kalkaska County Sheriff Jerry Cannon.
“In my candidacy, you will see a future member of Congress willing to make investments to get things done,” Johnson told IPR News Radio in an interview on Wednesday morning.
Johnson says he wants to invest in high speed internet and passenger rail service. He also supports shutting down Enbridge’s Line 5 where it carries oil across the Straits of Mackinac.
He says voters are angry.
“They are seeing trade deals that are shipping our jobs overseas,” Johnson says. “They are seeing efforts to break the promise of social security. They are seeing a tax code that’s being rigged for the wealthy and well-connected.”
Johnson will face Republican Jack Bergman in November. Bergman, a retired Marine Corps general, defeated Jason Allen and Tom Casperson on Tuesday. Bergman was a political unknown in Michigan when he joined the race in March
Libertarian Diane Bostow is also running.