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Collection of WVBI August Election Coverage Broadcast July 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31 and August 3, 2026 |
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Note: Sample ballots are available here: https://wvbi.biccenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Charlevoix-August-2026-Peaine-St.-James-Sample-Ballots.pdf |
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U.S. House (Democrats):
Republican incumbent Jack Bergman, a retired Marine lieutenant general, is seeking a sixth term. He points to his experience on the House Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees, supports extending the Trump tax cuts, requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote through the SAVE Act, and says a strong national defense and military readiness remain top priorities.
Democrat Callie Barr, a Traverse City attorney, former teacher and veterans advocate who challenged Bergman in 2024, is seeking another chance. She says her campaign is focused on making life more affordable by protecting Social Security and Medicaid, strengthening rural health care and hospitals, and lowering everyday costs. She also supports term limits for Congress and banning members from trading individual stocks.
The two candidates share support for veterans and improving VA services, though they differ sharply on how to do it. They also both emphasize national security, but Barr argues Congress should play a larger role in approving military action, while Bergman says presidents need flexibility to respond to threats. They also split on surveillance powers, health care spending, election laws and tax policy.
Tomorrow we’ll look at Republican challenger Matthew DenOtter and Democrat Kyle Blomquist. For a detailed look at the positions of all of the primary candidates for the first district, check out Interlochen Public Radio’s stories by Brian Freiberger of the Leelanau Enterprise that are linked in today’s script online. |
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U.S. House (Republicans):
Justin Michal of Grayling is an Army veteran and entrepreneur making his first run for Congress. He says his campaign focuses on veterans, government accountability, border security and reducing federal spending. Michal has kept a lower public profile than his opponents and did not respond to several media candidate questionnaires. On the Democratic side, Wayne Stiles of Traverse City is an industrial designer and small business owner. He says he wants to bring a problem-solving approach to Washington, with priorities that include expanding rural health care, strengthening telehealth and broadband, protecting the Great Lakes, and pursuing immigration reform while supporting democracy and fiscal responsibility. Voters will choose one Republican and one Democrat in the August 4 primary, with the winners advancing to the November general election. Polls open next Tuesday at 7:00 and will close at 8:00. Interlochen public Radio has an in-depth profile of the Republican and Democrat candidates in the primary for the First District seat. There’s a link to that in today’s script online. |
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Michigan House: Incumbent Republican Parker Fairbairn is unopposed in his party’s primary. During his first term, he’s focused on expanding housing, reducing business regulations, supporting agriculture, forestry and tourism, improving broadband access, and promoting economic development in rural northern Michigan. Democrats will choose between Brendan Ryan, a civil engineer from Petoskey, and Melissa Perron, a community advocate from Sault Ste. Marie. Ryan says his campaign centers on strengthening infrastructure, expanding access to affordable housing and health care, protecting constitutional rights, and supporting working families through investments in education and skilled trades. Perron says her campaign is about what she calls “bridging” Northern Michigan by improving accountability in Lansing, strengthening connections between rural and tribal communities, expanding access to education and health care, protecting constitutional rights, and bringing more local voices into state government. |
Community Calendar Report – WVBI August Election Reports Collection
