Callie Barr holds campaign office party
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MARQUETTE -- On Friday, congressional candidate Callie Barr, D-Traverse City, held a campaign office party at her office located at 131 W. Washington St., in Marquette. The event was meant to rally support ahead of the November election and drew several dozen volunteers and supporters of her campaign. Barr will face incumbent Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, on the ballot on Nov. 3.
Barr spoke with many attendees, handed out campaign materials and also gave a short speech.
"I have folks who ask me a lot, because I ran in 2024, Callie, what's different?" said Barr. "Well, a lot."
"There's a lot happening, a lot of destabilization," said Barr, referring to cuts the Trump administration has made to environmental and federal assistance programs. "And then on top of that, here in our backyard, there's Jack Bergman ... we've got a problem with him, because he doesn't show up. And when he does, we kind of wish he wouldn't. He votes against us."
Barr cited the closing of three labor and deliveries in the First District over the past three years, as well as the closing of the Forest Service research stations in Houghton and L'Anse, cutting food programs which serve children, and support for tarriffs against Canada which have contributed to a 24% reduction in people coming into the Sault from Canada.
” ... We've even had state Republican lawmakers here that have pulled their endorsement of Jack. .. McBroom, Bohnak and Markkanen. They said this guy's (Bergman) a liar and he's no good for the people of the Upper Peninsula. "It means we have a lot of folks who are hurting and a lot of people paying attention. When they know who Jack Bergman is, they don't like him."
Barr also cited the loss of Bermgan-endorsed State Senate candidate Beau LaFave in the August primary as evidence of Bergman's waning influence in the area, as well as that more people voted in the democratic primary in the First District than in the Republican primary.
Barr has received endorsements from former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, former U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. All three are Democrats.
"We out fundraised Jack Bergman in the last quarter," said Barr. "... We raised more money than any Democrat ever raised in a quarter in the history of this district ... This is going to take all hands on deck. When you do field, that means knocking doors, that means old-school campaigning, it can add about two to three points.
"That means more folks voting than normally would to a race. THat's what we're going to win by. Bergman does not have this. He doesn't have people who are out knocking doors. He's got Raytheon cutting checks. I've got people who believe in this, who are ready to knock doors."
"Right now, we've got a very few who are controlling our government," said Barr. "They've used their power to make the law serve the richest and not the rest. They have the ability to use surveillance and propaganda in ways that are completely unmatched in modern American history and our ability to fight that is right now."
Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.