ESCANABA — One of the men who ran for Rep. Dan Benishek’s seat is State Sen. Tom Casperson.

Around 6,000 votes separated Casperson and Bergman in the First Congressional District GOP Primary. One of the Upper Peninsula’s voices in Lansing said that he received great support at the polls from his constituents.

Ultimately, it was the votes below the bridge that made a difference.

“Those people that I know and that I work with and live with up here certainly came through in big colors for me,” said Casperson.

“The numbers were over the top and I’m proud of that. It’s such an honor to serve the people of the U.P. Where we weren’t known as well down in Grand Traverse, that’s really what tipped the scales. We just couldn’t keep up with what was going on down there.”

Casperson still has two years left in his current term as a State Senator.

He received a phone call Wednesday afternoon from someone who started in Lansing the same time he did six years ago– Governor Rick Snyder.

“We talked a little bit about the beginning really when him and I started back in 2010 after the election and where the state was at and where we’ve come,” said Casperson. “A lot of people have forgotten how tough it was in Michigan and really the tough decisions that had to be made. We kind of reminisced a little about that.”

Casperson, along with members of the Michigan Senate and House, return to Lansing for the fall next month.