Area State Senator Joins Race for Stupak’s Seat

And the state Senator who represents those two counties, plus much of the northern Lower Peninsula, is running for Congress.

Republican Jason Allen from the Traverse City area has been in the state Senate since 2003.

That means term limits are keeping him from running for re-election.

So he’s taking a shot at Bart Stupak’s soon-to-be vacant Congressional seat instead.

Allen says the issues that people in the western U.P. are telling him are on their minds are the same ones he’s hearing from supporters downstate — the weak job market and government spending.

He visited Sunny 101.9 Radio in Marquette this morning to kick off his campaign on “Mark & Walt in the Morning”.

Allen says he won’t let party lines stop him from getting things done, saying one of his strengths in the state Senate has been his ability to work in a bipartisan manner with Democrats.

One of Allen’s Republican challengers, Dr. Dan Benishek of Crystal Falls, sent a welcome wagon for Allen this morning.

Allen also visited the Soo and Petoskey later in the day.