Republican Open House

Election Day is just over two and a half weeks away.

And GOP candidates for local offices were introducing themselves to voters today at a Marquette County Republican open house.

Dan Benishek is a surgeon at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital.

He lives in Crystal Falls.

And he’s the GOP candidate for Bart Stupak’s seat in congress.

Benishek does not support the Democratic–sponsored health care reform bill.

He says in his opinion, it’ll make health care more expensive and less accessible.

Benishek says he supports measures like tax-free health care savings accounts, privatization of Medicare and Social Security and expansion of interstate competition on the insurance side.

Tom Casperson of Escanaba used to be in the State House.

Now he’s running for State Senate.

His experience in the trucking industry prior to entering politics leads him to think Michigan must change how it funds roads.

Casperson says if the gas tax were to be raised, it would only be a short-term fix.

John Brock of Munising is trying to unseat Steve Lindberg from the State House 109th District seat.

Like Casperson, he says Lansing has to change how it does business if it wants to survive.

Brock says that as an entrepreneur and builder, he feels he has the right life experience to work with others to do it.

These candidates, and their Democratic opponents, are expected to be on hand for a U.P. Children’s Coalition forum tonight in Marquette.

We should have more from the Democrats for you tonight at 10 and 11.