Candidate for 106th House district examines issues in fall election

CHEBOYGAN — As the Nov. 8 election approaches, the Cheboygan Daily Tribune will publish candidate profiles for contested local and state races.

Featured today are candidates for the 106th Michigan House of Representatives district, which includes all or part of the following counties: Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle.

The incumbent office holder, Republican Sue Allor, is term limited and can't seek another term. Marie Fielder is the Democratic Party candidate while Cameron Cavitt won the Republican Party primary in August. Cavitt did not respond to an invitation to participate in this story.

All candidates received the same questions. The Daily Tribune reserved the right to edit responses from the candidates to account for space, grammar and Associated Press style guidelines.

More:Cavitt announces candidacy for 106th State House district

More:Cavitt victorious in Republican primary for 106th House District

Marie Fielder

Q: In no more than three paragraphs, please describe your background (educational achievements, work history etc.) and why you want to represent the 106th district in Lansing?

A: I am a retired infant/toddler special educator with the state. As a result, I have worked with hundreds of families within Montmorency, Alpena and Alcona counties for nearly 30 years. As my father’s only caretaker, I retired from teaching at the age of 50 in order to care for him in his final years. It was then that I became more politically involved in Northeast Michigan and then around the state. In 2018, I briefly worked as an organizer for the 2018 midterm election and in 2020 as an organizer for the Bloomberg for Michigan Presidential campaign. I received my B.S. degree from Northern Michigan University and my M.A. degree from Central Michigan University.

I am seeking to represent the 106th because I feel that Northeast Michigan has been left to policies and legislation that have been crafted by others in Lansing and our past representation has not provided leadership. Instead we have been followers in Lansing, getting the crumbs and trickle-down leftovers of state spending. Northeast Michigan needs fresh new representation that will be taken seriously at the table when setting budget priorities, policies and legislation.

I was motivated to enter this race in order to bring a campaign that is rooted in the real issues that matter to our citizens — not conspiracy theories nor hot-button emotional issues. What I am hearing from our voters is that they want to see progress, positivity and growth that will improve the quality of their lives here in Northeast Michigan which is a hidden gem. We are a cool place to work, live and raise a family. I’m ready to make our corner of the state a leader in Lansing by bringing the priorities of our people to the table such as: cell phone coverage in every corner of where we live, high-speed broadband access so that young entrepreneurs know that they can live andwork in our area, affordable housing options that will entice people to relocate here, robust health care options, increased economic development, more jobs, increased school funding and expansive environmental protections. In addition, we need to tackle the struggles with mental health and providing proper attention to our veterans.

Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the state today and what can state governmentdo better?

A: The biggest challenges facing the state today is the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Every sector of our state was knocked down during the early months of the pandemic. Combined with a war in Ukraine, every state and nation is struggling and yes, people are continuing to die from the COVID0-19 virus. Naturally, inflation is hurting everyone. While gas prices are going down somewhat, food prices remain high as do most goods. Our automobile industry continues to flounder while death by suicide has increased and our mental health system is in crisis-mode. The sooner that our nation can get back on its feet, the better.

While I believe that our present administration is working hard to address the issues in order to help move our nation, state and communities in a more positive direction, there is no doubt that the hard work needs to continue. State government can help by keeping their focus on the people and tamping down on the rhetoric that is ripping our communities apart. State government works best when they tell the truth to their constituents, even if it meansthey don’t get elected the next time around. State governments work best when they focus on the needs of the people and environment instead of how fat their wallets are. They do that by being open and honest about how and why they vote the way they do and when a contentious issue comes up, they look to the people and experts for guidance, instead of their handlers.

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Q: Did Joe Biden win Michigan and the 2020 presidential election?

I believe that Joe Biden won Michigan and the 2020 presidential election fair and square. I also believe that the Alpena County clerk (a Republican) has always conducted professional, fair and sound elections in the county.

In June, 2021, Michigan’s very own Senate Republicans investigated our state’s presidential election and in a 55-page report, concluded that there was no widespread or systematic fraud. Michigan’s Senate Republicans also urged our attorney general to consider an investigation into the people who have made baseless allegations about the results in Antrim County.

If there was fraud, then why did so many Republican candidates win and why was there only an allegation against the validity of Joe Biden’s success? Conspiracy theories and rampant lies have invaded our communities and media like a metastatic cancer. These bogus theories and lies have been perpetrated by citizens who simply hoped and dreamed of another Donald Trump presidency. Furthermore, conspiracy theories and lies were perpetrated by our own political leaders in order to profit from and harm the very people who they have taken an oath to serve. As a result of conclusions of the June 2021 election report by the Michigan Senate Republicans, there appears to be a far-right faction that is now working against those leaders by denigrating them and referencing them as fake-Republicans. This is outrageous rhetoric that is harming our families and communities. Our children are watching all of the “adults in the room” and they are frightened. It is up to each of us to tamp down on the false and harmful rhetoric if we want to see our communities, families and industry begin to heal.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Marie Fielder, candidate for 106th House district, examines issues in fall election