John Dahlgren, Dale Zorn vie for 34th District House of Representatives seat

Because of term limits in the Michigan House of Representatives and the new redistricting lines drawn by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, nearly all of Lenawee County will have a new state representative after voters head to the polls in the Nov. 8 general election.

Lenawee County’s current representative, Bronna Kahle, cannot seek reelection because of term limits in the House. Upon completion of her term in office, she will take over president and CEO duties at the Lenawee Community Foundation.

The newly mapped 34th District in the Michigan House of Representatives encompasses most of the county. Vying for the seat are Democrat John Dahlgren of Clinton and Republican Dale Zorn of Onsted, who won a contested primary election. Dahlgren was unopposed in the primary for the Democratic nomination.

Zorn, currently serving as a state senator, cannot run for reelection there because of term limits. He moved from his longtime home in Ida in Monroe County to his family cottage at Sand Lake in order to run for the House.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 8. Absentee ballots are available from city and township clerks' offices.

The Daily Telegram provided questionnaires to Dahlgren and Zorn. The following are their responses, lightly edited for clarity.

John Dahlgren

Age: 60.

Occupation: Grocery manager at Kroger.

Spouse/kids: Married 36 years to Molly; two adult sons, Eric and Sebastian.

Government experience: I have worked as a city planner in several localities and ran a Main Street program for two years in Wyoming.

Volunteer/community service experience: None locally, but have extensive volunteer experience in other states including library board treasurer in Green River, Wyoming; Main Street volunteer; NPR/PBS fund drives; and coaching baseball.

Why are you running for this position? We need a voice in Lansing that will speak up for Lenawee County and bring our tax dollars back home instead of letting them go somewhere else to make somewhere else better. We haven’t had that in a very long time, and with my opponent having never resided in this county, who can be sure he will want to do that?

What do you think is the main challenge facing Lenawee County, and what should be done about it? Lenawee has two main challenges: affordable housing and jobs. We need a comprehensive plan of action to bring more affordable housing into the county and I have experience doing exactly that. I will lend my experience at the county level as well as at the village and township level, to assess land use and zoning issues that prevent more housing from being constructed. I also have experience in economic development and will use that experience to help businesses grow here in the county.

How will you bring funding into Lenawee County? What are some important projects? We need to redirect our tax dollars into the county instead of letting them flitter off to other places. We do that by being an advocate for the county and the projects in the county. Also, the local governments, businesses and residents need to be aware of the public and private funding opportunities that exist, and I will compile lists of these opportunities and make them available to everyone.

Why should people vote for you? Unlike my opponent, I actually live in the county. I have economic development experience, housing development experience and am not afraid to stand up to the professional politicians in Lansing to advocate for our rights. I will work to protect the rights of ALL the citizens and not just those citizens who are in my party or who supported me in the past. I will stand up for those whose voice is often marginalized and forgotten. I will fight to make our voice heard.

Dale Zorn

Age: 68.

Occupation: Owner and operator of small automotive and truck service center since 1978.

Spouse/kids: Married to Cindy. Four children and 11 grandchildren.

Government experience: 10 years Raisinville Township Board; 20 years Monroe County Board of Commissioners, four years as chairman; four years Michigan House of Representatives; and eight years Michigan Senate.

Volunteer/community service experience: Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Vietnam Veterans associate member, National Rifle Association, Right to Life and several civic organizations.

Why are you running for this position? To continue serving our community. Focused on stabilizing the cost of living and the effects of inflation by ending the burdens of the state income tax and fuel tax. I will continue to strengthen the economy through good-paying jobs and focus on educating and training the workforce for today's skilled trades.

What do you think is the main challenge facing Lenawee County, and what should be done about it? 

• Sustaining and creating good-paying jobs, attracting job talent, cutting red tape and creating a better business tax structure to compete with other states.

• Education, including STEM and job training, to promote skilled trade programs.

• Maintaining our infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer to promote a greater quality of life.

• Securing funding to protect and make accessible our natural resources.

• Help provide financial and physical resources to clean up our downtowns and to make downtowns the commerce center of the community.

How will you bring funding into Lenawee County? What are some important projects? 

• Securing funding: Work to secure budgeted funding and grant funding, especially with local matching grants. Work closely with Michigan Economic Development Corp. and its affiliates, both state and local, to tap financial resources.

• Important Lenawee projects: housing; skilled trades training and STEM education; law enforcement and fire/rescue; infrastructure, roads, water, sewer; and parks.

Why should people vote for you? I have a demonstrated, proven track record of leadership and results. During my Senate tenure, I have brought Lenawee County over $100 million in state grants and landed over $25 million in private matching investments. I’ve also brought more investment for roads and education and led the fight to combat opioid abuse and cracking down on drug dealers. I have been a reliable, conservative voice in Lansing while voting as the community desires. I take serving our community seriously. While in the Legislature, I have achieved a 100% voting and attendance record by not missing any of the 7,867 votes.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Dahlgren, Zorn running for 34th District in House of Representatives