Anna Aho Rink

Anna Aho Rink is a lifelong Yooper, physician assistant, union family member, and mother of two who has spent her career caring for families across the Upper Peninsula.

Born and raised in the U.P., Anna has worked as a physician assistant for 17 years. Through her work, she has seen firsthand the challenges Yoopers face in accessing affordable, quality health care, including long waits for specialists and hours-long drives for basic medical and women’s health services. When her Marquette clinic closed, Anna worked with local providers and community members to help restore access to care.

Anna and her husband, a Marquette police officer, are raising two children who attend Marquette public schools and participate in local sports. She comes from a union family, volunteers at the community luge track, and understands the importance of good jobs, strong schools, safe communities, and public services that allow U.P. families to thrive.

Anna is running to represent Michigan’s 109th House District because the Upper Peninsula deserves a strong advocate who understands its unique needs. Her priorities include expanding access to health care, lowering everyday and prescription drug costs, strengthening public schools and career training, supporting workers and law enforcement, and holding insurance and utility companies accountable.

Jaime Churches

Jaime Churches is a fifth-grade teacher, union leader, former state representative, and lifelong Downriver resident who has spent her career advocating for students, workers, and families.

Born and raised in the district, Jaime developed an early appreciation for the waterways that define the Downriver community. That connection has shaped her work to protect clean drinking water and hold corporations accountable for polluting the Detroit River with toxic chemicals.

As a union leader and educator, Jaime has been a strong advocate for public schools, workers’ rights, fair wages, and safe working conditions. During her previous term in the Michigan House, she returned to the Capitol just days after undergoing major surgery to cast critical votes repealing Michigan’s “right-to-work” law and restoring workers’ collective bargaining rights.

Jaime also secured $75 million for infrastructure improvements across the district. Her record includes passing legislation allowing Grosse Ile Township to purchase the Toll Bridge, securing funding to repair the Grosse Ile Free Bridge, bringing home funding for railroad overpasses, and voting to cut taxes for working families and retirees.

While Jaime served in the legislature, an endometriosis diagnosis meant IVF was the only way Jaime could grow her family. Her insurance company at the time refused to cover IVF treatments, and the out-of-pocket costs exceeded $100,000. She fought the insurance and drug companies, but laws were not in place to require coverage for these procedures. So Jaime is still fighting and introduced legislation requiring insurance companies to cover IVF and other fertility treatments.

Jaime is running to once again represent Michigan’s 27th House District and continue delivering for the community that raised her. Her priorities include lowering everyday and health care costs, strengthening public schools, protecting workers’ rights, investing in Downriver infrastructure, safeguarding clean water, and holding utility, insurance, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies accountable.

Jim Haadsma

Jim Haadsma is an attorney, former state representative, and longtime advocate for working families who has built his career around helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Raised by missionary parents, Jim learned at an early age that faith means helping your neighbors. That commitment led him to become an attorney representing injured workers, people seeking disability benefits, and families waiting for unemployment assistance—not insurance companies. Throughout his career, he has fought to ensure workers receive the compensation they deserve and has provided free legal assistance to people who could not afford it.

Jim has brought that same hands-on approach to serving Michigan’s 44th House District. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he shared his personal cell phone number so residents struggling with unemployment claims could reach him directly. He is also known for helping neighbors outside of his official duties, including delivering prescriptions and driving people to medical appointments.

Jim is running for reelection to continue fighting for the working people and families he has served throughout his career. His priorities include lowering everyday and health care costs, cutting taxes for working families and retirees, protecting access to health coverage, securing fair pay for workers, and holding utility monopolies, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical corporations accountable.

Joseph McClusky

Joseph McClusky is a Holland native and community advocate whose campaign is rooted in faith, service, and a commitment to making life more affordable for West Michigan families.

Growing up, Joseph saw firsthand how quickly an unexpected setback can upend a family’s finances. His father worked hard to provide for their family, but after he was injured, Joseph’s mother took a job as a school lunch worker to help make ends meet. Their experience taught Joseph the importance of hard work, perseverance, and neighbors looking out for one another.

Joseph was raised with strong Christian values that continue to guide him: work hard, tell the truth, and love your neighbor. At a time of deep political division, he believes public service should be about bringing people together, restoring civility, and delivering practical solutions for the community.

Joseph is running to represent Michigan’s 86th House District because he believes state government should work for people, not powerful corporate interests. His priorities include safer neighborhoods for kids and families, lowering everyday and prescription drug costs, protecting consumers from price gouging, expanding access to affordable starter homes, protecting renters and seniors, and preventing out-of-state corporations and private equity firms from buying up local homes and pricing families out of their communities.

Joseph also has a plan for stronger schools in West Michigan. Joseph’s plan includes modernizing classrooms, safe schools, and supporting teachers with good pay and benefits. He wants to expand career and technical education including apprenticeships that provide a debt-free path to a great job. And, Joseph supports free school meals, more affordable college and skilled trades pathways, and mental health support for students.

Alex Hawkins

Alex Hawkins is a Michigan native, U.S. Army veteran, active National Guard officer, first responder, and Reserve Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy who has dedicated his life to serving and protecting others.

Raised by a single mother in a union household, Alex learned the values of hard work, service, and community at an early age. As a teenager, he joined the Civil Air Patrol, where he met his wife and continues to mentor young leaders today. He later joined the Army and deployed to the Middle East. Alex now serves as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer in the Michigan National Guard, where he is entrusted with safeguarding lives in high-stress, high-risk situations.

Alex’s commitment to service is deeply rooted in his family. His grandfather was paralyzed while serving in Vietnam and later became a leading advocate for people with disabilities. After losing his grandfather to suicide, Alex saw firsthand the importance of expanding access to mental health care, particularly for veterans and first responders. Alex also wants to enforce common-sense gun laws that stop dangerous criminals from accessing weapons.

Alex is running to represent Michigan’s 55th House District because Rochester and Rochester Hills deserve a leader who will bring his record of service, accountability, and problem-solving to Lansing. His priorities include strengthening public safety and mental health services, protecting public education, supporting veterans, lowering costs, holding monopoly utility companies accountable, and rooting out corruption in state government.

Sarah Pounds

Sarah Pounds is a lifelong Oakland County resident, housing advocate, longtime construction litigation paralegal, and working mother of four who has spent her career bringing people together to solve problems.

For nearly two decades, Sarah has worked in construction litigation, reviewing evidence, testimony, and cases involving housing and development. After seeing the challenges facing families firsthand, she put her professional experience to work in her community by co-founding and chairing YIMBY Oakland County, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to housing and lowering the cost of housing in her community.

Through her advocacy, Sarah helped advance efforts that created more than 1,100 mixed-income homes and leveraged approximately $30 million in public funding into more than $300 million in housing development. She continues that work as a member of the Oakland Together Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Board and the Citizens Advisory Council for Community and Housing Development.

Sarah is also a dedicated volunteer with Kids Empowered On the Move, providing critical crisis intervention for women and children fleeing dangerous situations like domestic violence and abuse, and facing immediate homelessness. She helps vulnerable families secure vital necessities—including food, clothing, and emergency hotel shelter—ensuring that no child is left sleeping in a car. By helping these families navigate complex support systems and housing applications, Sarah guides them safely from sudden crisis to stable housing.

As a mother raising four daughters in Oakland County, Sarah understands the pressures families face, from rising costs and limited housing options to concerns about school safety and aging infrastructure. She is running to represent Michigan’s 54th House District to bring practical, family-focused leadership to Lansing.

Sarah’s priorities include lowering costs, fully funding public schools, expanding access to attainable housing, protecting clean water, repairing critical infrastructure, improving access to health care, and advancing common-sense gun safety measures. Sarah also has a plan to cap the cost of prescription drugs and ban corporations, including drug companies, from price gouging consumers on gas, groceries, and other essentials.

Shannon Dare Wayne

Shannon Dare Wayne is an engineer, Milan Mayor Pro Tem, and lifelong Michigander who has spent her career solving problems and delivering results.

Raised in a blue-collar union family by a UAW electrician and a secretary, Shannon learned the value of hard work at an early age. She and her husband met while working at Ford Motor Company’s Wayne Assembly Plant, and they have lived in Milan for the past 22 years, where they raised their three children.

For nearly three decades, Shannon has worked as an engineer at Ford, developing safer, faster, and more cost-effective solutions. She brought that same problem-solving approach to the Milan City Council. Emphasizing a strategy of leveraging outside grants instead of relying on local tax increases, she has helped secure nearly $7 million in state and federal funding for critical infrastructure, parks, pedestrian safety, and downtown revitalization. Because of her leadership, Milan has been able to maintain a balanced budget while making massive investments in the community, including: Critical Infrastructure: Securing funding for a multi-million-dollar upgrade to the city’s wastewater treatment facility, one of Milan’s most vital long-term assets. She currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem, sits on the Milan Fire Board, and chairs the Downtown Development Authority.

Shannon also serves on the Michigan Technological University Board of Trustees and as president of her church parish. Through Lasagna Love, she has cooked and donated hundreds of meals to families in need.

Wayne understands the importance of a quality education without the burden of crippling debt because she lived it. She worked her way through Lawrence Technological University, continuing her education one class at a time while working and raising a family using tuition benefits from her job at Ford. Now serving on the Board of Trustees at Michigan Technological University, she is fighting to ensure every Michigan student gets the same opportunities she had. In Lansing, she will push for fairly funded schools, smaller class sizes, guaranteed universal free school meals, and expanded career and technical education programs. Shannon also wants to relieve pain at the pump by lowering Michigan’s gas tax.

Shannon is running to represent Michigan’s 31st House District because she believes residents deserve a proven leader who will work across divides and deliver practical solutions. Her priorities include lowering costs, holding utility and pharmaceutical companies accountable, strengthening public education and career training, protecting services for seniors, and rooting out corruption in state government.

Jan Maino

Jan Maino is a lifelong Jackson resident, licensed social worker, nonprofit leader, former UAW member, and longtime East Jackson School Board member who has dedicated her career to strengthening her community.

The daughter of an Air Force veteran and a small-business owner, Jan grew up and attended school in Jackson before raising her two sons there. She began her career as a UAW tool crib attendant at Kent-Moore, where she met her husband, and later became a licensed social worker focused on connecting families with the care and resources they need.

As a social worker, Jan helped lead Project Access, an initiative that recruited hundreds of local doctors to provide free medical care to patients who otherwise could not afford it. She has also served on the East Jackson School Board for 13 years, including as board president, working to strengthen local schools and support students and educators.

Jan continues to promote economic and community development through Drive Jackson, a Chamber of Commerce initiative focused on creating jobs, attracting businesses, and expanding parks, arts, and recreational opportunities. She helped bring the Art 634 facility to downtown Jackson and is working to transform the former state prison into a Farm Stop serving the community.

Jan is running to represent Michigan’s 46th House District to bring her record of service and common-sense problem-solving to Lansing. Her priorities include strengthening public schools and career training, lowering health care and prescription drug costs, revitalizing Jackson’s economy and housing, holding utility monopolies accountable, and protecting consumers and natural resources. Jan knows we need to protect free universal school meals for our kids who deserve to learn on a full stomach.

Jan has a plan to lower everyday costs on essentials like gas, groceries, housing, and utilities, and a plan to make healthcare, including mental healthcare, more accessible and affordable for families. Jan also wants to relieve pain at the pump by lowering Michigan’s gas tax.

Lisa McIntyre

Lisa McIntyre is the former President and current Treasurer of the Northville Board of Education, and a fierce advocate for students, families, and mental health. She’s running for State Representative for Michigan House District 22, (Northville, Plymouth, and western Livonia), because Michigan families deserve leaders who listen, lead with empathy, and solve problems.

As a mother of three, Lisa knows what it means to fight for a better future. On the Northville Board of Education, Lisa has delivered real results. She led efforts to stabilize the district after the pandemic, spearheaded school safety initiatives and an “away for the day” personal device policy for K-8 students, ensured students and staff had the support they needed, and kept the budget strong while improving the work experience for educators.

Under her leadership, Northville Public Schools continues to be one of Michigan’s top public school systems, because she knows great schools don’t happen by accident — they require planning, partnership, and leadership that puts people first.

Lisa has a plan to cut taxes for working families and retirees, fully fund our kids’ education, including support for mental health, and cap the cost of insulin, inhalers, and prescription drugs.

Rep. Denise Mentzer

Denise Mentzer is a dedicated public servant and the State Representative for Michigan’s 61st House District, proudly representing Macomb County. A lifelong resident of Macomb, Denise has deep roots in the community where she raised her family and has spent decades fighting for working-class residents.

Denise knows the value of a dollar and the importance of hard work firsthand. She started working in a factory when she was just 15 years old, an early experience that shaped her strong work ethic and her lifelong commitment to advocating for working families, fair wages, and the labor movement.

Before her election to the State House, Denise served her community as a Mount Clemens City Commissioner. During her time in local government, she focused on improving neighborhood infrastructure, supporting public safety, and ensuring that local government remained transparent and responsive to the needs of its residents.

Today, as a State Representative, Denise remains focused on delivering commonsense, everyday results for her constituents. She is working across the aisle to lower costs, hold utility companies and data centers accountable, and support local businesses. Whether she is advocating for seniors, championing public education, or fighting to keep more money in the pockets of hardworking Michiganders, Denise continues to be a tireless, effective voice for Macomb County.

Rep. Mai Xiong

State Representative Mai Xiong’s life is a testament to the American Dream. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Mai and her family fled persecution and immigrated to the United States in search of safety, freedom, and opportunity. Growing up, she learned the value of perseverance, education, and giving back to the country that welcomed her. Today, she is a proud mother, a successful entrepreneur, and a trailblazing business owner whose journey from refugee to public servant informs her dedication to her community.

Before being elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, Mai broke barriers as the first Hmong-American elected to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. Now, as a State Representative, she brings her lived experience as a mother of four and a small business owner to Lansing. She knows that it takes hard work and a strong community to succeed, and she understands firsthand the struggles that working families face. Because of this, she has built a reputation as a leader who always shows up and delivers results for Macomb County.

Representative Xiong’s legislative focus is driven by a proven plan to build Macomb County’s future by lowering costs, strengthening schools, and protecting health care. As a mother, Mai knows that education is the foundation of a thriving community, which is why she is fighting to fully fund our public schools to give every kid in Macomb County a strong start. She also understands the financial pinch working families are feeling. To address this, her plan focuses on cutting out-of-pocket costs on the everyday essentials that families need the most, from gas and groceries to monthly utility bills.

Beyond education and the economy, Mai is dedicated to protecting affordable health care. She is working to increase access to quality care to ensure that working families, seniors, and veterans can stay healthy. Additionally, keeping Macomb County safe remains a top priority. Mai is firmly committed to supporting local first responders and ensuring that police and firefighters are provided with the critical resources they need to protect our neighborhoods.

From her beginnings as a refugee to her current role as a State Representative, Mai Xiong remains deeply committed to fighting for the hardworking people of Macomb County and ensuring the community remains a place where all families can thrive.

Katrina Manetta

Katrina Manetta is a lifelong resident of Shelby Township running to represent Michigan’s 58th House District in the State Legislature. Born and raised in the district, she still lives in her childhood home and understands the everyday struggles of Macomb County families. For over two decades, Katrina helped her mother serve as a full-time caretaker for her mentally disabled aunt, and for the last eight years, she has worked as a server at a local restaurant.

Katrina knows firsthand how close many families are to economic disaster, even when they work hard and do everything right. Her entry into public advocacy began when politicians enacted devastating cuts to SNAP benefits, social services, housing assistance, and healthcare. Instead of standing by, Katrina got involved, bringing community members together to speak out and demand better for working families.

Healthcare for All
Healthcare is a deeply personal fight for Katrina. She tragically lost her sister to cancer because her sister lacked health insurance and was forced to wait to go to the hospital. Later, Katrina faced a crushing burden of medical bills following her own illness. Because of these experiences, a core part of her plan is making sure everyone has access to healthcare so families don’t go without or go into debt.

In Lansing, Katrina is ready to stand up to insurance companies and Big Pharma to lower healthcare premiums and prescription drug costs. Her plan includes capping the costs of insulin, inhalers, and other life-saving drugs, protecting and expanding access to affordable coverage, and expanding mental health services so people can get the help they need before a crisis hits.

Taking on Corporate Greed and Lowering Costs
Katrina believes it is time for a new type of leader in Lansing—one who works for the people who live there, not lobbyists, big corporations, or party bosses. To prove her commitment to transparency, she refuses to take corporate PAC money.

Her economic plan is heavily focused on affordability and corporate accountability:

• Ending Price-Gouging: She supports banning auto insurance companies, pharmaceutical giants, and monopoly utility companies from price-gouging consumers.
• Utility Accountability: Katrina will fight to hold monopoly utility companies accountable, banning them from passing the costs of advertising, executive bonuses, and private jets down to ratepayers, and prohibiting them from giving campaign contributions and gifts to the politicians who oversee them.
• Responsible Development: She is organizing for strict regulations on new data centers to ensure their massive energy costs aren’t passed down to consumers. Her plan ensures that local air and water are protected, and that big corporations pay their fair share of taxes to support local schools and infrastructure.
• Ending Corporate Welfare: She is dedicated to ending corporate welfare and fighting wasteful government spending so that taxpayer dollars actually benefit the community.

Katrina Manetta is running to bring a working-class perspective to Lansing, fighting for common-sense reforms, lower costs, and a government that finally puts Michigan families first.

Roman Gaskey

Roman Gaskey is a 23-year-old recent college graduate attempting to buy a seat in the Michigan State House using his family’s wealth. With virtually no real-world experience, Gaskey currently works part-time for Altumatim, an AI company co-founded and owned by his own father. Despite being fresh out of college, Gaskey has managed to personally loan his campaign over $120,000—accounting for nearly 90% of his campaign’s funding.

Rather than relying on life experience, Gaskey brings a condescending, “know-it-all” attitude to politics. He has publicly claimed that taking financial math classes in college qualifies him to understand and oversee the entire state budget. He also spent his time in college playing political pundit, creating a YouTube channel and a Substack blog where he posted radical theories and consistently wrong election predictions—many of which he frantically tried to delete from the internet before launching his campaign.

When you look past the bankrolled campaign, Gaskey’s actual record reveals a deeply extreme, far-right agenda that is out of step with District 54:

• Anti-Abortion Extremism: Gaskey is endorsed by Michigan Right to Life, an organization that requires its candidates to oppose abortion in all cases, with no exceptions for rape or incest. He is also endorsed by Citizens for Traditional Values, a radical group that supported reinstating Michigan’s draconian 1931 abortion ban and banning prescription abortion pills.
• Draining Public Schools: Despite claiming to support public schools, Gaskey’s actual plan involves diverting thousands of dollars in per-pupil funding away from public schools and into “Education Savings Accounts” that can be used for private school tuition and homeschooling. He also authored a blog post praising Donald Trump for keeping a “conservative promise to abolish the Department of Education” before quickly deleting it.
• Hostility Toward LGBTQ+ Rights: The far-right groups endorsing Gaskey openly oppose same-sex marriage, oppose hate crime legislation protecting the LGBTQ+ community, and fight to protect the harmful practice of conversion therapy.
• A Return to Forced Institutionalization: On his blog, Gaskey attacked “Housing First” initiatives for the homeless and instead called for a return to 1960s-style forced institutionalization, declaring that we need to “MAKE AMERICA INSTITUTIONALIZED AGAIN.”
• A Gun Nut: Gaskey believes the Second Amendment is “paramount” and strongly opposes Red Flag laws, which are designed to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals experiencing violent or psychotic episodes. His endorsers also strictly oppose background checks and safe storage laws.
• Conspiracy Theories & Climate Denial: Gaskey has claimed that the environmental movement is actually just about “anti-capitalism,” is neutral on whether man-made climate change is a threat, and blames California wildfires on “forest mismanagement” rather than a changing climate.

Sherry Berecz

Sherry Berecz is a lifelong Downriver resident, a proven local leader, and a dedicated public servant running to represent Michigan’s 28th State House District. With a track record of delivering real results for her community, Sherry is running to bring common-sense, practical leadership to Lansing.

Rooted in Public Service
Public service is in Sherry’s DNA. Growing up in the Downriver community, she learned the true meaning of civic duty from her father, who served as Township Treasurer. He taught her early on that serving the public shouldn’t be about partisan politics—it should be about delivering on the basics: standing with police and fire departments, fixing our local roads, and fighting for working families. Sherry has carried these core values with her throughout her entire life and career, believing that Lansing should operate with that exact same mindset today.

A Proven Record of Delivering for Downriver
Sherry has spent years fighting for all of us as a Township Supervisor, Clerk, and Trustee in Brownstown Township. As a Trustee, she built a reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver who knows how to grow the local economy and get infrastructure projects across the finish line.

Her accomplishments include:

• Job Creation & Economic Growth: Sherry successfully facilitated the construction of the General Motors plant in Brownstown Township, bringing 140 good-paying, new jobs to the region. She also oversaw the construction of the Brownstown Business Center to stimulate local commerce.
• Infrastructure Solutions: Understanding the frustration of traffic and delays, Sherry helped build the railroad crossing in Woodhaven, a critical infrastructure upgrade designed to support the region’s future growth and ease daily commutes.
• Backing First Responders: She consistently prioritized public safety, securing crucial funding for local police and fire services to ensure our neighborhoods remain safe.

Her Plan for Lansing
Sherry knows that the residents of District 28 don’t have time for extreme political bickering—they just want government to work for them. In the State House, her plans will focus on the everyday needs of Downriver families:

• Fixing Our Roads: Sherry will fight to ensure our tax dollars actually go toward repairing unsafe roads and filling potholes so that residents stop having to pay for unnecessary vehicle repairs.
• Lowering Costs: Including the costs of utilities, gas, groceries, and healthcare, and banning price gouging from big corporations and utility companies.
• Protecting Working Families: She will advocate for policies that keep more hard-earned money in the pockets of Downriver families, lower the cost of living, and support local workers.
• Investing in Public Safety: Building on her local record, she will ensure that state budgets fully support law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel.
• Fostering Economic Opportunity: Sherry will use her local government and economic development experience to attract new businesses to the area, support small business owners, and continue creating good-paying jobs right here in Michigan.

Sherry Berecz is a trusted, lifelong community advocate who has always put the Downriver community first. Now, she is ready to take her fight for working families, safer neighborhoods, and a stronger economy to the State Capitol.

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