Michigan deserves a representative, not a loyalist.

Michigan’s 1st Congressional District is one of the largest in the country.

It stretches across all of the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan, spanning farmland, forests, tribal nations, working towns, college communities, and hundreds of miles of shoreline dotted with small communities.

There is no one kind of person who lives here. And that’s exactly why this district needs a representative, not a rubber stamp.

But that is what Jack Bergman has become. Not a voice for us, but a loyalist to one man. 

A president who defies the Constitution, abuses executive power, and treats governance like a TV show built on conflict.

Every time Donald Trump lashes out, Jack Bergman is there to defend him. When Trump launches military strikes without congressional approval, Bergman cheers it on. 

When Trump pushes a budget that guts Medicaid, food assistance, and veterans’ services, Bergman falls in line. 

That is not representation. That is obedience. And we are living with the consequences.

And I am not naive. I know that politicians from both wings sometimes tow the party line. That not every vote will land the way a district wants. 

But this is different. This is blind faith no matter where it leads. And we are all seeing how dangerous that is.

What gets lost in all the headlines about Trump’s chaos is the basic work of governing. The federal funds that repair our roads and keep our schools up to date. The programs that support rural hospitals and clean drinking water. 

The partnerships that help our farmers and small towns survive. That is the work that gets left behind while Jack Bergman performs loyalty on national television.

Representation means showing up. Listening. Working for the people who sent you there. 

I know what that looks like because, unlike Jack Bergman, I live here. My family lives here. We are deeply rooted in this district and care about our neighbors.

I know what it’s like to grow up in a union household. I know what it’s like to see medical bills pile up. I know how hard it is to raise a family when the system is rigged for the wealthy and connected.

I’m not running to follow orders. I’m running to represent this district with honesty, independence, and real accountability.

If you believe this seat should belong to the people, not to Trump and his enablers, I’m asking you to help me take it back.

We can restore real representation to this district and fight for American families everywhere. But I can’t do it alone. I need your support to build a winning campaign with a grassroots army that can take on Berman’s MAGA millions.

Let’s get to work,

Wayne Stiles

Democrat for Congress