An interesting Republican state senate primary is on the horizon next August as state represenative Dave Prestin (R-Cedar River) takes on former state represenatative Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain) for the seat being vacated by term limited Ed McBroom (R-Norway).
Prestin officially announced his candidacy last week, saying that he has unfinished business after he completes his third and final state house term.
“The U.P. needs good representation and I’m committed to providing that,” Prstin told RRN News. “From (proposed mine) Copperwood on the west, to towns on the east like Brimley and Kincheloe, all of the areas in the U.P., by and large, as we all know, there’s a large area that’s been suffering a decline and I’m determined to turning that around.”
LaFave, who has completed law school since being term-limited from the state house in 2023, says he also wants to return to Lansing to help give the Upper Peninsula a voice.
“I was happy to get auto insurance prices lowered when I was in office, but the signature wasn’t even (dry) and the govenror was already undermining it,” LaFave told RRN News on Monday. “The courts threw half of it out. So, we really do need to fix that. Then, after I left office, they passed this Green New Energey deal/scam. That will increase Upper Peninsula energy prices by two to three times.”
Both men chose not to attack the other, but reading between the lines, there’s obviously friction that this confrontation is going to happen next August.
“It’s not what I expected, but it will be an interesting primary,” Prestin said. “I didn’t see myself in this situation, but we’ll just see where she goes. God has a plan.”
LaFave also chose his words carefully.
“I’m a bit disappointed that it came to this,” LaFave said. “I was hoping that we would be able to come to a different conclusion on that, but, ultimately, the voters are going to make a decision. I really don’t have much negative to say about anybody who’s currently serving in elected office from the U.P.”
Thanks to redistricting that drew the state house seat lines, LaFave could have avoided this Senate situation by running for any number of three house seats.
He could have run for his old 108th seat, or the newly-expanded 109th or 110th seats. LaFave, who now lives in the 110th, could have challenged two-term incumbent Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock). He also could have moved six miles to the 109th district to challenge incumbent Karl Bohnak (R-Marquette).
LaFave said both men are doing a good job and he supports them returning to Lansing in the next term. But what about his old 108th district, which has shifted west but still was a viable option, at least geographically? That seat will be an open seat in 2026 after Prestin completes his third term.
“I could have moved an hour east to Escanaba,” LaFave said, “or lied to the voters, I suppose, and pretended I live in Escanaba. But that sounded immoral and improper. I mean, Iron Mountain is my home. It’s where I was born. It’s where I was raised. The senate seat was opening up, and I communicated that widely. But we still ended up in this position.”
LaFave and Prestin are not the only men seeking the GOP nomination for that state senate seat. Chris Reynolds, a teacher from northern Delta County, threw his hat into the ring eraly on, before either LaFave or Prestin did.
Reynolds plans a pair of Meet and Greet events to introduce himself to voters, and the events will double as a food drive for local food banks. The first will be this Saturday night from 6:00 until 8:00 at the Delta County Chamber of Commerce building near the UP State Fairgrounds. The second will be this Sunday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 at the Sands Township Hall in Marquette County.
Comments