SPECIAL GUESTS FOR OUR MONTHLY MEETING TOMORROW

WE’LL BE JOINED BY FOUR 2026 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES TOMORROW

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be joined by four candidates at our monthly meeting tomorrow! This is a great opportunity to meet and get a feel for these candidates who are vying for state offices in 2026.

The candidates are:

By Zoom:

• Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit, and

• US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten 

Both are vying for Michigan Attorney General in 2026. Both are slated to appear by Zoom.

In Person:

• Ingham County (Lansing, East Lansing, Mason area) Clerk Barb Byrum is running for Secretary of State.

• Local resident Jake LaJeunesse is vying for the Michigan Senate seat currently held by Ed McBroom.

Both will appear in person, schedules permitting.

POTLUCK AND MEETING TIME & PLACE

Join us for our monthly meeting at 7 PM tomorrow, Wednesday July 2 at the Super 8 in Houghton.  

• Potluck starts at 6 PM. Bring a dish to share if you can, or just stop in and enjoy some quality time with your fellow Dems before we settle down to business at 7. 

• Remote attendance is available by Zoom. Click here at 7 PM Wednesday to attend by Zoom. 

Membership in the Houghton County Democratic Party is encouraged, but not required, to attend meetings. We welcome all Houghton County residents who support progressive Democratic government to attend our meetings and events and also to become involved.

COME MARCH WITH US IN THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE!

SOUTH RANGE JULY 4TH PARADE

Celebrate America's birthday with us! Turn out for the South Range 4th of July parade, which is a short walk and always festive. Lineup is at South Range Elementary School at 1pm.

THE HCDP RECOMMENDS A ‘YES’ VOTE ON FUNDING PROPOSALS ON THE AUGUST BALLOT

The Houghton County Democrats support five proposals appearing on ballots here in Houghton County on Tuesday August 5th. These proposals will provide funding for the new County Jail, Canal View, Meals on Wheels, the Copper Country ISD, and the Baraga Area Schools (on ballots for those voters in Houghton and Baraga Counties who reside within the Baraga Area Schools District).

A PDF file containing the language of all five proposals can be found on the County government’s website.

We also have a flyer available with the language of the proposals and some additional explanation compiled from several documents on the county website. You can find that flyer here.

SENATE VERSION OF THE BIG BAD BILLIONAIRE BILL EVEN WORSE - CALL, CALL, CALL!!!

The Big Bad Billionaire Bill - the budget bill where Republicans pull a reverse Robin Hood by stealing from Medicaid, SNAP and other programs to give the top 1% more tax breaks - has passed the US House. Against the odds, the Senate has rushed to jam their version of the bill through in time to meet Trump’s arbitrary July 4th deadline. Senators have now voted to allow their version of this bill to move to a final vote, which could come at any moment. Believe it or not, the Senate version IS EVEN WORSE than the one passed in the House.

Here is Senator Elissa Slotkin, from a mailer this weekend, illustrating the impacts of this bill on one Michigan couple:

The impacts on the Senator’s hypothetical Lansing couple are horrible, and likewise the impact on rural communities like ours here in Houghton County will be severe. The almost $1Trillion in Medicaid cuts in the Senate bill will devastate hospitals in rural communities like ours. And Republicans know it. Their answer? An “insulting” addendum to the bill that does not go anywhere near fixing the problem.

The Medicaid cuts threaten elder care too. Up to a quarter of nursing homes throughout the country are in danger of closing if this bill passes. 

And the cuts to SNAP mean children in America will go hungry.

Senate Democrats have fought back, using appeals to the Senate Parliamentarian to strike several harmful sections of the bill, and forcing a reading of the bill in its entirety on the Senate floor.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FIGHT THE BIG BAD BILLIONAIRE BILL?

We urge all our newsletter readers to contact their Senators to express your concern and outrage at this bill.

• You can use the 5Calls app. Visit the 5 Calls website to download for IPhone or Android.

• You can contact Senators Peters and Slotkin directly. This webpage has phone numbers for all four of Senator Slotkin’s offices (DC and Michigan). Phone numbers for all eight of Senator Peters’ offices are on this webpage.

• You can also call the US Capital switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and request to speak to any Senator who you know may help defeat this bill. According to a report by The Hill on Sunday, these Republican Senators have voiced the most concern and are most likely to “gum up the works”. Urge them, as a concerned American who knows the impact this bill will have on rural areas of their state, to vote NO on this bill:

  • Sen Susan Collins (MA)

  • Sen Josh Hawley (MO)

  • Sen Ron Johnson (WI)

  • Sen Rand Paul (KY)

  • Sen Lisa Murkowski (AK)

  • Sen Thom Tillis (NC)

GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON: THE COPPER COUNTRY SPEAKS OUT!

On Thursday July 17th we’ll mark the date five years ago of the passing of Congressman John Lewis. In the spirit of Congressman Lewis’ “Good Trouble”, national groups are organizing actions to take place on the 17th to defend our democracy and carry forward the Congressman’s legacy. 

LOCALLY KEWEENAW INDIVISIBLE IS ORGANIZING A RALLY FOR 4 PM AT VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PARK IN HOUGHTON.

Our challenge to everyone who has already participated in a march or rally this year - show up again on the 17th, and bring along at least one friend or family member who hasn’t attended a protest yet. Why that challenge? It’s about making the next protest bigger and stronger than the last one.

A FUNDRAISER TO WIPE OUT MEDICAL DEBT

Keweenaw Indivisible, in collaboration with other local businesses and individuals, is organizing a fundraiser to pay off medical debt for UP residents. The goal is to raise $15,000 which would purchase all existing medical debt currently in collections in Michigan’s First Congressional District.

Every $1 donated eliminates up to $145 in medical debt through Undue Medical Debt, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that purchases and erases medical debt in collections. This fundraising initiative, ‘Stronger Together’, will eliminate the medical debt sent to collections for roughly 1,350 Michigan families.

To support the initiative, Keweenaw Indivisible is holding a fundraising event on July 29th at Small Craft in Hancock, from 6-9 pm. There will be music, food trucks, speakers, and a silent auction. The intent is to raise most of the $15,000 from major sponsors before July 29th.

SAVE THE DATES!

HOUGHTON COUNTY DEMOCRATS — SUMMER EVENTS

See the item above for information on how to march with us and for opportunities to help staff the HCDP Information Table at some of these summer events!

Governmental & Community Meetings

THUR JULY 03

The South Range Village Council meets Thursday at 6 PM in the South Range Community Building. For more information contact the Village at [email protected] or (906) 482-8833

This newsletter is paid for with regulated funds by the Houghton County Democratic Party, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Contact us by email at [email protected] or by text or voicemail at 906-523-1233