UPCOMING EVENTS
DATE & TIME | EVENT & LOCATION |
|---|---|
Anytime | Know What You Sign - View the Online Training on Ballot Petitions from the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country |
Ongoing / Sundays | Yoopers for Ukraine Bridge March. Every Sunday at 3 PM. More info on the YfU Facebook page. |
February 13 @ 5:30 PM | Paws, Politics and Progress fundraiser near the UP 200 by the Marquette County Dems. RSVP here. |
February 14 @ 1 PM | For the Love of Democracy March in Iron Mountain by the Dickinson County Dems. RSVP here. |
February 21 @ 5:30 PM | Soup-er Bowl All You Can Eat Fundraiser for Special Olympics Area 39. Buy tickets here. |
Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.
Still feeling it…
PARTY NEWS
SPRING FLING TO BE HELD MAY 2ND AT THE BONFIRE
As discussed at the February meeting, this year’s Spring Fling will be held May 2nd at 5 PM. We will again be at the Bonfire Grill. Ticket information will be available soon. Mark your calendars!
HCDP SPRING COUNTY CONVENTION
The Houghton County Dems will hold our County Convention on March 4th, ahead of the MDP State Endorsement Convention. We’ll start to conduct the business of the Convention shortly after we set up for Potluck at 6 PM. The idea is that we’ll eat and convene at the same time!
The purpose of the County Convention is to elect members and alternates to the State Convention Committees and to consider resolutions to be forwarded to the State Party.
Remember, you must have been an MDP member NO LATER than 30 days prior to the County Convention (or by February 2nd) to vote on matters at the County Convention. (Please note that Precinct delegates, Democratic elected officials, and Democratic nominees to partisan office in the County are automatically eligible to vote.)
STATEMENT FROM CANDIDATE KELLI VAN GINHOVEN
We are sharing the following statement we received from Kelli Van Ginhoven on Sunday. As you know Kelli, a candidate for MI Senate, District 38, was at our monthly meeting last week:
Statement from Kelli Van Ginhoven, Candidate for Michigan Senate District 38
Recent rumors have been circulating suggesting that I intend to step aside from my campaign for Michigan Senate District 38 or instead run for another office. These claims are false.
Let me be clear: I am running for Michigan Senate in District 38, and I am not backing down or redirecting my campaign for anyone.
What is most concerning is that these rumors have been spread without anyone speaking with me directly. That approach is undemocratic, unnecessary, and disrespectful to voters who deserve honesty and transparency from those involved in our political process.
I have a strong and growing coalition across the district, a dedicated team, and broad grassroots support. Our campaign is focused on listening to voters, delivering results, and earning trust — not engaging in backroom speculation or political maneuvering.
I remain committed to running a campaign rooted in integrity, openness, and respect for the people of District 38. I look forward to continuing this race and earning the opportunity to serve.
MDP 2026 LEGACY DINNER
State Party Chair Curtis Hertel and the Michigan Democratic Party invite you to join elected leaders from across the state for the 2026 Legacy Dinner: A Celebration of Governor Whitmer. The dinner will be held the evening before the MDP 2026 Endorsement Convention — April 18th at Huntington Place in Detroit. Doors open at 4:30 PM. Tickets are available through ActBlue - click the image above to get tickets.
MDP 2026 ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION
ALL MEMBERS OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE 2026 STATE ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION.
The 2026 Endorsement Convention for the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) will be held Sunday, April 19th at Huntington Place in Detroit. At the convention the state Party will endorse candidates to the November General Election in the following contests: Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Supreme Court, State Board of Education, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Wayne State University Board of Governors, and University of Michigan Board of Regents. The full MDP Call to Convention for the MDP 2026 Endorsement Convention can be found by clicking the image above.
SUPPORT DEM CANDIDATE GREENE IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN MI SENATE DISTRICT 38 TO BE HELD MAY 5
A special primary was held last week in Michigan’s 38th state Senate district, which encompasses portions of Bay, Saginaw and Midland counties in the Thumb area. The seat has been vacant since former state Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) resigned last year after winning the District 8 US House seat.
Chedrick Greene won the Democratic primary and will be the party’s candidate in the May 5th special election, facing Republican opponent Jason Tunney. Greene is a decorated Marine veteran and Fire Captain. Born and raised in Saginaw, he is a lifelong resident with deep roots in the community.
The stakes are high in this race as Democratic control of the Michigan Senate is slim. Democrats now have the majority, 19 seats to 18 for Republicans. If the Republican candidate wins this election, the Senate will be tied.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist would then hold the tie-breaking vote, but Democratic majority would depend on every party member being present in the chamber in cases of close legislation that could result in a 19-19 tie.
You can learn more about Democratic candidate Greene on his website. You can donate to his campaign here. If you have friends or family in the 38th District who would be willing to volunteer on the campaign, they can sign up here.
COMMUNITY NEWS
AWAVE’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY PARTY
AWAVE (Advocates for those Without A Voice) the local group formed last year and focused on social welfare issues, celebrated it’s first anniversary last week with a dinner at Nutini’s in Hancock.
Lois Gemignani, a founding member of AWAVE and the Co-Chair of the Houghton County Dems gave a presentation highlighting the achievements of the group in their first year. She was followed by the guest speaker at the dinner, Lisa McKenzie. McKenzie is regional planner for the Western UP Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR). Her talk focused on housing priorities, and she shared housing statistics for Houghton County.
Michele Bourdieu has a great write-up of the event, including videos of the presentations, at her Keweenaw Now blog. You can find that here.
SOUP-ER BOWL TO SUPPORT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Support our local Area 39 Special Olympics by attending a family-friendly meal of all-you-can soup, salad, bread, cookies, and drinks at the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on February 21 from 5:30-8:00 PM. (Area 39 includes the western UP counties of Ontonagon, Gogebic, Houghton, Baraga and Keweenaw.)
All attendees will receive a ceramic bowl decorated by an Area 39 athlete or volunteer. Proceeds support our local Area 39 Special Olympics Athletes. Funds provide uniforms, equipment, transportation, entry fees, and practice venues for year-round sports programs for intellectually challenged people, ages 8 and up! Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at door). Click the flyer below to get the full-sized PDF you can print and fill out to donate and purchase tickets by mail. Or, you can donate and get your tickets online.
NEWS BRIEFS
IN MICHIGAN
GOVERNOR FLYING HIGH: In an opinion piece on Saturday columnist Nolan Finley noted the Governor’s approval rating is at 67%, “the high-water mark of her governorship so far” and much better than her immediate predecessors at this point in their terms. "She's the most popular elected official in the state.” He speculates that her support for a Democratic successor could help break a 57 year long “incumbent curse” — the inability of a Michigan Governor to hand off the role to someone else from their party. MORE: Detroit News
GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FORUM: Not familiar with all the candidates for Michigan governor? Four of them participated in a candidate forum last week at the Michigan Education Association’s Winter Conference. You can hear from Democrats Jocelyn Benson and Chris Swanson, Republican Mike Cox, and running as an independent candidate, Mike Duggan, in the YouTube video linked below.
GOVERNOR BLASTS TRUMP’S CALL TO FEDERALIZE ELECTIONS: Governor Whitmer was quick to call out Trump for saying that “Republicans ought to nationalize the voting”. She made it very clear that wouldn’t happen in Michigan on her watch. MORE: The Governor’s Reel on Facebook
NATIONWIDE
ICE SHUTDOWN: The federal government is still in partial shutdown as Republicans show little interest in backing down from the funding of unconstitutional actions by ICE. While Trump and “Border Czar” Tom Homan continue to make noises about moderating ICE activities in Minneapolis, reports on the ground are painting a different picture. MORE: CNN
POLL SHOWS ICE (AND TRUMP) UNPOPULAR: A poll from NPR/PBS/Marist released last Thursday shows 65% of Americans believe ICE has gone too far. In fact, if you look at the entire poll, a majority of Americans disagree with just about everything that Trump is doing, and his approval rating has sunk to only 39%. MORE: Marist Poll
ANOTHER LOOMING GABBARD SCANDAL: In yet another looming scandal Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Security, is reported to have secreted away details surrounding a “highly sensitive” call between two foreign intelligence operatives speaking about someone close to Trump. MORE: The Guardian
TRUMP HIDES BEHIND '“STAFFER DID IT” EXCUSE: Which story do you prefer?That Trump is a racist? Or that he hires racist staff members and trusts his bully pulpit to them? MORE: NOTUS
YET ANOTHER TRUMP SCANDAL: “Corruption, plain and simple.” That’s how Senator Elizabeth Warren describes the latest scandal surrounding Trump, his family company and a UAE "‘spy sheikh’. MORE: CNBC
NO KINGS 3.0: In response to the continued ICE presence in Minnesota, the ongoing corruption and authoritarianism of the current administration, and in order to help defend the rights of Americans, a third No Kings event is being organized. The nationwide set of protests is set to occur on March 28th, and Keweenaw Indivisible has taken the lead once again in organizing locally. We’ll share more information as it becomes available. MORE: KI Facebook Event
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
TUE FEB 10
This month's regular meeting of the Houghton County Board of Commissioners is tonight at 6 PM in the Conference Room on the fifth floor of the Houghton County Courthouse. Find more information on the Board's webpage.
WED FEB 11
The Houghton City Council meets at 5:30 PM on Wednesday. Agendas and agenda packets for Council meetings are typically placed in the City’s Searchable Document Center on the Monday before the meeting by 5:00 p.m.
A FULL LISTING OF ALL LOCAL CITY, VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND (WHERE AVAILABLE) TIMING OF LOCAL COUNCIL MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
SUBMIT A RESOLUTION
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