MEET THE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO REPRESENT YOU IN WASHINGTON, DC!
Residents across Michigan’s vast First Congressional District have launched the MI-01 Meet the Candidates Project, a series of public forums that will bring congressional primary candidates directly to 11 rural communities in early 2026.
What makes this candidate forum different is simple: it’s happening before the August primary—when it actually matters. Primaries are often treated like insider politics, driven by party regulars and big donors. But the primary belongs to all of us. This is when everyday voters can still shape the outcome. If you care about grassroots democracy, this is where you show up.
All primary candidates have been invited to participate in a conversation grounded in fairness and respect. Michigan’s First Congressional District has been represented by Republican Jack Bergman since 2017. Already Republican, Democratic and Independent candidates have committed to participate.
The forum will be moderated and structured, so candidates address real issues, not just talking points. Marquette’s G.G. Gordon, former host of WNMU-TV’s “High School Bowl,” will moderate the Saturday, March 21, 2026, public forum at the Northern Center, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI.
MI-01 spans hundreds of miles — nearly eight hours end to end. Historically, voters in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula have had limited chances to engage directly with congressional candidates in meaningful ways. The project gives voters the opportunity to listen, compare, and reflect before casting their primary ballots and gives candidates valuable opportunities to engage communities they might not otherwise reach. All events will be:
– Non-partisan
– Moderated with each candidate given the same amount of time to answer questions
– Grounded in civility and respectful dialogue
– Open and accessible to the public
Members of the community are invited to submit questions to volunteer staff prior to and during the forum. All questions must be issue-related, and we suggest they pertain to how these issues affect voters in Michigan’s First District.
We are looking for volunteers to help with this event!
Contact us at lsrindivisible@gmail.org to volunteer, submit candidate questions or for general inquiries. More information and updates can be found at the Lake Superior Region Indivisible website: www.lsr-indivisible.org
Can’t make it to the Marquette event on March 21? Check out these other Meet the Candidate events:
https://sites.google.com/cleadership.net/m1-01-version-2/schedule
This a local Indivisible event!
*A core principle behind all Indivisible events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.*