BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY
bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com
TRAVERSE CITY — Democrat Gary McDowell can wait until November, but Republican Jason Allen will have to best five other candidates to win his party's nomination for the 1st Congressional District.
McDowell, a state representative from Rudyard, is the lone Democratic candidate after others backed out of the race to replace Rep. Bart Stupak, who decided not to seek re-election after a bruising political year created in part by his support for federal health care legislation.
Allen moved from Traverse City to Alanson to run for the seat. He'll face Dan Benishek, of Iron River; Linda Goldthorpe, of Helmer; Don Hooper, of Iron River; Patrick Donlon, of St. Ignace; and Tom Stillings, of Torch Lake Township.
"I look forward to competing against all the different candidates," Allen said. "I'm looking for a positive discussion on how to get government spending in check, create jobs, and overhaul and repeal the Obama health care plan."
Allen and Benishek are considered front-runners, but Stillings said he is confident that won't last long.
"Real soon over in Alpena there will be a candidate night with five of us onstage, and I think I'm more knowledgeable, have a little bit quicker mind than most," Stillings said. "Some of them are just professional politicians, and professional politicians got us into this mess."
Stillings spent 30 years in the steel industry, ran plants and owns his own business. He said Congress needs people like him to cut taxes and slash government.
"I'm not somebody who can be bamboozled easily, and I don't think anyone else can say that," he said.
U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, will seek another term representing the 4th Congressional District. Democrat Jerry Campbell, a township supervisor from Roscommon County, will oppose him.
