Fight for Michigan's 39th District

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) - If you’ve driven through West Bloomfield in the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed campaign signs that read “Vote for Bubba” all over town.

So who is the man behind the signs?
Bubba Urdan is a Republican candidate running in Michigan’s 39 ^th district, which covers Commerce Township, Wixom and West Bloomfield.  The 41-year-old grew up in West Bloomfield and is currently employed as the Director of Business Development for Statewide Disaster Restoration, which helps reconstruct communities following a disaster.

Bubba Urdan will have a lot of competition during the Primary Election on August 7 ^th.

There are five other candidates on the Republican ticket, Brad Hantler, Albert Clawson, Nicholas Kennedy, Klint Kesto and Kristine Zrinyi.

Brad Hantler comes to the table with a big name backing him. Former Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain, made a stop in West Bloomfield to campaign for Hantler.  The 21-year old is a graduate of Andover High School and is new to the political scene.

Albert Clawson is a 38-year-old who works in real estate.  Clawson lives in Commerce Township and has an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts.  Clawson also has experience as a precinct delegate.

Nick Kennedy grew up in Livonia and has more than 32-years of business experience.  Kennedy was recently endorsed by Commerce Township Supervisor, Thomas Zoner and was a nominee for the 2009 Governor’s Service Award.

Klint Kesto is a small business owner and has been working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for the past five years.  In addition to being a college graduate, Kesto has worked for the U.S. Department of Energy and is a member of the Chaldean American Bar Association.

Kristine Zrinyi has lived in Michigan for 15-years and currently represents Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette as a speaker for consumer education programs.  Zrinyi has also served as the Director of Volunteers for Hospice.

Two Democrats will also appear on the Primary ballot for the 39 ^th District, Pam Jackson and Regina Strong.

Pam Jackson has a PhD. From Wayne State University and two Masters degrees from Eastern Michigan University.  Currently, Jackson works as a professor in Mathematics at Oakland Community College.

Regina Strong brings 25-years of leadership experience to the table both in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Strong also serves on the 2012 United We Walk Committee, as well as on the executive committee of the West Bloomfield High School PTO.

The 39 ^th District seat is currently held by Democrat Lisa Brown, who was elected to the seat in 2008 and 2010.  Brown recently made headlines during an argument on the State House floor over anti-abortion legislation.  During the debate, Brown said “I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but no means no." As a result, Brown was banned from speaking on the House Floor for a day.  The ban created outrage among Michigan voters who later staged a protest in Lansing, by reading the Vagina Monologues on the Capitol lawn.

To learn about the candidates running in the 39 ^th District, here are the direct links to the candidates websites.

Brad Hantler – Hantler2012.com

Bubba Urdan – Bubba4Michigan.com

Nick Kennedy - VoteNicholasKennedy.org

Klint Kesto - KlintKesto4Michigan.com

Kristine Zrinyi - Zrinyiforstaterep.com

Pam Jackson - PamJackson4StateHouse.com

Regina Strong – ReginaStrong.org