Housing, healthcare, and the Iran War were a few of the topics candidates vying to represent Michigan’s First Congressional District were asked about at a crowded Milliken Auditorium on April 1. Those four candidates were invited to participate in a “Meet the Candidates Forum” hosted by Traverse City Indivisible Education and Solidarity (TIES).

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Michigan’s First Congressional District covers the entire Upper Peninsula and a large portion of Northern Michigan, including Grand Traverse County. In terms of land area, it is the largest congressional district in Michigan, taking up nearly half of the state.

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The candidates present were Iron Mountain Democrat Kyle Blomquist, Traverse City Democrat Wayne Stiles, Grayling Republican Justin Michal, and Traverse City Independent Zebulon Featherly. 

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Healthcare was a recurring topic at the event, with candidates answering questions about access, cost, and mental health. 

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Blomquist stated early on that he believes healthcare access is one of the biggest issues facing Michigan’s First District. He said that rural areas, like the one he grew up in, have gaps in service that need to be addressed.

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“Ironwood had its labor and delivery department close,” he said, “Not because people in the Western Upper Peninsula didn’t need babies delivered, but because it was no longer profitable to the company that owned that healthcare system.”

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When asked about policies they would support to lower costs, each candidate took a unique approach. While most candidates addressed specific policies—Stiles supported removing tariffs, Blomquist supported Medicare for all, and Featherly supported incentivizing high earners to contribute more to the economy—Michal said the cost of living is too complex for one or a few overarching policies.

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“There are a lot of things that make up the economy,” Michal said, “I would bring people together that are economists, that have different forms of strategies, in order to attack each individual issue separately.”

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Featherly, an electrician who is currently enrolled in one class at NMC, mentioned data centers throughout the forum. Data centers have become a contentious subject throughout Michigan, with locals in areas with planned centers worried about energy consumption and cost, land usage, and water usage.

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“I want to make sure that we have a policy in place that is going to put checks and balances on those projects,” he said.

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The candidates were asked about hot topics regarding the Trump administration. The candidates—except for Michal—opposed the SAVE Act and the war in Iran. All four candidates, however, agreed that Congress should approve military actions abroad.

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Stiles was vocal in his opposition to the Trump administration, citing specific administration agenda items, such as tariffs and ICE presence in cities, as issues.

“Folks, this is not a drill. The foundation of our democracy is under attack,” he said, “...One path leads to authoritarian rule, where one man feels he’s above the law, unencumbered by applying Congress…”

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The event, which was part of a series of events in various areas of Northern Michigan, gave the candidates 90 seconds to answer each question. The crowd was asked not to make audible reactions— such as applause, booing, and whooping—while the candidates were speaking. For the most part, the crowd in Traverse City adhered to this rule, but there were moments when they could not hold in their reactions, such as after Michal’s statement on affordable housing, which prompted some boos.

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Michal asked the crowd to raise their hands if they would be willing to list their houses for $100,000 and allow a first-time homebuyer to purchase the house. After no hands were raised, Michal said, “Each and every one of you has the opportunity to have affordable housing in this district, but you choose not to. Why is that?” He later stated, “It’s a human condition, we call it greed.”

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Housing is a key issue in the Grand Traverse area. The average price for a home in Grand Traverse County was $519,434 in 2025, and the median price for a home was $405,223 in 2025, according to data from Northern Great Lakes Realtors MLS. Candidates brought up potential solutions such as putting limits on Airbnbs, revitalizing older homes, and funding public housing.

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Notably, the Meet the Candidates Forum was missing the projected frontrunners from both major parties, Incumbent Republican Jack Bergman and Democrat Callie Barr. 

Seeing as it was April Fool’s Day, Michal made light of Congressman Bergman’s absence.

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“Guys, before I address the elephant in the room, I just received a text message from the congressional office. Congressman Bergman is actually on his way here, so we may need to get another chair.”

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Murmurs filled the auditorium before Michal said, “April Fools.” Michal took the opportunity to stress the importance of politicians connecting with constituents, something he later said was the most important issue facing the district.

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“It’s about community, it’s about being together, it’s about having conversations that matter, opening channels of dialogue that are honest and transparent,” Michal said, “And what that does is establish this trust. And that’s something that’s been lacking a lot in government.”

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Bergman, who has held Michigan’s First District congressional seat since 2017, has been criticized for not holding in-person events to communicate with constituents. In March 2025, Traverse and Leelanau Indivisible attempted to hold a town hall for Bergman, which Bergman did not attend. 

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Reporting from The Ticker that Bergman’s communications director said “the Congressman will not now, or ever, attend a George Soros-funded so-called town hall,” went viral. The comment was in reference to grants given to indivisible groups by the Open Society Foundation. Traverse and Leelanau Indivisible released a statement afterwards refuting that claim.

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Matthew Denotter, another Republican candidate, did not respond to correspondence from event organizers at the time of the event. 

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The primary election for the 2026 midterms is on Aug. 4, and the general election is on Nov. 3.

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