Unless asked about a specific issue, both the Republican and Democratic presumptive candidates vying to be the next 64th District state representative are setting a similar tone heading into November’s general election.
Let’s keep going.
“It’s going to be hard work, and I’m ready to do it. I worked hard for the primary, and that showed with the results,” Port Huron Democrat John Anter said in an interview Thursday. “And I’m ready to work hard. The best way to end gridlock is to send one of your own, and I’m ready to go to Lansing to solve problems, get things done.”
Minutes later, in a separate conversation with The Times Herald, Kimball Republican Joe Pavlov aired a similar sentiment.
“I keep saying, ‘Nose to the grindstone,’ but that’s kind of a painful expression,” he said with a laugh. “I’m just going to keep working. I know that I got here by hard work, and I’m going to continue. I know it’s going to be a hard-fought battle from now until November, and I’m just not going to let up. But I’ll tell you, I have knocked on 6,302 doors in the last 10 weeks.”
Anter and Pavlov each came out of Tuesday’s primary election the top vote-getters on their side of the aisle — the Dem by a 1,681-vote margin or 58.4% of the vote, and the GOP candidate by a narrower, 212-vote margin or 31.8% of the vote in a slightly more crowded contest.
Against Anter were candidates Mathew Castillo and Ken Heuvelman, who received 27.8% and 13.8% of the Democratic vote respectively.
On the Republican side, Jorja Baldwin, a county commissioner, and Gary Eisen, a former state lawmaker, received 30% and 28.5% of the vote, while fellow candidates Dan Geiersbach and Ryan Maxon each received just 5%.
Now, Pavlov and Anter are poised to go head-to-head to replace outgoing state Rep. Andrew Beeler, R-Port Huron, in the 64th, which includes the cities of Port Huron and Marysville, and Burtchville, Clyde, Fort Gratiot, Grant, Kimball, Port Huron, and St. Clair townships in St. Clair County, as well as Worth Township in Sanilac County.
What did the primary results say about the 64th District?
According to a local precinct break down of preliminary election results, Baldwin had the most votes in Burtchville Township, Fort Gratiot, and the city of Port Huron's three northern-most voting precincts — an area that also reflects her county board district — while Pavlov carried Marysville, as well as Port Huron's fourth through seventh precincts and ninth and 10th.
Eisen won in Clyde, Grant, St. Clair townships, and Port Huron's eighth precinct. Kimball and Port Huron townships' results varied between the top three vote-getters on the GOP side.
In just Sanilac County, where the 64th represents Worth Township, Baldwin was the top vote-getter with 185 votes to Pavlov's 177 and Eisen's 141. Maxon and Geiersbach received 33 and 32 in Sanilac.
On the Democratic side overall, Anter appeared to be the top vote-getter in all local precincts except in Clyde Township’s second and St. Clair Township’s first, where Castillo narrowly prevailed.
Surrounded by a region whose residents traditionally vote Republican at the polls, the 64th District still has some Democratic pockets, particularly around Port Huron.
However, more than 11,900 Republican votes were cast in the district’s primary versus the over 5,200 for Democratic candidates.
How do the presumptive candidates hope to stand out come November?
When asked about the prospect of a Dem representing the area for the state House, Anter said, “I look at Michigan. It’s not red or blue, but red, white, and blue, and we have to represent everyone. So, that’s what I plan to do.”
But in distinguishing himself out to a bigger range of ideologies? People often want the same things, Anter said, like good jobs and access to health care.
“My family’s owned small businesses in this area for years, so I know the challenges they face,” he said. “I’m a union electrician, so I know the challenges that labor faces. And housing, just talking with people about housing and health care and women’s health care, those are things that people want. We’re going to have to fight for them.”
When asked for an example, Anter pointed to Proposition 3, which voters passed in Michigan two years ago to enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution, calling it a “huge issue” and something “that’s still under attack.” For the most part, though, he said he’d expect to find “where I can best help” by taking what he hears from residents and working with other lawmakers directly.
Pavlov, a retired Marysville teacher, said he wasn’t as familiar with local Democratic platforms but believed statewide and nationally they were contrary to his, adding, “All I know is what my values are and what I stand for, and it has made America great over the last almost 250 years.”
He called himself a “uniter” and a “recruiter” and said he believed most of the people he’s talked to have the same intentions, values, and concerns that he does.
“It really gratifies me that I made the decision to run in order to support those,” Pavlov said. “I just love talking with people. And I’m finding there’s a lot of needy people out there who are hurting because of the requirements that our government and regulations is putting on them. Like farmers, business people, even veterans. It’s not fair. It just needs to be changed.”
Contact reporter Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Ready for 'hard work': Democrat, Republican hopefuls set tone for 64th state rep. seat
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