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MI2CD Friends:
There were record numbers of people who have simply had enough of the would-be dictator who is killing democracy while promoting fascism and literally tearing down our American ideals. We have refused to stand idly by while our
elected officials in Washington do nothing to stop this travesty! Here are just a few pictures of the October 18 protest rallies across our part of rural Michigan:
Manistee was featured on Michael Moore’s Substack post on October 19!
   
SAVE THE DATE! MI2CD/MDP TOWNHALL NOVEMBER 20, 2025
We are excited to announce that the Michigan Democratic Party and the MI2CD will be hosting a townhall forum meeting at 6pm on Thursday November 20, 2025, on the CMU campus in Mt Pleasant. Details are still pending, but we hope to include a nationally known
elected Democrat along with state party leaders to help moderate this meeting and stimulate attendance from supporters, independents, and those who are “Democrat curious”. Please pass this on to your friends, family, and neighbors and plan now to make the
trip to Mt Pleasant to show your concern and dissatisfaction for how our federal government is moving toward oligarchy and fascism.
MAGA MOOLENAAR CONTINUES GASLIGHTING US TO BELIEVE HE CARES
I wasted an hour valuable time listening to MAGA Moolenaar’s cowardly telephone “town hall” on October 22nd! He read his opening statement verbatim from the MAGA playbook sounding like an altar boy serving mass, instead he just served us all a MESS of lies
and misinformation. He sidestepped several questions about why he is not standing up to the chaos, corruption, and cruelty of the Trump administration.
Moolenaar is obviously using his “bully pulpit” as the incumbent to continue his campaign for re-election in 2026 blatantly using his staff which are paid by taxpayer dollars to fill social media with his BS. He is obviously getting nervous about the rising
tide of dissatisfaction being expressed by voters in the MI2CD. Here are some examples of recent comments to his daily social media posts:
- In addition to the Dems holding out for more affordable health insurance premiums, we also really don’t like that the criminal in chief wants IMMUNITY FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING COURT ORDERS!
It’s your job to protect your constituents.
- He’s lying! Don’t believe a damn word he says. He voted to cut $1 Trillion from Medicaid, he voted to cut $500 billion from Medicare, he voted to cut COLA from your SS. He has been on paid vacation ($175,000) with
a golden taxpayer funded healthcare.
- You are not even at work; you are sitting on your ass doing nothing and getting paid for it. Isn’t sitting at home on the government dime what you’re bitching about all the time. None of this must happen, emergency
funds are available.
- Republicans hold the House, Senate, Presidency, & SCOTUS. You can pass anything you want using the nuclear option. And you blame Democrats? Who do you think you're bullshi**ing anyway?
US House Speaker Johnson sent the Republican reps home where he says, “They are doing incredibly important work meeting and listening to their constituents.” If that is truly the case, then why has no one seen hide nor hair of
Mr. Moolenaar. He was in his cushy Washington office during his “phoney townhall”! He will simply not meet in public with his constituents. I can assure you that the four candidates who have officially filed to defeat him in 2026 are meeting and listening
to voters in MI2CD right now!
HERE ARE THE CANDIDATES THAT PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ALTERNATIVE TO MAGA!
We need someone willing to communicate, collaborate, and compromise instead of refusing to do the job we elected them to do! Every resident of the 2nd CD deserves better representation in Washington, and we are so pleased to share that we have four
candidates who have officially filed with the Federal Election Commission to defeat MAGA Moolenaar in 2026!
Here are their names, websites, and email addresses, feel free to reach out and invite them to your county to meet with the voters! They deserve your support!!
Benjamin Ambrose: email: bambr...@gmail.com Website: www.ambrose4congress.com
Rich Carrizales: email: richcf...@gmail.com Website: Richard
Carrizales
Jamie Hill: email: jami...@gmail.com Website: https://electjamie.net
Clyde Welford: email: clydewelford01@gmailcom
FOCUSED ISSUE FORUMS!
We will continue to challenge all twenty county Democratic party organizations to plan and execute at least one “FOCUSED ISSUE FORUM” meeting every 90 days between now and November of 2026.
The Kitchen Table Conversations event organized by the Wexford County Democratic Party held on Tuesday October 28th was a standing room only success! All four of our officially filed candidates attended and were able to express their ideas and positions
on issues raised by farmers, health care workers, and small business owners. These forums enable voters to get to know our candidates and learn more about them.
The MI2CD candidates all indicated that they believe these “kitchen table issue” forums will have a better chance of attracting the independent and Democrat-curious voters that we will need to win in 2026. Your county forums could
include but are not limited to discussions on these challenges:
- Farmers where you could invite these subject matter experts
- A local family farmer
- Representative from the local MSU Extension Service
- Representative from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
- Representative from the local Farm Bureau or Farmers Union organizations
- Rural Healthcare where you could invite these subject matter experts
- A local doctor and/or registered nurse
- The chief administrator of a local/regional hospital
- Representative from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Representative from the Michigan Center for Rural Health
- Representative from the local Community Mental Health Service
- Public Education where you could invite these subject matter experts
- A local teacher
- The superintendent of a local school district or ISD
- A member of a local school board
- A member of the Michigan School Board of Education
- A representative from the Michigan Education Association teachers’ union
- Affordable Housing where you could invite these subject matter experts
- A local builder or realtor
- A member of your regional or local public housing authority
- A representative from MSHDA About
MSHDA
- A representative from your local Chamber of Commerce
- Affordable Childcare where you could invite these subject matter experts
- A local childcare provider
- A representative from the Michigan Great Start program
- A representative from your regional or local Head Start program
- A representative from your local Chamber of Commerce
Here are some proven best practices to follow to ensure your local forum is successful:
- Send certified letters to Moolenaar's offices in Michigan and the offices of the Michigan State Representatives and Senators in your area inviting them to attend your meeting and be part of the panel discussion. We
do not want them to have the excuse that they were not aware of your meeting.
- Invite candidates who have officially filed for running against the incumbents in your area to attend and be a part of the panel discussion.
- Collaborate with other non-partisan organizations in your area. It is OK to work with other groups who are concerned about what is happening to our country. Invite them to join you in planning and executing this event.
- Rent a large room for this event. When you pay to rent the venue it becomes a private meeting, and you will have the right to ask people who may want to disrupt the meeting to leave.
- Inform your local law enforcement about the event in advance. They will be prepared to provide more visibility and respond if needed.
- Invite local print, radio, and television media to attend. Give them as much advance notice as possible. Regional public radio stations will be most interested but do not forget your local AM right-wing talk radio
station.
- Recruit 3-5 local subject matter experts to serve on the panel who are willing to share their personal story about how decisions in Washington are affecting their ability to deliver essential services to your community.
- Recruit a person who is prepared to facilitate the discussions. A local elected official or respected community activist that is comfortable and capable of public speaking works well.
- Publicize the event using all available print, TV, and social media, posters, and word-of-mouth.
FINAL WORDS:
I was impressed by what I witnessed at the Kitchen Table Conversations in Cadillac! The folks in the room were not all card-carrying Democrats. Many appeared to be “Democrat-curious” looking to see
how our candidates might be different from what they have grown accustomed to with John Moolenaar and the chaos in Washington. These are the people we need to work hard to win over in 2026. These are the people we need to show that we not only care about
them but that we are willing to work hard to help them with their kitchen table issues and concerns. This is why we need to make a commitment to hold a series of issue-based forums in all twenty counties in the MI2CD between now and November of 2026. I look
forward to attending as many forums as possible.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need additional information!
John Helge
Chairperson
Michigan Democratic Party 2nd Congressional District (MI2CD)
johnm...@gmail.com 616-915-2403
HELP US PROMOTE AND SAVE THE DATE!!
MONTHLY MEETING
November 8, 2025 10:00am
Via ZOOM:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82543440592?pwd=ULaeG9aFFI6fHz2EPndmXmJXl4bsct.1
Pledge to the Flag
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement:
“The State of Michigan occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinabek – Three Fires Confederacy, the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Bodewadmi (Potawatomi). The Michigan Democratic Party recognizes historic Indigenous
communities in Michigan and those forcibly removed from their homelands. We further recognize the ongoing relationship of dependence upon, and respect for, all living beings of earth, sky, and water. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous
sovereignty, history, and experiences.”
Speaker and/or Program:
- Updates from candidates running to defeat MAGA Moolenaar in 2026
Roll call of officers:
(Peggy) Roll Call of District Committee Members:
(Peggy) Roll call of Counties:
Determination of quorum:
Approval of agenda:
Approval of minutes:
Officer’s reports:
Chairperson John Helge
Vice Chairperson Cathy Willermet
Treasurer Dallas Dean
Secretary Peggy Raddatz
- Committee Reports:
● Rules and Bylaws Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair)
2). John Helge - Manistee County D.P.
● Finance and Fundraising Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair)
2). Ken Mahoney - Muskegon C.D.P.
3). Jessica Iliff – Osceola C.D.P
4). Betsy-Anne Moskowitz –
5). K.P. Mahoney – Muskegon C.D.P.
● Candidate Recruitment and Support (for candidate) Committee:
1). Mark Yonkman (Chair) – Wexford County
2). David Austin – Gratiot County
3). Deborah Van Dyke – Kent County
4). Ed Miller – Mason County
● Political and 2nd CD Party Organizing Committee:
1). Cathy Willermet (Chair)
2). Karen Turnbull - Mecosta County
● Communications Committee:
1). Michelle VanSlambrouck (Chair)
2). Karen Greenbay – Mecosta County
3.) Deborah Van Dyke- Kent County
4). Brad Wade – Lake County
● Policy and Resolution Committee:
1). John Helge (Chair)
2). Michael Lynch - Gratiot C.D.P.
● Audit Committee:
1). Robin (Alexson) Aslakson (Chair)
2).
Unfinished Business:
New Business:
Election of new Male Alternate to the MI2CD MDP State Central Committee
County Reports:
Good and Welfare:
Agenda is complete, meeting is adjourned
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