Dana Alan Ferguson

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Dana Alan Ferguson

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

Northern Michigan University

Personal

Birthplace

Silver Bay, Minn.

Profession

Inventory and production manager

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Dana Alan Ferguson (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Michigan's 1st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Ferguson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Dana Alan Ferguson was born in Silver Bay, Minnesota. He earned a B.S. in economics from Northern Michigan University. His professional experience includes working as the inventory and production manager at Bell Forest.

Elections

2020

See also: Michigan's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

Michigan's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)

Michigan's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Incumbent Jack Bergman defeated Dana Alan Ferguson and Ben Boren in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Bergman (R)	61.6	256,581
		Dana Alan Ferguson (D)	36.8	153,328
		Ben Boren (L)	1.5	6,310

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 416,219
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Dana Alan Ferguson defeated Linda O'Dell in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dana Alan Ferguson	64.2	45,565
		Linda O'Dell	35.8	25,388

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 70,953
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Ryan Ruzziconi (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Incumbent Jack Bergman advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Bergman	100.0	100,716

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 100,716
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Ben Boren advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on July 18, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Ben Boren (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Ferguson's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2018

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Incumbent Jack Bergman defeated Matthew Morgan in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Bergman (R)	56.3	187,251
		Matthew Morgan (D)	43.7	145,246

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 332,497 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Matthew Morgan advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on August 7, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matthew Morgan (Write-in)	100.0	29,293

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,293
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Dwight Brady (D)
• Dana Alan Ferguson (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1

Incumbent Jack Bergman advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 1 on August 7, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Bergman	100.0	83,272

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 83,272
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 28, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Dana Alan Ferguson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ferguson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in a small mining town in the UP that has struggled over the years. Unfortunately, it's not just my home town that fits this category. There are so many just like it in the 1st District and all over the country. I believe in the importance of investing in rural communities. Their infrastructure needs are growing, their work-force is leaving and their education is underfunded. Investment in rural areas is an investment in our future.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Climate change is the issue we must come together on. The future of our planet requires us to act now and it will take a comprehensive effort for us to do that. We need to move to clean, renewable energy, invest in green jobs, modernize our infrastructure and bring labor to the table to help make these a reality.
• We all deserve the dignity of earning a livable wage to take care of ourselves and our families and live a comfortable life. It should be our goal should be to create an economy where this is a reality. We can build a more equitable economy and society, where there are fewer people living in poverty, less dependence on social programs, and greater hope in the future. It's time to create a modern economy and fix the flaws in the system.
• Access to healthcare is not only important, it is necessary. I know what it's like to live without insurance and have that fear of getting sick or injured with no recourse. No one should have to make that decision of choosing between their health or their financial stability. I will fight to ensure every American gets the healthcare they need. It is time we treated the health of our citizens as important as their safety and security.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

We can create a modern economy that addresses the major flaws in the system like wage inequity and instability with a little work. We face automation and globalization and if we are not being proactive in these areas we will fall further behind, especially rural areas.

Climate change and protecting our natural resources, our land, water and air, are so important to our everyday actions. Not just for us, but for future generations. We can have a robust diverse economy while protecting our home. We can have clean air and water while becoming energy independent. We can create good paying green jobs while we redevelop our infrastructure, education and healthcare. These issues are all tied together. It's time we stop looking at them as if they are distinct and unattached.

When it comes to health care I believe that a truly strong country is one that takes pride in caring for all citizens, not just the ones fortunate enough to pay for a basic human right. Health care should not be available to only those who can afford it. Nor should individuals and families fear bankruptcy because of an unwanted health emergency. We are only as strong and as great as how our most vulnerable are treated. I do not believe in leaving those vulnerable people behind. I feel they have as much a right as anyone else to a basic necessity like health care.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My parents are the people that made me who I am. My mom filled my sister's and my life with so much love. She is passionate and caring and would sacrifice everything for her family. She is someone that has always been there for me whenever I needed her. It's safe to day she has been a lifesaver many times throughout my life.

My dad is equally amazing. He is one of the hardest working people I have ever seen. He soul hasn't slowed down in his 70s. His work ethic and sacrifices for his family have really made me want to be a better person.

I'm truly blessed to have such amazing parents and role models.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

All elected officials should hold themselves to the highest ethical standards and should not hide from scrutiny while on the job, but expect it. When someone holds themselves the highest standards, criticism by others or investigations of misconduct will not concern them.

Pursuit of power or personal gain should be extinguished by all those seeking to hold the public trust. There should be one objective while in office and that is to perform your duties honestly and faithfully while representing you constituents with no outside influence or personal bias. This is a lot to ask of someone, but the job of an elected official is not just for anyone who wants it. It is for those who deserve it.

Elected officials should also possess some element of compassion, empathy, creativity, foresight and complex thought as well. A selfish person who lacks understanding of others should not hold office. I believe elected officials should be held to the highest of standards at all levels, and if they cannot meet those standards should step down or away from those extremely important positions.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I come from a blue-collar working class background with an education in economics and public administration. I understand the strife that people go through. I have lived through and live through many of the struggles and challenges people across the district and country face every day. I can relate to their hardships and fears, their long exhausting days of work with no vacation, bill upon bill with no relief and their frustration that things will never change.

I also possess the confidence and ability to do something about igniting change. My education and understanding of people and economics coupled with my ability to understand people at the individual level puts me in a unique position to truly relate and represent the people of my district.

I believe that we live for now, but we work for the future. I want to leave my children, and the children around the district and country, a better world. I want to teach them that adversity is something that makes us stronger. We may be facing difficult challenges in the country right now, but we can get through them. We can be better and stronger. We can give them hope and a reason to keep going.

My kids teach me more and more every day. They push me to be a better person, a better dad, a better husband, and I know they will push me to be a better Congressman.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember watching the shuttle launch of the Challenger in 1986 with my mom. There was excitement one minute and sadness and confusion after the explosion. I was seven years old sitting in my living room watching the launch on TV.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I had a paper route that I held for about two years when I was in middle school. I remember trudging down the street through snow storms in the winter, and running my route as fast as I could in the summer so I could go hang put with friends.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo, is my favorite book. It captures the best and worst of humanity. It tells the story of love, sacrifice, vengeance and forgiveness. Les Miserables shows that there is always hope when we do not give up on it, that we can get through difficult times and that no one is beyond growth. The book also is a shining example of how people are more complex than what we may think and that justice is not always justice.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House is a reflection of the people across the country. At least it should be. There are those who want to "win" at all costs without concern. There are those who ignore the voice of the future because they believe the past holds our best days. There are those who seek the power of the office with little regard for the responsibility that goes with it.

But while there are flaws and abusers, when functioning faithfully the institute itself is inspiring. It is a group of people, elected by their neighbors to act as their voice. It is the epitome of a representative democracy. I would be proud to have the trust and faith of my friends and neighbors to act as their voice, to help shape the future for the better and to improve who we are as a nation and as a people.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe that having previous experience in anything can be a good thing, but it doesn't necessarily make it so. The same way not having experience in something could be a good thing. It really comes down to the person.

What is the person capable of? What is their character made of? Do they have a moral compass? What principles do they have and what is important to them? What are their intentions? What motivates them? What is the purpose for their desire to serve?

There is no one size fits all for this position. The truth of the matter it really depends on the person. It isn't a political party that makes someone good or bad. It isn't their past experience that does so either. The US House of Representatives should be a reflection of the people of this country. As long as the Representative is capable of performing their duties, will execute them honorable and honestly, and will put those above personal gain or ambitions I believe they are fit to hold office.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

We are in a state of divisiveness that we have not seen in some time. Leaders are needed at this time perhaps more than they have been needed since our founding. Every great civilization has peaked along its course and I do not want to say the pinnacle of the US has passed. I truly believe that our greatest days still lie ahead of us, but only with leadership that understands this. It is not going to be one person that corrects this course, but many, and at every level of government.

In addition to this, but tied to it as well, is our battle with climate change. While there are many who continue to deny the reality of climate change, science and the younger generation are pleading with us to listen. Not just listen, but act as well. I believe this is another area where leadership is going to play a paramount role in the coming years for our country.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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Footnotes

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Michigan's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Gary Peters (D)

Elissa Slotkin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jack Bergman (R)

District 2

John Moolenaar (R)

District 3

Hillary Scholten (D)

District 4

Bill Huizenga (R)

District 5

Tim Walberg (R)

District 6

Debbie Dingell (D)

District 7

Tom Barrett (R)

District 8

Kristen Rivet (D)

District 9

Lisa McClain (R)

District 10

John James (R)

District 11

Haley Stevens (D)

District 12

Rashida Tlaib (D)

District 13

Shri Thanedar (D)

Democratic Party (8)

Republican Party (7)