Michigan House of Representatives District 42 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Michigan, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Michigan House of Representatives District 42 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 42

Incumbent Matt Hall defeated Justin Mendoza in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 42 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matt Hall (R)	55.0	24,092
		Justin Mendoza (D)	45.0	19,719

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,811
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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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?

Justin Mendoza (D)

All Michigan families - whether Black, white, latino, asian, gay, straight, trans, wealthy, or poor - deserve access to high-quality and affordable health care. That's why I will fight for prescription drug affordability, better health care access, and lower health insurance costs in our state house.

This is Pure Michigan: That should mean that we can all trust the water that comes from our tap and the air that we breathe. I'll fight back against polluting corporations and help empower our state to keep our families safe.

Our tax code should work for families who work for a living, so we can keep more money in our pockets, instead of giving tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Justin Mendoza (D)

My biggest passions are in health care - lowering costs and making it possible to afford the care we need. Michigan has some of the highest monthly insurance costs available through our state health exchange, and we still have nearly 1 in 10 Michiganders without coverage at all. It's not fair when you pay hundreds of dollars per month, only to pay more when you arrive at the doctor's office. We need a system where everyone gets the care they need, without breaking the bank or skipping out on essential care.

Beyond care and coverage, the prices of medicines like - insulin or inhalers - are way too high. Insulin was invented over 100 years ago, and the rights to it were sold for just $1, yet today the price per vial is sometimes nearly $300, leaving many people (especially those who are uninsured) desperate for a product that is essential for survival. I am dedicated to state-level solutions that help people afford insulin and other high-cost medicines in Michigan.

Clean water and the environment. We only have one planet, and it really is as simple as that. Michigan's lakes, rivers, drinking water, and air need protection from corporate polluters. I am dedicated to empowering state regulators and attorneys general to hold corporate polluters accountable and ensure that we take care of lead pipes and dangerous chemicals in our water.

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

Justin Mendoza (D)

One of my heroes is the late Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners In Health. As an employee of the organization he founded, and a longtime reader of his work, I believe firmly in doing whatever it takes to face challenges alongside members of a community. I am also dedicated to equity in public policy - our history has included systems that cause harm to people based on frivolous categories, like religion, race, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. If we don't protect people through legislative policy, then we are missing an opportunity for a more equitable world. I will do whatever it takes as a member of Michigan 's House of Representatives to ensure that our communities have the support they need to survive and thrive.

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

Justin Mendoza (D)

The most important principle is a dedication to service to the people. All elected officials have values and opinions, like anyone else in society, but after the votes are cast, you have one job: to represent the people of your district and provide a public service to them. Working for the people is what I have done for my entire career, from working to organize young people for the right to health, to fighting back against corporate power, and working to advance policy change on behalf of health care consumers.

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

Justin Mendoza (D)

I was 10 years old when 9/11 happened. I remember watching the towers fall on video in my elementary school cafeteria. Then, our class was given an extended recess. It was shocking to see but in my 5th grade mind, I could not comprehend how much that day's events would change our entire world.

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

Justin Mendoza (D)

My first job was working at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, and affiliated properties in downtown Kalamazoo. I worked there during nights, weekends, and summers from my sophomore year of high school (I was 15 and had a work permit from the state of Michigan) and until my sophomore year of college, so just over four years.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Justin Mendoza (D)

My Shot, from the Hamilton soundtrack. It’s my go-to when I really have a lot of work to do.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Justin Mendoza (D)

Absolutely, it is essential that legislators work together to get things done on behalf of their constituents. Politics varies by the media cycle, but the only way to pass big changes and reforms in state or federal law is to work together. Through my career in coalition building and health care organizing, I have learned that any form of advocacy and policy making is a team sport.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Justin Mendoza (D)

I favor a process like our Michigan Independent Citizen's Redistricting Committee, where decisions are made with transparency for the public, no one political party gets to make the final choices, and where factors like the racial make up, geographic spread of a community are considered.

See also

More about these elections:

• Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022

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