Ryan Stewart (Michigan)

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

Ryan Stewart

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 4, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Wyandotte, Mich.

Religion

Non-Denominational

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Ryan Stewart (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Wayne County Commission to represent District 15 in Michigan. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 4, 2020.

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

Biography

Ryan Stewart was born in Wyandotte, Michigan. He studied at Western Michigan University. Stewart’s career experience includes working in account management, business development, and business administration.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2020)

General election

General election for Wayne County Commission District 15

Incumbent Joseph Palamara defeated Patrick O'Connell in the general election for Wayne County Commission District 15 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Joseph Palamara (D)	55.1	34,479
		Patrick O'Connell (R)	44.4	27,760
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	305

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 62,544
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wayne County Commission District 15

Incumbent Joseph Palamara defeated Ryan Stewart in the Democratic primary for Wayne County Commission District 15 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Joseph Palamara	67.5	10,490
		Ryan Stewart	31.9	4,957
		Other/Write-in votes	0.6	87

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,534
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wayne County Commission District 15

Patrick O'Connell advanced from the Republican primary for Wayne County Commission District 15 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Patrick O'Connell	99.6	8,808
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	31

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,839
= 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

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a 5th generation downriver resident, dating back to the late 1800's when the Brockmiller family first moved to the region. My fiance, Loren Nikolovski-Amady, and I currently own a home in Trenton. In my free time I enjoy reading, playing board games, and hopping into a game of pickup hockey whenever I have an opportunity.

I am passionate about creating and enabling sustainable, bottom-up development in our community - the Downriver region and sense of community extends back generations, and I am driven to help transform our region to meet the demands of a 21st Century Economy.

- Trenton Zoning Board of Appeals and Variances commissioner - McLouth Steel EPA Community Advisory Group board member

https://ryan-stewart-downriver.webflow.io/

https://ryan-stewart-history.webflow.io/

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?

• Sustainable Economic Development - Create good jobs without sacrificing our health and well being
• Proactive Planning and Community-Based Investment - Making sure resources are allocated to community needs, like infrastructure maintenance and preventive planning
• Ethics and Transparency - Special interests shouldn't control elected officials

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe economic development and environmental stewardship are not opposed to each other, but go hand in hand to generate wealth.

Our regional leadership should focus on the potential that exists in our region, and use the major economic transitions our communities are facing as a turning point to pivot Downriver's image and economy to focus on the highest and best use of our resources - our waterfront, and our skilled workforce.

As industrial communities that have put all of their economic eggs in one basket around the country have faced significant social and economic problems in the face of economic transitions rooted in automation and technological advancement, Downriver has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to use the insight we have from what other regions have experienced by not adapting to these changes to inform our future planning and regional development.

I've been a lifelong Downriver resident - my perspective, upbringing, education, and relationships have all been cultivated in a community that's hardworking, earnest, and practical; I'm grateful for the benefits my friends, family, and community have received from a legacy of heavy industry, and I'm confident that our greatest future lies in revitalizing the beauty of what our waterfront has to offer.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The County Commission is like the mediator between local and state level government - because of the services managed at the county level, it's the highest level of government that still makes decisions that directly impact the day-to-day lives of individuals that live in communities.

In District 15 specifically, there are many cases where local decisions made impact multiple communities, but the decision making process is entirely governed by a single city that may not have any interest in making decisions that consider the needs of the surrounding communities that may be impacted.

A County Commissioner is in a unique position to help mediate these sorts of disputes through incentivizing cohesiveness through the region with county resources, while not having the additional burden of painting with an extremely broad brush in the way that state level government offices must consider.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I've written content about this exact question before. Here is an excerpt:

As I think about my purpose for running for County Commissioner to represent our Downriver waterfront communities, I thought I'd publish a list of books that have influenced my perspective over the past year in case you might be looking for something to read:

1. Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity Charles L. Marohn Jr.
Marohn does a brilliant job detailing how our large scale development patterns have maximized efficiency, while leaving us especially vulnerable to unforeseen events (Covid-19?). By creating diversity in economic development and putting control of economic decisions in the hands of individuals at a smaller scale, Marohn provides critical detail as to how we can create more robust business and community networks that insulate us from crises that may lie outside of our control.

2. The War on Normal People Andrew Yang
While I may not agree with everything Yang proposes as a solution, it's hard to deny that he's diagnosed what feels to be a major source of our current political divisiveness. It's important to note his focus on systemic change, and lack of individual vilification of those who are playing by the rules in place. As automation impacts those who hold the most precarious positions in our economy, it's time we acknowledge how our working and labor class provide our society the framework and foundation for economic security - especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you'd like to read about the remaining 8, here is a link:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/ryan-stewart-for-wayne-county-commission-district-15/stay-home-stay-safe-save-lives-read-books/233604121323029/

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to help Downriver transition to a post-industrial community, before it gets left behind in our 21st century economic transition.

The Downriver region occupies a unique economic space - it hasn't transitioned to an environmental or technological base yet, but it hasn't entirely fallen to the wayside like many manufacturing communities further south in the United States. The host of problems that come with an economy being "left behind" include increased mortality rates for middle aged men, and skyrocketing unemployment and drug abuse rates.

Whatever way I can help with this transition is how I wish to contribute to society - whether it's by planting the seeds and encouraging others to get involved and contribute their unique perspectives and skill sets, or galvanizing action directly in a formal decision making capacity as an elected office holder, I would like to contribute however I can.

If I am to be remember, I would hope I am remembered as someone who genuinely cares about the community that has provided me everything I have - my education, my experiences, and even my fiance. For me, it isn't about the credit - it's about what needs to be done while there's still time.

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

My very first job was cleaning a credit union on the weekends - I was 14 years old, and I would get paid $30 (and a Boston Cream Donut!). My boss would come pick me up Sunday mornings at 8 a.m., and we would stop at the Dunkin' Donuts on the corner before we got there. My job was to vacuum the entire place, then wipe down all of the counters.

I enjoyed it because I had my first iPod (it was a black iPod mini), and every week I would have money to get a new CD and upload the music to it so I could listen while I was working. I worked that job every weekend except holidays until I was 16 years old - I didn't cancel for anything, and I didn't call in sick once.

I liked doing physical work where I could move, and I gained an appreciation for seeing my progress - every spot I cleaned, I could get immediate feedback on the transformation. I developed a sense of pride in doing a good job, regardless of what my work was, and that ethic carried into my future jobs - delivering pizza and working my way up to eventually manage a shop, then working on a roofing crew for my first summer out of college.

All jobs are important, and contribute to the big picture of making sure that our society functions well. Most of the time and resources in our life is spent on maintenance - whether it's our health, our relationships, or even our cars. While big, shiny and new is exciting, getting back to the basics and maintaining, appreciating, and respecting what we've already got is a principle that I hold near and dear to my heart.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.

I usually read non-fiction to learn about things that interest me, but every once in a while I'm recommended a fiction book that engages my soul, rather than my brain.

The Alchemist tells the story of a young man who defies the odds that are stacked against him to fulfill his greatest dream - and it's a reminder that in many ways, what may appear to be disappointments or setbacks could be the most important lesson you learn, or a nudge in the right direction.

Making important change on a societal level can be daunting and difficult - it takes a great deal of hard work to build a foundation, and there is no guarantee of success. Sometimes it's easy to be tempted to take the safe route by following a recipe for "success" - whether it's a specific type of education, partnership, or path through life.

What this book reminds me is that stability can be illusory - and what may seem like a safe and secure way to organize our life and choices can be just as fragile as following what we're passionate about. Social influences like the media and our communities can influence our values and priorities, and contribute to us feeling isolated from what brings us engagement with the world.

Not everything in life is easy, and it wouldn't be fulfilling if it was - there is contentment that comes with perseverance in the face of adversity, and at the end of the day, even if I don't succeed in the outcome I was attempting to change, at least I can rest knowing that I tried my hardest, no matter how difficult it seemed.

Books that can inspire on such a deep and meaningful level are few and far between, and this is certainly one of them.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

I would say most of them - I studied political science in college, where there was only one course on local government in the entire program (and that class didn't even touch on county level government).

County Commissioners approve and deny the county's budget, and these responsibilities include:

1. The Judicial System
2. Road and Infrastructure Maintenance
3. Public Health
4. Economic Development

As a County Commissioner, my focus would be to act as a resource and advocate for each local community in the district I served - as each individual community has its own needs, I would look to learn and receive feedback to advocate on behalf of each city for the resources it needs to continue to maintain what its got, and develop towards the direction they're looking to grow. I believe that bottom-up development and vision is critical to developing regional resiliency, and helping to create a cohesive vision for our region. The systems listed above are critical levers for helping to maintain and protect health and well-being, make sure our resources are not being wasted or exploited, and creating a safe and productive environment for our local communities to flourish.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Nobody can be fully prepared for a job they've never had before.

Reading books and theoretical preparation can provide a guideline, but it's only direct experience that can develop and deepen a skill-set.

In this race, I believe that my unrelated experience is my greatest boon - I haven't had time to develop bad political habits, or deepen relationships with the special interests that have come to dominate many of the decisions that are holding our community back.

While executive government positions require on-the-spot decision making and judgment skills, a county commissioner is a representative - where the greatest asset is being engaged with the community you represent, so their needs can be brought to the table and advocated for.

I've knocked on thousands of doors in our region, visited thousands of homes through my work at a regional non-profit, and been thoroughly engaged in community efforts to develop a cohesive vision for the future of our waterfront region. My experience with the community is of a great benefit in this position, more so than having sat in the seat for a long time.

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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