Tom Graham
Tom Graham (Republican Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 61. He lost in the Republican primary on August 4, 2020.
Graham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Tom Graham was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. His professional experience includes working as an information technology (IT) systems analyst, as an IT systems development manager, and as a full stack programmer. He founded and is a community organizer of the Oshtemo Residents Association and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He is also involved in the Convention of States.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 61
Christine Morse defeated Bronwyn Haltom in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 61 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Christine Morse (D)  | 54.1 | 31,888 |
 | Bronwyn Haltom (R) | 45.9 | 27,088 | |
| Total votes: 58,976 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 61
Christine Morse advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 61 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Christine Morse | 100.0 | 13,380 |
| Total votes: 13,380 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 61
Bronwyn Haltom defeated Tom Graham in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 61 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bronwyn Haltom | 65.5 | 6,634 |
 | Tom Graham | 34.5 | 3,501 | |
| Total votes: 10,135 | |||
| = 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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Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 2, 2020 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tom Graham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Graham's responses.
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I was raised in Augusta, Michigan and went to Kalamazoo county public schools. I'm a self made person. I started my first business at 13 as a paper boy. I purchased my first computer at 14 and taught myself how to program. At 16, I took a job making software for Court Administrators. Since then I've been an independent consultant or employee in several highly regulated industries including pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. For the last 12 years, I've been the IT Systems Development Manager at a hazardous waste disposal company.||On the side, I've raised and boarded horses, published children's books, and ran a graphic design firm, as well as being a Cub Scout Den leader. I lost my wife Kim to cancer in 2004 after an 8 year battle.||In 2008, I met and married my wife Tammy who's father was also a Fisher Body UAW member and whose mother immigrated to the US and became a naturalized citizen. Tammy has owned and operated a successful real estate business since 2012. Together we have 5 children, 2 Son-in-laws, 2 grandchildren, and are very proud of all their accomplishments and careers.||I currently serve on the Michigan Republican US House District 6 Executive Committee.||I've actively supported the Convention of States Project to bring the power of the people back to Michigan and limit the power of the Federal government.||I've lived a full life, overcome struggles, experienced tragedies and want to use my experience to represent Kalamazoo residents.
- Technology - We need to use it to make holding our government accountable as easy as finding a movie on Netflix.
- Education - The State of Michigan must continue making Career Technology Education (CTE) a priority to fill 545,000 jobs by 2026, mostly in the fields of construction, manufacturing, healthcare, automotive and information technology.
- Growth - The Greatest Force for Change is a Job! Michigan needs to continue supporting economic development though good infrastructure, developing highly skilled talent and keeping low property, sales and income taxes.
I am also very passionate about holding governments accountable from the national level all the way down to the local level. I acted as a community organizer to get the Oshtemo Residents Association started to hold the township accountable for some mistakes they made with the sewer project.
Recently I was watching a black and white movie about the revolutionary war and Patrick Henry gave his "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" speech. Although the last line is indeed stirring, I found the preface much more intriguing.
"No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve."
They must be a diplomat among their own constituents, find what is tolerable to most and then fight for that in the legislature.
A representative is not an expert in everything and must rely on the advice of experts but must educate themselves so as not to blindly rely on that advice.
A representative should have generally the same life experiences as the people they are representing.
A representative must understand that businesses create jobs for people and people are consumers. Preferring consumers over business or vice versa is not sustainable. A tolerable balance must always be achieved.
Education of our children is the most critical task of the state. If we have a meritocracy then it is our duty to start every new adult at a minimum starting line of education. Our businesses need talented people to thrive, if our children thrive our businesses will thrive and our state will thrive.
Farmers need unskilled labor and most of that is in the form of seasonal migrant workers, we need to get beyond the national politics and connect this labor with farms.
I will be successful because I can weed through regulations and statutes, identify what is causing problems and work with those stake holders on solutions.
It's just silly entertainment and serves its purpose well
The Michigan House Representative allows the maximum number of citizens from all over the state to participate, with shorter terms and shorter term limits. If a representative finds they cannot do the job, they can simply choose to not run again.
As long as new legislators have an orientation on expectations and procedures, it could be better or worse to have someone with local government experience, especially if they are used to being a big fish in a little pond.
First off, the ability of our Governor to issue an infinite number of emergency declarations that force people to not work indefinitely is cause for pause. This is dictatorial power that is unchecked by the legislature that was never the intent of the Emergency Powers Acts.
To compound problems. our Governor has unilaterally decided to borrow $3.5 billion on roads without regard to how the State will pay that money back.
The legislature will need to reconsider the powers it has given the Governor.
- 2 - Communications and Technology
- 3 - Elections and Ethics
- 4 - Local Government and Municipal Finance
- 5 - Ways and Means
In one home affected there lives an elderly woman taking care of her husband who has alzheimer's disease and can barely afford their current budget. The new required sewer connection fee would literally force them to sell their home. The township refused to grant them a medical exemption, instead are forcing them to accept a loan they cannot afford to pay back or have fines and penalties accrue. This was unconscionable.
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
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 2, 2020
