Bart Goldberg

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Bart Goldberg

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Chicago, 1981

Law

University of Chicago, 1985

Personal

Birthplace

Louisville, Ky.

Profession

Lawyer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Bart Goldberg (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Michigan's 5th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Goldberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Goldberg was a 2014 Democratic candidate for District 40 of the Illinois House of Representatives. He withdrew from the race on January 13, 2014.

Biography

Bart Goldberg was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He earned a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago in 1981 and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985. Goldberg started his own law firm which focuses on real estate, estate planning, and small business legal matters.

Elections

2022

See also: Michigan's 5th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Michigan District 5

Incumbent Tim Walberg defeated Bart Goldberg, Norman Peterson, and Ezra Scott in the general election for U.S. House Michigan District 5 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim Walberg (R)	62.4	198,020
		Bart Goldberg (D)	35.0	110,946
	Submit photo	Norman Peterson (L)	1.6	5,129
		Ezra Scott (U.S. Taxpayers Party)	1.0	3,162

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 317,257
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Ethan Hobson (U.S. Taxpayers Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 5

Bart Goldberg advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Michigan District 5 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bart Goldberg	100.0	39,971

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 39,971
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 5

Incumbent Tim Walberg defeated Sherry O'Donnell, Elizabeth Ferszt, and Bryan Trouten in the Republican primary for U.S. House Michigan District 5 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tim Walberg	67.1	67,582
		Sherry O'Donnell	32.7	32,886
		Elizabeth Ferszt (Write-in)	0.1	66
		Bryan Trouten (Write-in)	0.0	31
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	97

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 100,662
= 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 5

Norman Peterson advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Michigan District 5 on July 10, 2022.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Norman Peterson (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.

U.S. Taxpayers Party convention

U.S. Taxpayers Party convention for U.S. House Michigan District 5

Ezra Scott advanced from the U.S. Taxpayers Party convention for U.S. House Michigan District 5 on July 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Ezra Scott (U.S. Taxpayers Party)

---

	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.

2018

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Illinois State Senate District 20

Incumbent Iris Martinez won election in the general election for Illinois State Senate District 20 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Iris Martinez (D)	100.0	55,151

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 55,151
= 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 Illinois State Senate District 20

Incumbent Iris Martinez defeated Bart Goldberg in the Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate District 20 on March 20, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Iris Martinez	73.4	19,414
		Bart Goldberg	26.6	7,050

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 26,464
= 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.

2014

See also: Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Illinois House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 18, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 2, 2013. Incumbent Jaime Andrade defeated Nancy Schiavone, Aaron Goldstein, Mark Pasieka and Wendy Jo Harmston in the Democratic primary. Andrade was unchallenged in the general election. Melanie "Mel" Ferrand (D) was removed from the ballot on January 7, 2014, and Bart Goldberg (D) withdrew from the race on January 13, 2014.

Illinois House of Representatives, District 40 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jaime Andrade Incumbent	50.3%	2,917
Nancy Schiavone	27.3%	1,585
Aaron Goldstein	10.6%	617
Wendy Jo Harmston	6.5%	376
Mark Pasieka	5.2%	303
Total Votes		5,798

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bart Goldberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Goldberg'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.

My name is Bart Goldberg and I'm running for Congress in Michigan's 5th District. My wife and I discovered South Michigan about six years ago—we believe it’s paradise on earth—and decided then to make it a second home. We loved it so much that we sold our Chicago home and have permanently relocated in New Buffalo. I received my B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1981, and then earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985. Unlike many of my fellow graduates at the time, I chose not to pursue a career serving large corporations. Instead, I started my own practice to meet the needs of local residents and small businesses. My clients were real people, a varied group that hail from all walks of life. The common denominator is that they had a problem and they needed an affordable advisor that is deserving of their trust. I believe that my years of experience and problem-solving skills are exactly what a congressman needs to become an effective legislator, as well as an effective advocate for us all in Washington D.C.

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?

• For our country to survive and prosper, we must stop the shouting and the fear. Let’s embrace what we have in common. We all love this country and want it to prosper and serve as the leader of the free world. Let’s concentrate on building our country back up instead of tearing it down.
• The story of our American Democracy is a unique one. Never in the history of the world has such a government survived for as long as ours has, and its continued survival is far from guaranteed. It’s not the constitution that has kept us together, as wonderful as that document certainly is. The grease that has kept our nation functioning—even in the midst of the strongest disputes—is that we never doubted that those on the other side were also “good” people who had the best interests of the country at heart. We are all Americans.
• This is why my highest priority when serving in Congress will be to help bridge the terrible divide in this country. If we don’t, the great American Experiment is at risk. I know that the people of Southern Michigan that are Republican are “good” people, and I will work by example so that they will understand that I am as well. I will be accessible to everyone and work to establish personal and political trust with the entire district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

For our country to survive and prosper, we must stop the shouting and the fear. Let’s embrace what we have in common. We all love this country and want it to prosper and serve as the leader of the free world. Let’s concentrate on building our country back up instead of tearing it down.

Our country loses so much as a result of partisan squabbles. After all, the vast majority of the legislation in Congress is meant to benefit all of us.

Democrats and Republicans alike want infrastructure improvements, fair progressive taxation, clean water and environment, care for the elderly, and sensible regulations that are not burdensome on business.

Let’s work together to accomplish these goals.

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.

Campaign website

Goldberg's campaign website stated the following:

“	“Keeping people employed and gas prices low are my priorities, not yelling at the other side.” - Bart As your next Congressman, Bart will focus on good jobs that put money in people's pockets. Good Jobs, strong communities We need an economy that enables people to take care of themselves and their families, one that strengthens our communities rather than sucking the life out of them. Bart understands this, so his top economic priorities are: Getting inflation under control, quickly, by breaking supply chain bottlenecks, fighting price gouging by giant corporations and bringing gas prices under control Fighting for workers and families by raising the minimum wage, continuing the Child Tax Credit and ensuring the right to form and join unions Supporting local businesses by changing tax and investment policies that give giant corporations an unfair advantage Supporting recent steps by the FTC and Justice Department to fight corporate monopolies that hurt consumers, small businesses and the economy Leveling the playing field for everyday people We should be strengthening rights, not taking them away, making it easier for individuals and families to make their own decisions, not harder. The Dobbs decision overturning Roe v Wade was an affront to the autonomy of women, who should be able to access the health care that’s right for them. At the state level, Bart is in full support of the proposed constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November that will guarantee in our state constitution the legal right for women to have control over their reproductive rights. Once in Congress, Bart will support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify Roe v. Wade. Nothing is more basic to a democracy than the right of citizens to choose their leaders, so I support expanding access to voting for all US citizens, fighting the ridiculous restrictions my opponent supports. Discrimination of any kind is un-American. I support strengthening laws that protect people’s basic rights in housing, education and the workplace, including for LGBTQ people. Prioritizing Farmers and Michigan Agriculture Michigan produces more than 300 commodities, making us the second most diverse agricultural state in the nation, just behind California. It’s a treat every summer to pick and enjoy Michigan blueberries, some of the best in the world. Yet Michigan’s farmers struggle mightily, with steep increases in the costs of fertilizer, seeds, labor and most other inputs, alongside stagnant prices for their products. Farmer bankruptcies across the nation are at a 30-year high. Today, Michigan does not have representation on the Agriculture Committee in the US Congress and Bart will make it a priority to serve on this critically important Committee so he can help draft the 2023 Farm Bill. In that role, and as a congressman, he’ll work with farmers to: Make long-overdue modifications to the H-2A visa program to help our farmers obtain labor Invest in infrastructure that connects farmers to well-paying markets and provides essential processing capacity for meats, dairy, and produce Support and incentivize time-tested farming practices that build healthy soil and reduce carbon in the atmosphere Standing up for seniors We need to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. These programs are vital, and Bart will fight any attempt to cut funding, reduce benefits or further privatize them. To sustain and strengthen these essential programs, Bart will: Fight to eliminate the Social Security Payroll cap to fully fund the program for years to come. At present, a hedge fund manager or a corporate CEO earning $50 million a year pays nothing – not a cent – into the Social Security Trust fund on $49,853,000 of their income because of this cap, while most of us pay 6.2% on every dollar of our income. Build on the recently passed bill to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, protecting this long-overdue legislation while fighting to change patent laws that allow corporations to delay generic drugs to maintain sky-high profits Honoring our veterans with actions, not just talk We are forever indebted to veterans for the risks they took in serving us all. We must honor and support them with better medical and mental health care and protection of benefits. Specifically, Bart will: Continue efforts to reduce bureaucracy and streamline the review process at the VA, to dramatically shrink the wait time and rejection rates veterans often face Bart supports the Veterans Choice Act, which has given more flexibility to veterans in choosing their medical providers. However, he opposes efforts to further privatize the Veterans Health Administration, which already provides better quality health care at lower cost to veterans. Far more must be done to prevent suicide among veterans which is intolerably high, including increased funding for veterans’ mental health care, as well as support for veterans’ housing and employment Protecting clean water and our shoreline. We must protect both our drinking water and our lakes — Michigan’s most valuable asset. “Pure Michigan” shouldn’t be just a marketing slogan. The 5th District is surrounded on both sides by two Great lakes and has hundreds of lakes in between. These waters are not just for boats and water ski’s – they provide good jobs to Southern Michigan and play an important part in sustaining our farmland. The Flint drinking water disaster/situation was inexcusable and can never happen again. We know that you can’t talk about clean water without talking about the threat posed by PFAS contamination that has found its way into hundreds of sites in Michigan due to industrial contamination. I will work with Congress to ensure current and pending PFAS related bills continue to get the attention they deserve. Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals America’s health care system is the most advanced and sophisticated in the world. People travel to the US for treatments unavailable anywhere else. Nevertheless, our system is broken for millions of Americans including those who must rely on charity for cancer treatment, or seniors forced to forgo prescriptions because they are too costly. Overall, our healthcare system costs far too much and delivers too little, especially to those with limited resources. In Congress, Bart will work to find common-sense solutions to bring down the costs of healthcare, lower prescription drug prices, and increase access to care for rural communities and others left behind. Specifically, Bart will work to: Expanding Medicare by lowering the eligibility age to 60 and allowing people to buy into the program at 50 Build on the recently passed bill to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, protecting this long-overdue legislation while fighting to change patent laws that allow corporations to delay generic drugs to maintain sky-high profits Work with Rural hospital leaders to stabilize and then expand rural hospitals and clinics Educating the next generation of leaders. Teachers, support personnel, and administrators are an important part of our children’s education, and we should support them in and out of the school building. Strong neighborhood schools are the backbone of our communities, and that’s why Bart will encourage investments in K-12, as well as post-secondary education like college or trade school. Bart supports: Increased state and federal funding of under-supported schools in rural areas and some urban communities to ensure that every child has a high-quality education Supporting teachers and schools while also ensuring that parents have a voice in their children’s education. Bart believes this can be done constructively, rather than by pitting parents against teachers Increasing support for community colleges and vocational technical programs, as well as OTJ training and mentorship programs to create strong career paths for people who choose not to go to a four-year college Promoting responsible gun ownership. Gun ownership is an important American right, like freedom of speech, religious practice, and assembly. But with all of the rights also comes responsibility, and that includes some limits necessary to protect the rights of others. Bart recognizes that guns can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and so he will work to promote responsible gun ownership, rather than making excuses for inaction. This includes: Universal background checks, supported by the vast majority of people, is a solution we should implement immediately. Raising the age requirement for owning a rifle to 21, just like it already is for handguns. Farm kids and hunters who need a rifle at an earlier age can still have access to rifles purchased by their parents or other family members of age Passage of laws that enable local law enforcement to prevent or remove guns from people who pose a clear threat to others, particularly in cases of domestic violence Energy, efficiency, and conservation Bart supports a comprehensive energy policy that will ensure America’s energy independence while moving us towards clean, renewable, and affordable energy as quickly as possible. He is confident that we don’t have to choose between fighting climate change and building a strong economy with reliable energy sources. To that end, Bart will work for: Dramatic increases in energy efficiency, especially in terms of homes and buildings, in order to save families money while reducing our carbon footprint. Increased energy efficiency is truly the ‘low hanging fruit’ of energy independence and clean energy Continued and expanded tax incentives for renewable energy, both for consumers and households as well as for American manufacturers of solar, wind, and other renewable technologies Substantial investment in economic transition for worker and communities undergoing shifts away from coal, oil, and other fossil fuels. These workers truly powered America’s growth for two centuries. Instead of abandoning them, we must help them use and update their skills for new economic opportunities	”
—Bart Goldberg's campaign website (2022)

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Candidate

U.S. House Michigan District 5

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Footnotes

[show]

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)