Will a Democrat represent Hillsdale? Pam Byrnes thinks so.
In July, Byrnes announced her campaign to unseat Tim Walberg, the current representative for Michigan’s seventh congressional district, which includes Hillsdale County. At a meet-and-greet held in Checker Records in Hillsdale on Sunday afternoon, she made her case to a group of local voters.
“I’m very, very concerned about the gridlock going in Washington, which the current representative epitomizes,” she said. “I want to move the agenda forward through common sense consensus building.”
Byrnes, an Ohio native, longtime family lawyer, and former Michigan state legislator, said she would bring many talents to the Congressional representative job.
“As a practicing attorney in family law, I’m very familiar with families going through crises. I was a single parent for a long time,” she said. “I’m about moving things forward, working together, and solving problems.”
She does not, however, expect to have a primary, but she will face the Republican incumbent, Tim Walberg, who has held the seat since 2011.
Byrnes remains confident that she can win the seventh district, which she describes as a “swing district,” if she can get her message out to voters.
“We’ve got to get to know the district. Right now, people don’t know who I am. When I first ran for state representative in Washtenaw County, the numbers were very similar to this,” she said. “I think my approach to being common sense and problem solving appeals to a lot of independent voters, particularly to independent women.”
Byrnes intends to focus on agriculture and infrastructure, but won’t completely shy away from more controversial topics.
“I consider repeal of Obamacare a waste of time. The legislation has problems, but it requires adjustment, not throwing everything out and starting from scratch,” she said.
Though Byrnes prefers to leave social issues alone, she will defend her liberal position on them.
“I won’t vote for anything limiting a woman’s right to choose, or anything not enforcing the Supreme Court’s decision on DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act].”
Byrnes tempers these stances knowing that she is attempting a difficult feat, unseating an incumbent, but she remains confident in her chances.
“There is that disadvantage, I realize that. But I’m hoping to get my message out to people that I could be a better representative for this district, that I really reflect the majority of the people in district,” she said. “By the statistics, this is a swing seat. On the national level, people realize this is a swing seat, and I’ve had conversations with people in Washington that, even though I have an incumbent, they’re going to pay attention to what I’m doing.”
Liz Webb, communications chairman of the Hillsdale County Democratic Party, said victory is possible.
“She’s running for the position [Mark] Schauer had. Seven thousand people in Hillsdale County voted for Obama. If we could get those people to vote for her, that would help.”
Sarah Kuziomko, communications director for Rep. Walberg, said she welcomed the challenge.
“Congressman Walberg is focused on fighting for hardworking taxpayers by moving toward a balanced budget, repealing Obamacare, expanding American energy production, and holding this Administration accountable for the IRS [Internal Revenue Service] targeting conservative organizations and hiding the truth about Benghazi.”
Byrnes is rearing for a fight, though. She is prepared to defend her platform in a debate against Walberg.
“I don’t shrink much from anything,” she said.