Jennifer Wortz is a mother and teacher. Courtesy | Jennifer Wortz

Jennifer Wortz, a mother, teacher, and former Quincy school board member, is launching her campaign for state representative.

“I hope to be a driving force in legislative change on more educational freedom,” she said. 

Wortz announced her campaign for District 35 state representative in December. The district contains Branch and Hillsdale counties and part of Lenawee County.

Wortz is running as a Republican and so far faces two opponents in the primary: City of Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford and Branch County Commissioner Tom Matthew. No Democrats have yet filed to run for the position, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office. 

Current state Rep. Andrew Fink, R-Hillsdale, announced his campaign for Michigan Supreme Court justice in September. 

The primary will take place Aug. 6 and the general election will take place Nov. 5, Hillsdale County Chief Deputy Clerk Abe Dane previously said. 

Wortz said she is planning to hold her official campaign kickoff event Feb. 11 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Creal Soccer Complex in Coldwater.

If elected, Wortz said she hopes to advance accountability, constitutional rights, the role of the family, and educational freedom. 

Wortz is currently Branch County Conservation District Manager and vice chair of the Branch County Republican Party, she said. She also works at Central Grace Farm. She graduated from Waldron Area Schools in 1997, graduated from Michigan State University in 2000, then moved to Branch County.

The mother of four – recently turned grandmother – has served as a public school teacher, homeschool instructor, and classical education tutor, according to LinkedIn. She served on the Quincy Community Schools Board of Education for two years starting in 2017. 

“I believe these experiences make me the best candidate for 2024,” Wortz said.

People began asking Wortz about running for state representative last summer, but she initially turned down the idea, she wrote in a letter to supporters. After attending the Michigan March for Life, however, she changed her mind. 

“After much prayer, talking things over with my family and a couple other state reps [sic] who are moms, I said yes,” Wortz wrote. “I am running for the 35th Michigan House seat because moral truth matters. Constitutional freedoms matter. My goals are simple and true to what I have been taught by Godly parents, the word of God, and the Constitution.” 

Wortz is using the acronym “TIME” to describe her platform. Wortz said she hopes to promote “truth and accountability,” “individual constitutional rights,” “marriage and motherhood,” and “education freedom.”

She also said her time at Central Grace Farms has inspired her to protect land rights and take back local zoning control from the state.

Wortz started Branch County Moms for Liberty in 2021 and served as chair for two years. During this time, the group sued the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency for its COVID-19 quarantine orders against students. Wortz said a federal court dismissed the case in April 2022 because the state legislature passed a law that could pull funding from agencies issuing such orders.

“By the time the case reached the judge the legal standing was no longer there,” Wortz said.

Stockford, who lost to Fink in the 2020 state representative primary, previously said his campaign is well-organized and ready to face opponents. He said he does not know much about Wortz, but welcomed her to the race.

“Seems like a nice enough lady,” Stockford said. “The more the merrier.”

Matthew said he is glad voters have different candidates to choose from. But Matthew, who sits on the board of the BHSJ Community Health Agency, said his experience in leadership roles gives him an advantage.

“The candidate must have the knowledge and ability to work with everyone to make it possible for our district to be the best while at the legislature in Lansing. My passion is for our community to strive, be safe and healthy,” Matthew said. “The diversified knowledge I have gained over the last four-plus years as a county commissioner is a huge asset.”

Wortz said her main priority is to focus not on her opponents, but on advancing legislation she considers important.

“I don’t really have an opinion about either of them,” Wortz said. “Based on the attacks that women and children are facing right now, we need more moms in Lansing working for legislation that defends parents’ rights and protects children.”