Larson planning State House run

By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer
HANCOCK TOWNSHIP — A Hancock Township man will run for the 110th District state House of Representatives seat.

John Larson is running in the Republican primary race for the seat, which is held by Mike Lahti, D-Hancock. Larson, a social studies teacher at Washington Middle School in Calumet, said he wants to see if he can make a difference.

“I’ve been a schoolteacher for quite a while and I’ve been teaching kids it’s important to be involved, rather than complain all the time,” he said.

Larson said he would focus on bringing jobs to the area, as well as educational issues, such as the wide swings in state foundation money given to districts in different area.

“Some of them are getting $12,000 per student, and up here and in other places in the state, they’re getting $7,000,” he said. “Why that disparity? Are other students worth less? Bringing those kinds of issues to light, I think is important.”

Originally from Grand Rapids, Larson has lived in the Upper Peninsula since 1995. He taught in the Mid-Peninsula School District for two years before coming to Calumet in 1998.

“I think being in the U.P. as a citizen and having to deal with the same thing everybody does — rising gas prices, jobs that seem to go to other places because of high taxes and regulations ... that’s frustrating, and people in the U.P. need the opportunity to have a voice and say this has to change. We’ve got to be competitive as a state.”

In discussing his candidacy with someone, Larson said, the person asked him, “Why do you think you’re qualified?” Larson responded by citing his experience as a teacher and as a Marine Corps reservist in Grand Rapids.

“If somebody’s been willing to serve in the military, they’ve devoted their life to working with kids, and making them better citizens, I think that qualifies me for throwing my hat in the ring,” he said.

Larson has a wife, Shelly, and two children, Alexandrea, 17, and Kylee, 15.

Larson is running unopposed in the Republican primary. In the Democratic contest, Lahti will face off against John Faccin of Crystal Falls.

For more information, go to http://www.johnlarson4rep.com.



Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com