U.S. Congressman Vern Ehlers Announces His Retirement from Michigan's 3rd District

Vernon "Vern" Ehlers has served as a Republican member of the United State House of Representatives for almost 17 years, taking office in 1993. He never faced significant opposition, and would have surely won the seat again in 2010. Nevertheless he has announced he will not be seeking re-election and at the age of 76 will enter the golden years of retirement.

Representing the 3^rd district of Michigan, he was a fitting politician; a moderate conservative in the right-leaning western side of the state. In the mold of Gerald Ford, who once held the seat, he championed a mix of moderately conservative policy and, more importantly, policy aimed at benefiting his constituents.

Ever focused on education, Congressman Ehlers headed a major statement by the Science and Technology Committee in 1998. He currently sits on the STEM Ed Caucus, which focuses its efforts on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. One of his more recent conservative initiatives was his co-sponsoring of the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act and the Internet Gambling Protection Act. Both acts were written to curb, what he saw as, a growing problem with online gambling in the United States.

His efforts for the state of Michigan will surely be enjoyed by generations to come. Having a seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he was able to bring more money to Michigan's roads and other infrastructure. Reaching across the aisle, he led the formulation of the Great Lakes Legacy Act which brought over $270 million to clean sediments in the Great Lakes.

Most recently, Congressman Ehlers has worked tirelessly to assist the few remaining Michigan manufacturers in retaining and creating jobs for Michigan residents. He has also continued to work to improve education in Michigan and across the country. Again, reaching across the aisle, Congressman Ehlers has recently worked to bring legislation to the House Floor aimed at keeping the Great Lakes clean for years to come. Recent efforts that are sure to continue focused on spurring the creation of green jobs and the development of alternative energies.

The dedication of Congressman Ehlers will surely be missed by Michigan's residents and the citizens of the United States as well. His seat will most likely be filled by a Republican. The 3^rd District is typically a conservative one, which was evidenced by consecutive elections void of a Democrat challenger making a serious run since Congressman Ehlers was elected in 1993.

Having held the seat for such a significant period of time, it remains to be seen who will fill it. Republican State Representative Justin Amash is from the Grand Rapids area and has announced his candidacy. Other's mentioned by media outlets are current Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Michigan State Senators Mark Jansen and Bill Hardiman, all Republicans.

While the next United State Representative from the 3^rd district of Michigan will surely have big shoes to fill, Congressman Ehler's constituents can expect a Republican candidate to win the seat and do their best to continue the bipartisan efforts they have become so used to.