State Sen. Ed McBroom and state Reps. Greg Markkanen and Karl Bohnak on Tuesday all withdrew their endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman of Watersmeet, who seeks a sixth term in Michigan’s First Congressional District, after he came out Feb. 10 for Beau LaFave of Iron Mountain.

In a news release, McBroom said Bergman had promised not to endorse a candidate for the 38th District state Senate seat, which McBroom now holds but cannot run for again due to term limits.

McBroom, Markkanen of Hancock and Bohnak of Deerton in October supported state Rep. Dave Prestin’s candidacy for 38th Senate. Prestin, of Cedar River, was elected to the 108th District — which now includes the counties of Delta, Menominee, Schoolcraft and Luce, as well as parts of Chippewa and Mackinac — in November 2022. It formerly was LaFave’s district from 2017 to 2022 before boundary shifts divided Dickinson County into 109th and 110th districts.

LaFave was forced out in 2022 due to term limits after six years in office.

ED McBROOM

“I wish I could say I’m surprised that he (Bergman) lied to me or that this is out of character for my time working with Jack, but it’s not,” McBroom, of Waucedah Township, said in the news release. “I’ve seen him be disloyal to local party members, interfere in races outside his district, stab fellow Republicans in the back, and even publicly attack me. Those were internal party matters. This time is different. This time, he straight up lied to me. Now he’s siding against the clear, best option for the U.P. I will not stand by silently while he undermines the work we have done for the U.P.”

In a response Wednesday, Bergman’s communications director, James Hogge, said: “I want to make it crystal clear — and you can quote me on this — Ed McBroom is straight up lying that the Congressman promised him he wouldn’t endorse in that race. That’s a total fabrication made up by Ed so he could finally stop hiding behind his facade of being supportive of the General and run for Congress himself.”

In an interview Wednesday, McBroom scoffed at the notion he was eyeing a bid for the U.S. House seat, saying he will stick by a promise he made to not run against Bergman.

McBroom added in the news release, “Even more disturbing is that Beau just hired Jack’s chief-of-staff’s consulting services. Jack has a clear history of automatically endorsing Tony’s clients, helping his own employee’s personal business. Regardless, I will not be voting for Jack again. He said he wanted our endorsements last summer, but it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t want them now.”

The news release went on to claim Bergman originally was recruited by downstate Republicans to challenge a lifelong U.P. resident, the now-late Tom Casperson, in the 2016 congressional race. “At the time, Bergman was largely unknown across the region and lived much of the time in Louisiana,” it added.

DAVE PRESTIN

Markkanen said in the release, “For years, Congressman Bergman has been criticized for being absent from the U.P. This only reinforces that concern. He never contacted any of us to understand why we chose to endorse Rep. Dave Prestin. That decision was made carefully by us who live here and have worked with both candidates for years. Dave has the experience, commitment, and understanding the U.P. needs right now. He has worked as a first responder, owned a small business, and served on community boards across the region while raising his daughter with his wife of more than 25 years. Building a community while raising a family is no small task. Dave knows what real life is like up here.”

LaFave, in turn, on Tuesday accused his fellow Republicans of “backstabbing” in the race.

“In my recommendation letter for law school, Sen. Ed McBroom said I have an uncanny ability to predict the future six months before anyone else he knows. So his backstabbing both me and the Congressman today came as no surprise,” LaFave said in an email to The Daily News.

“I gave 12-plus years of my young adult life supporting Ed McBroom and the U.P. legislative team in Lansing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough for them.”

LaFave went on to claim Markkanen fired him from his office for not endorsing Prestin, who he faulted for pleading guilty in 1993 in DuPage County, Ill., to domestic battery with his former fiancee who he later married and then divorced.

GREG MARKKANEN

McBroom, in an interview, called that false, saying employees in the Michigan House or Senate who declare for office are required to step away from their job.

LaFave concluded his statement with, “The choice between my opponent and I has never been more clear. While Lansing’s favorite politicians want to play games that no one cares about, my campaign remains fully committed to fighting for the U.P., not the Lansing donors fueling my opponent’s campaign.”

Hogge, Bergman’s aide, provided this response from the congressman Wednesday:

“I’m disappointed — but not surprised — that several Upper Peninsula legislators have withdrawn their endorsement from our Pro-Trump, America First campaign.

“Their reason? I refused to support Ed McBroom and Greg Markkanen’s hand-picked Senate candidate, Dave Prestin, who pled guilty to domestic violence.

KARL BOHNAK

“I won’t back down from putting principle over party pressure. True America First Republicans stand for integrity, accountability, and putting the people first.

“Today, I’m asking you to stand tall with me and join in supporting my friend Beau LaFave as our next state Senator for the 38th District.”

Hogge added, “It’s sad that this group will come together for a meaningless press release but not to support one of their own they used to employ and champion — simply because they cannot control him.

“Lame duck Ed McBroom has been in office since 2011. While Ed raised gas taxes, did nothing on electricity rates, and fought against President Trump — he wants to blame the problems the U.P. faces on General Bergman winning a primary in 2016 against the candidate Ed supported.

“Beau LaFave, Jack Bergman, and Donald Trump all won their primaries in 2016 with these same establishment Lansing hacks working against them — and with the President’s full support — we look forward to winning again and beating the do-nothing establishment hacks.”

Prestin in Tuesday’s news release said he was “deeply grateful” for the support of McBroom and the other U.P. legislators.

“Unity is essential to the Upper Peninsula’s survival and our ability to push back against forces in Lansing and Washington that don’t understand our way of life. I never sought Congressman Bergman’s endorsement. I want the support of people who live here, work here, and know what’s happening in the U.P. For me, this race is about peninsula over party.”

McBroom said in an interview he was surprised by the tone taken in the dispute — Bergman’s and Hogge’s statements both referred to Prestin as a “wife-beater” — and other comments made over the weekend on social media and at the UP200 dog sled races in Marquette.

“It’s just beneath the dignity of Jack’s office that he’s allowing his people to do all this,” McBroom said, adding, “We were all friends, we were all working together for the U.P.”

Said McBroom, “If Jack thinks so little of us, then he shouldn’t mind us retracting our endorsement.”

Along with Prestin and LaFave, declared candidates for the 38th state Senate seat include Kelli van Ginhoven, a Democrat from Escanaba who is on the Delta County Board; and Chris Mapps of Quinnesec, also running as a Democrat.

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Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85240, or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.