Callie Barr (L) and Bob Lorinser (R) | Photos courtesy of
This coverage is made possible by a partnership between IPR and Grista non-profit environmental media organization.
Michigan’s 1st Congressional District is the state’s largest, covering the Upper Peninsula and much of the northern Lower Peninsula. It has been Republican since 2010. Two years ago U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) won by almost 60% of the votes.
This year, two Democrats are vying for the nomination to challenge him in the fall: Doctor Bob Lorinser and political newcomer Callie Barr.
Lorinser, a Marquette family physician who has worked in the medical field for decades, ran against Bergman two years ago and lost.
Barr is a Traverse City attorney who has worked as a high school teacher and as an advocate for military families.
IPR’s Max Copeland spoke with climate reporter Izzy Ross about Lorinser and Barr’s approach to environmental issues.
Here’s a summary of that interview.
How do the candidates distinguish themselves?
Lorinser said his experience and problem-oriented approach would give him an advantage in the race against Bergman.
Lorinser pointed out a difference in their approach to Line 5. He essentially said he would oppose putting the line through the Straits of Mackinac more forcefully than Barr.
““Line 5 doesn’t have to go through the Great Lakes or under the Great Lakes,” he said in an interview with IPR. “That doesn’t mean I’m against oil. Oil is a necessary ingredient right now, because we haven’t moved to a national energy plan without oil. So oil is necessary, that’s for sure. Oil pipelines are necessary, absolutely not.”
When Barr was asked about her position on Line 5 at a Cheboygan County Democratic-hosted candidate forum in late June, she said it was up to the courts to decide the pipeline’s future.
Barr also spoke about renewable energy, saying rural areas should not be left behind in the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy.
“I think we really need to be aware that as we transition to clean energy, which is what we want to do and what the energy experts I’ve spoken to are desperate to do, we need to do it in a way that still secures reliable energy,” she said, “so that people can turn on the lights, turn on the heat, and that the poorest among us don’t have to shoulder the burden of the costs of the transition and that we trust our union leaders and environmentalists and work with them as we do that.”
Lorinser says his experience gives him an edge, but Barr believes she has a better chance of beating Bergman, citing her roots in the region and the support of unions.
“With all due respect, you know, my strategy is not, ‘Elect me because I’ve already lost,'” she said. “I believe so strongly that Jack Bergman has never met anyone who was born and raised in this district and is well-funded. That’s so important. You know, we’ve worked so hard in this district to build a coalition, and what that means is getting the support of working people in this district.”
Is climate change a major concern for any of them?
When the candidates were asked directly about climate policy during the forum in Cheboygan, Barr pointed to its impact on agriculture. She also talked about clean energy as a solution.
But Barr has focused more on issues like support for veterans and military families. Climate and the environment seem lower on her list of priorities. On her campaign website, for example, she has a short rack She broadly supports protecting the environment around the Great Lakes, but she does not identify specific positions or policies.
Lorinser has spoken about the need for a national energy plan. And on his website he has a longer list of his positions on climate, energy and the environment, such as achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and supporting carbon taxes. (He tends to have longer posts on his site, while Barr’s tend to be shorter.)
Lorinser also focuses heavily on health care. He is an outspoken advocate of universal coverage and often talks about the importance of Medicare for All.
Whoever gets the nomination — Lorinser or Barr — it’s likely not going to be an easy race: The district hasn’t elected a Democrat for president since 2008.
