61st District Race Shaping Up

From the Kalamazoo Gazette:

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Portage official to run for state House

PORTAGE -- The Portage City Council is nonpartisan, but in the next two weeks it could get a dose of politics.

Councilman Larry DeShazor announced Wednesday that he is running for state representative in the 61st House District, and Councilwoman Margaret O'Brien said she, too, is favoring a run for that seat.

This is DeShazor's second bid for the two-year role. He fell short in the 2006 Republican primary against incumbent state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, R-Texas Township, who is barred by term limits from running again this year.

Hoogendyk is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, in November.

O'Brien, who is a Republican, said she is "leaning toward'' entering the House race. She plans to make an announcement in the next two weeks.

Democrat Julie Rogers, a Kalamazoo Township resident who lost to Hoogendyk by 1 percentage point in the 2006 general election, has announced her candidacy to represent the district. It includes the city of Portage; Alamo, Oshtemo, Texas and Prairie Ronde townships; and western Kalamazoo Township.

DeShazor said in a statement that, as a member of the Portage City Council, he "successfully advocated for job growth and retention, diversifying our economy and increased education funding at all levels.''

DeShazor is a team manager for State Farm Insurance, O'Brien is a Realtor for Re/Max Advantage, and Rogers is a physical therapist for Bronson Methodist Hospital and Borgess Medical Center.