Candidate Profile: Pamela Hornberger, MI State Senate

MACOMB COUNTY — Republican Pamela Hornberger is running for reelection to the Michigan State Senate to represent District 12, which includes portions St. Clair Shores. She will face Michael D. Williams in the Republican primary on Aug. 2.

Hornberger currently represents the state's 32 district, which includes portions of Northern Macomb County.

Here's how she filled out her candidate profile:

Name

Pamela Hornberger

Campaign website

https://www.pamelahornberger.c...

City or town of residence

Chesterfield Twp

Office sought

Michigan State Senate

District, if applicable

MI Senate District #12

Party affiliation

Republican

Education

MS. Ed, Saginaw Valley State University, B.S. Michigan State University, Teacher Certification, Wayne State University

Occupation

State Representative, Former Educator

Family

Daughter, 20

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

54

Previous public office, appointive or elective

State Representative 2016-present, L'Anse Creuse Board of Education Trustee 2010-2016

Why are you seeking this office?

Continue serving the people if S.E. MI and people across our state. Continue advocating for our students, families and small business owners that continue to struggle, be overlooked, dismissed, and marginalized.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I actually secured funding for Macomb County and our surrounding communities, ensuring we are no longer an overlooked donor county.

I worked across the aisle with House and Senate leadership to secured $72 million for transformational water infrastructure projects including the Chapaton Pump Station and 15 Mile Interceptor upgrades. These projects will keep basements from flooding during heavy rains and stop much of the combined sewer overflow from being released into Lake St. Clair. I secured $8 million for Selfridge ANG Base upgrades and expansion, $5 million for Families Against Narcotics, $100K for Rising Stars Academy as well as additional funding for Macomb and St. Clair Counties. My opponent simply voted yes on those and other items, then takes credit for the accomplishments as if he was part of the conversations and negotiations that made them happen. He was not.

I am an instrumental force in MI education. Crafting the “Return to Learn” legislation that got our students back in the classroom in the Fall of 2020, during the pandemic. The legislation allowed local districts to be in control of how students returned to the classroom. Relying on local health department input instead of allowing the Governor and her Department of Health and Human Services to mandate school closures, masks, etc., statewide. The legislation allowed parents and families to have a voice in the decisions made about their student’s education after their students were kept out of the classroom for extended periods of time. In addition, I have consistently been a fierce advocate for students, parents and families and their rights to make decisions about their child’s education. My record as House Education Chair, leading on other legislation, and my voting record proves this.

I have a long record of working on impactful bi-partisan legislation. Most recently, Representative Tate (D-Detroit) and I worked on, and passed, legislation to reopen the Pensol Lewis college of Business and Design in Detroit. The only Historically Black College in MI, the college serves hundreds of students from various backgrounds with a unique, hands-on credentialing education in design and business. I worked with Representatives Hammoud (D-Dearborn) and Whiteford (R-Casco Twp.) to pass legislation to inform patients of their right to opt out of opioid use for pain management in favor of other less addictive pain management when undergoing medical procedures

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

Not challenging an incumbent.

Do you think the federal government can or should do more to curb inflation, which has led to an increase in prices for food, gas and other goods?

Yes

Do you support changing the state’s constitution to ensure that women have to right to get an abortion?

No, I do not support changing the MI Constitution.

Do you support the Raise the Wage ballot initiative, which would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027 and provide cost-of-living increases in later years?

No. I do not believe our legislature should be putting mandates on small businesses. Many local businesses currently have job openings with starting pay at or near $15 or more. Businesses have and will continue to respond to market pay demand. Setting mandates is unnecessary.

Would you support an election initiative to require another audit of the 2020 presidential election, to transfer authority over the audit from the Secretary of State to a newly created auditing panel, and to change how elections are reviewed in the future?

The initiative is unconstitutional and would not change the 2020 election outcome even if it somehow passed. It would not be enforceable.

I have supported numerous election bills that would ensure free and fair elections, including mandatory voter ID, signature verification, removing dead and ineligible voters from the Qualified Voter File, comprehensive training for poll challengers, requiring applicants to attest that they understand it is illegal to attempt to vote more than once in the same election, as well as other measures to secure free and fair elections in MI. All of these are bills had bi-partisan support, yet the Governor vetoed them.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Student and parent's rights in education. MI law provides certain rights to parents/guardians when it comes to their children's education.

MCL "Section 380.10 establishes the role of the parent as a partner in their child's education and ensures a positive educational setting. Section 380.10: It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching, and education of their children."

Parents in MI have never been more tuned in to their children's education. We need to discuss how we improve MI education for students, families, and teachers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a legislator, earning the trust and respect of my caucus to serve as the Speaker Pro Tempore for the 2021-2022 term. The first woman and the first Representative from Macomb County to ever do so. Unanimously elected by all 110 members of our House.

As a representative, working tirelessly to ensure that Macomb County and our surrounding communities are respected, always have a seat at the table, and are no longer "donor communities".

Personally, having a happy, strong, intelligent, extremely capable daughter pursuing her dreams of being a chemical/nuclear engineer.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be honest, work hard, have empathy, and be thankful. Always be thankful.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a pragmatic leader who has worked across the aisle to accomplish many positive, transformational policy and financial wins for the people in our communities and across MI.

I am the proven leader our communities need to continue fighting for us and ensuring our students, families and small businesses are not overlooked by legislators or bureaucrats in Lansing.