Connie Saltonstall has enough political experience to know that running against a nine-term incumbent looks crazy.
The long-time Charlevoix resident lost a Michigan House race in 2008. She has served on the Chalevoix County Commission and Charlevoix Schools Board of Education. But she really hadn't thought about running for office until 1st District Congressman Bart Stupak stalled the passage of national health care reform legislation.
Stupak, a Democrat, veers from the party platform on issues like gun control and abortion. He offered an amendment to the recently enacted Affordable Health Care for America Act that would have required anyone who wanted to purchase private insurance through the federal exchange to pay separately for abortion coverage. A staunch abortion opponent, Stupak aimed to prevent any federal funds from being used for performing abortions.
"I went to his fundraising dinner last fall," Saltonstall recalled. "He did a Powerpoint and said he would be submitting the amendment, but he would support health care."
Saltonstall noted that the Hyde Amendment, passed more than 30 years ago, prohibits spending federal funds on abortion, with very few exceptions. She realized Stupak's language would have prevented women from using their own money to purchase insurance that included abortion coverage from private companies in the proposed federal exchange.
"That is a serious restriction on women’s healthcare rights for a legal medical procedure, that went beyond federal funding for abortion," she said.
Saltonstall wrote a letter to the editor, which prompted a call from Stupak. He told her he was disappointed. In fact, Stupak had endorsed Saltonstall's 2008 state legislative campaign. But as the debate dragged on, and Stupak announced he would vote down health care reform that did not include his amendment, Saltonstall had enough.
"I finally made the decision because of choice," said Saltonstall, a Democrat and long-time proponent of reproductive choice. "I couldn't have lived with myself if he went unchallenged."
Support far and near
In the span of just the past few weeks, news of her candidacy has spread across the country. Her campaign has been endorsed by the National Organziation for Women, Blue America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC. Saltonstall said she feels "very honored" those groups thought enough of her candidacy to endorse it. The local response has been equally enthusiastic.
"I'm surprised at the amount of support I have gotten so immediately, and especially from the Upper Peninsula," Saltonstall said, adding she had read that the U.P. was solid "Bart Stupak territory".
Saltonstall said she speaks honestly and freely, even when it ruffles feathers. As a member of the Charlevoix County Commission on Aging, she learned the Commission had a budget surplus, but clients were being told funds weren't available for services. She spoke out, and the organization now has a new executive director and more money is spent on services. Saltonstall was not reappointed, but that didn't matter as much as seeing changes made, she said.
Gifts from her children
Her outspokenness and thick skin come from having walked through some very dark days.
"My youngest son committed suicide at 23," she said, evenly. "He had been struggling with bipolar disorder a long time. I've already gone through the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone. It gives me a sense of freedom and courage."
Her older son was born with rare birth defects, and doctors did not know what his prognosis would be. Today, he is a healthy adult with a two-year-old son and a love for skiing.
"That gift was the gift of not postponing things," Saltonstall said. "He had some very difficult medical experiences... Those experiences enabled him to take other steps."
Saltonstall said having opportunities to meet many different people has exposed her to a variety of ideas. In fact, she wasn't always a Democrat.
"I was in a Republican business club in San Diego... and I saw what was happening to the Republican party. At the time, I would have called myself a Milliken Republican," she said.
She watched as the party began to move farther and farther to the right. "After realizing we couldn't moderate it, I became a Democrat, because I thought the direction they were going was dangerous for our country."
Saltonstall said she is more aligned with the Democratic platform than Stupak; in addition to the abortion issue, he gets a 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association. She noted that Stupak cast a "no" vote on the Great Lakes Compact, an interstate water agreement, over concerns the bill didn't go far enough. The eight-state agreement was designed to prevent large scale diversions from the Great Lakes, one of the world's largest sources of fresh water. It became law in 2008, after being approved by the state legislatures and Congress.
In late 2009, Stupak told CircleofBlue.org, "My concerns remain that the Great Lakes Compact is not strong enough to protect against water diversions through privatization, commercialization and exportation.”
"He said there was a problem with the bill, but you still have to start someplace. To have it defeated because it wasn't exactly the way he wanted it was not right," Saltonstall said.
Top priority: jobs
Despite the fact that choice got her into the race, Saltonstall's top priority is Michigan jobs. She hopes the state will pursue more "green" jobs and move into a "green" economy, not just to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.
"The environment is important, because one of Michigan's primary industries is tourism," she said. "I hope we can focus on recruiting green companies and helping them."
As her campaign gears up, Saltonstall plans to speak openly and honestly about her beliefs, to as many people as she can in her sprawling, 600-mile-long district. Because large pro-life groups have withdrawn their support of Stupak, and Republicans face critical state-wide races, she anticipates few party-crossing ballots in the August primary. And she remains confident about her chances, even against very long odds.
"Someone said to me earlier this week that incumbents beat themselves. For me to run against a nine-term incumbent could be qualified as crazy, but he has created that opportunity."
--by Joni Hubred-Golden
This article launches our "Politics" section, devoted to more in-depth coverage of Michigan women in politics. For informational releases provided by campaigns, see our "Michigan Women Running".
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