News Photo by Steve Bob’s Bullpen owner Bob LeFevre chats with congressional candidate Justin Michal who visited Alpena on Wednesday.

ALPENA – Justin Michal, R-Grayling, U.S. congressional candidate for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, said if elected to Congress, he will listen to the needs of his constituents and “give you back a voice in Washington D.C.”

Michal grew up in Grayling and is running against incumbent Representative Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, for the 2026 election. Michal served in the U.S. military during wartime and is currently writing his dissertation to earn a Ph.D. in conflict analysis and resolution from Nova Southeastern University.

Michal said that he is committed to listening to the needs of each county in the first district as each district has different challenges to overcome.

“Each county has its own unique identity,” Michal said. “That’s the craziest part about running for congress. What’s important in Kalkaska County is not important in Crawford. It’s not important in Alpena. And in Baraga, it doesn’t even make sense.”

Michal stated that if elected he would support protecting the natural resources that make Michigan unique.

“I grew up as a kid on the water, and to not want to protect that would be stupid,” he said. “Beacuse this is what makes Michigan the most unique state in the country … we have to protect it. There should not be an argument.”

Michal also said that he believes that the government should be held accountable for environmental contamination and pollution, such as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

He said that accountability would be “accepting the fact that they were responsible for the dumping of forever chemicals … on government controlled areas and saying, ‘We’re going to do what it takes to remedy those situations.’ This is a forever chemical.”

Michal said that in regards to supporting veterans, he believes our district needs another Veterans Affairs hospital and a cemetery dedicated to service members.

“We need to have cemeteries for veterans and we need one in the U.P somewhere centrally located,” he said.

Regarding the Trump administration’s controversial immigration policies, Michal said that he agrees that immigration reform is necessary but that the “optics don’t look good.”

He said he would support an approach to immigration that he calls the “Three Ds.”

“We have got to detain and deport with dignity,” Michal said. “People in this country do not want to see people being treated poorly or unfairly. Even if they’re breaking the law. Because we’ve always been raised that there’s due process.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.