LETTER: Support for Dr. Pamela Pugh for State Senate

Dec 10, 2025

From Midland Daily News

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TO THE EDITOR:

My name is Mason Pressler, and last year, at 18 years old, I defeated four other candidates, including two incumbents, to become the youngest person ever elected to the Bay City Public Schools Board of Education.

My decision to run was greatly impacted by the flight of young people from this region, specifically the friends I grew up with who don’t see a future here. Locally, we face a declining and aging population. We are not exempt from the national affordability crisis. Simultaneously, the Democratic Party struggles to form a national identity and stand up to President Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies. These problems are not unsolvable; in fact, they share the same solution. Democrats need to center their message on delivering for working families and opposing the billionaire takeover of our government.

This is why I’m supporting Dr. Pamela Pugh for State Senate. 

Dr. Pugh is the President of the Michigan State Board of Education and was the first Democrat to enter the race for the vacant 35th district. With a Doctor of Public Health, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and a Master of Science, Dr. Pugh got her start as an environmental watchdog at the Saginaw County Health Department, where she successfully lowered the rate of childhood lead poisoning. That work landed her on the short list to navigate the aftermath of the devastating Flint Water Crisis, and in October of 2016, she was appointed to be the City’s Chief Public Health Advisor. Dr. Pugh was not only tasked with dealing with the most egregious example of environmental injustice in recent history but also with navigating the tumultuous political landscape it created. When leaders on both sides of the aisle ignored the problem, she stood up and sounded the alarm, regardless of political fallout.

Dr. Pugh’s work in public health, specifically in defense of children, is what led her to run for the State Board of Education, where she continued her fight for Michigan’s kids. She was first elected in 2014, even as Republicans swept the top of the ticket and expanded their legislative majority. Dr. Pugh not only beat two Republicans but secured the first-place spot, garnering more votes than the Democratic incumbent as well. In her 2022 re-election, she secured over 2 million votes statewide and got more votes in the 35th district than Annette Glenn, the 2022 Republican nominee for this seat. 

With a campaign centered on lowering costs for working families, securing healthcare as a human right, and increasing investment in public schools and infrastructure, Dr. Pugh is a fighter who puts working people first. At a time when Lansing is dominated by lobbyists, wealthy donors, and corporate interests, we need a leader that is unbought and unbossed. Dr. Pugh does not accept campaign contributions from corporations, but she still raised more money than any other Democrat at the last reporting deadline, also sporting the lowest average contribution of the five serious contenders. The most impressive statistic, though, was the 1,280 individual contributions she has amassed since her launch in July, almost triple the amount of every other candidate in the race, combined. No throwing trans kids under the bus, no thanking I.C.E., no condemning the social programs so many Michiganers need to survive and no reliance on powerful donors — just a genuine focus on kitchen table issues and a track record of delivering for our communities. 

As a young person who sees potential in this region and an elected official who wants better for my community, I’m proud to support Dr. Pamela Pugh for State Senate.

MASON PRESSLER