Kerry Tapper
Kerry Tapper (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 39. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Tapper completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kerry Tapper was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. She earned a high school diploma from Boyne City High School and a bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University in 1991. Her career experience includes working as a business owner.[1]
As of 2024, Tapper was affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Southwest Michigan Business Network
- Greater Paw Paw Chamber of Commerce
- Paw Paw Public Schools Superintendent Advisory Committee
- Senior Outreach Advisory Board
- Eagle Lake Paw Paw Association
- Business Network International
- Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce
- Paw Paw Downtown Development Authority
Elections
2024
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 39
Incumbent Pauline Wendzel defeated Kerry Tapper in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 39 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Pauline Wendzel (R) | 63.1 | 29,906 | |
| Kerry Tapper (D) | 36.9 | 17,498 | ||
| Total votes: 47,404 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 39
Kerry Tapper defeated Jared Polonowski in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 39 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kerry Tapper | 63.2 | 2,911 | |
| Jared Polonowski | 36.8 | 1,692 | ||
| Total votes: 4,603 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 39
Incumbent Pauline Wendzel defeated Richard Overton in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 39 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Pauline Wendzel | 71.7 | 6,867 | |
| Richard Overton | 28.3 | 2,716 | ||
| Total votes: 9,583 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Tapper in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kerry Tapper completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Tapper's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I want to see our government Do Better, Be Better and Find the Balance to serve our people in the most economical and forward driven way possible, and I want to be a voice in helping to make that happen. I entered the workforce at the age of 12 and have been working hard ever since to achieve my goals. I take pride in each job that I have been offered and always strive to do my very best. I intend to put my 43 years of customer service to good use to listen to my constituents and research how we can institute change to make progress in our district’s growth. I want our state to serve our tax payers and use our district funding efficiently and effectively, while sharing with transparency how we will use those tax dollars and why. We all deserve the basics of our constitutional rights and I would love the opportunity to earn your vote Nov 5th. Please read more about my story and my values at www.kerrytapper.com My email and phone number are listed and please feel free to reach out and connect about what concerns you have that I can take to Lansing if given the opportunity.
- I value connections with people, working hard, and showing up. I believe that everyone has the right to live their life as they like as long as they are being respectful to others. Love, Family and Friends are ultimately what I feel life is all about. I believe that each person and family deserves equitable access to the tools and knowledge they need to help them grow on their journey in regards to what inspires and drives them.
- I’m not running for office to make a career, I’m running to make a difference. My husband John and I have run a business together in Paw Paw for 30 years—a sign and decorated apparel company whose customers are other area businesses and organizations. We are grateful for the wide roots these connections have created for us in our district and the relationships that are created by local businesses supporting other local businesses. I am proud of the career that I have had thus far. I am running to make a difference and be a voice for our children, family, friends, fellow business owners and our community members.
- I feel strongly that everyone should have easy access to medical and mental health care. I spent the last 15 years as the power of attorney for my amazing mother who battled bipolar disorder since 1978 when I was 9 years old. We have made great strides in mental health care, and we have many more mountains to climb. I have been so grateful for the assistance from Van Buren County Mental Health, Bronson Commons Nursing Facility, Bronson Hospitals and their doctors, nurses and staff, and I have seen how hard they work and value them greatly. People who choose to make their living as care providers are amazing and they deserve our respect and appreciation.
I believe in cutting the cost of living for families, protecting & improving our public education system, making healthcare affordable and accessible, including mental healthcare, increasing access to broadband internet, more opportunities for better paying jobs, clean air & clean water for everyone, protecting reproductive rights, and strong environmental protections to preserve our beautiful natural areas and safeguard the health of our constituents.
Our campaign has been endorsed by 13 political organizations so far including the Michigan Education Association, League of Women Voters, Vote Common Good, West Michigan Progress, Fems for Dems, Van Buren - Allegan- Berrien County Democratic Parties, & more at www.kerrytapper.com
I was so proud at the age of 12 to be in charge of the buffet at our local Country Star Restaurant in Boyne City Michigan. I was in charge of setting it up, maintaining it, and tearing it down at closing. I worked there until I was 16 when I was old enough to be considered for a position at Glen's Market our local grocery store.
The Little Engine that Could. I always admired the Little Engine's determination and positive outlook.
The governor and the state legislature should work together with respect, but always remember that they have different jobs. They balance each other’s power to make sure no one has too much control, and their first responsibility is to serve the people who elected them.
The single biggest challenge facing Michigan is its poor population growth. Michigan's population growth is well below the national average and its population is on a path to decline in a generation.
The ratio of workers to retirees will fall from 4.5 to 2.5 by 2035. This will have an enormous impact on the state.
Michigan is losing political influence, falling from 19 to 13 seats in the House of Representatives over the past 50 years.
Michigan's personal income is in the bottom third among all U.S. states.
The state ranks 38th in math and reading proficiency in K-12 education.
Life expectancy in Michigan is lower than the national average, and Michiganders report lower rates of good health compared to the national average.
Definitely beneficial but not necessary.
Absolutely. The more understanding and respect legislators have for each other, the more likely they are to listen to other perspectives and create more well-rounded legislation.
If I become a State Representative then eventually I will likely run for State Senate.
Emergency powers by definition are for use when there is no time for meetings, votes, and partisan interference. I believe the use of emergency powers should rest with the Governor. I also believe that emergency actions should be truly temporary and the legislature should have some capacity to oversee their use.
Michigan Education Association, League of Women Voters, Vote Common Good, West Michigan Progress, Fems for Dems, Van Buren County Democratic Party, Allegan County Democratic Party, Berrien County Democratic Party, MI Moms Demand Action, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan 2024, Equality Michigan, Progressive Women's Alliance, Reproductive Freedom for All
Health Policy; Appropriations; Ethics and Oversight; Government Operations; Education; Higher Education; Families, Children and Seniors; Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Michigan House of Representatives District 39 |
Personal |
Footnotes
