Dr. Bob Lorinser kicks off Congressional campaign with week of public appearances in the U.P.
ESCANABA, Mich. — Dr. Bob Lorinser, 65, introduced himself as the Democratic Congressional candidate for Michigan's 1st District on Tuesday. At the UP State Fair, to an intimate crowd of Democratic leaders, he announced the official kickoff of his candidacy during the UP Democratic Expo, sponsored by the Delta Democratic Party and organized by the UP Democrats.
"I would be honored to represent all the residents of the district, including the young and old, people of all genders, those who agree and disagree with me, moderates, and progressives," said Lorinser in a stump speech. "I am also committed to working towards engagement with conservatives if we hope to unite the district."
Dr. Bob has been a resident of Marquette, Michigan since 1989, married for 40 years, and has attained advanced degrees in public health, social work, and medicine. During the beginning of his career, Lorinser served as a social worker at a Veteran's hospital. After medical school and residency, he started his medical career with the Indian Health Service, serving Navajo Nation. Lorinser spent over two decades as a family practice physician in Marquette in a variety of leadership roles.
"Then from a desire for national service, my wife and I joined the Department of State as a diplomat for ten years. We did five tours — Pakistan during the successful search for Osama bin Laden, South Korea, Afghanistan, Morocco, and finally in Iraq for my last two years."
Dr. Lorinser returned home in the fall of 2020 and planned to retire. Instead, he joined Marquette County Health Department as its medical director during the COVID-19 pandemic. Again he emphasized his current position was out of a sense of service to the community's needs.
Dr. Lorinser was visibly emotional when sharing his reasons for running.
"I grew up blessed and lucky," said Dr. Lorinser. "But it wasn't always easy. My parents divorced when I was young, our family suffered the consequences of alcoholism, and my parents worked several jobs but still struggled paycheck to paycheck. Many in my district and throughout the United States have families like mine."
Dr. Bob said his family received governmental aid when they faced hard times, asserting that his family used the support that was given and worked hard to deserve it. As a result, he says he's had a successful career.
"Now my goal as a member of Congress would be to support others to do the same, to have the same opportunities afforded to me," said Lorinser. "If I didn't have the support I was given, I wonder where I would be. Would I be successful? Would I become a doctor? Could I have supported my country as a diplomat overseas? Would I have been available to direct the COVID-19 response as a public health medical director?"
Lorinser says he developed his "bedrock of principles, moral compass, and vision" early in life because of a loving family and caring friends.
"I learned concepts of wisdom from my teachers, justice and equality under the law from the police, courage from my friends, and kindness from my grandmother," said Dr. Lorinser. "I had talented and dedicated teachers and strong schools. I lived in a safe community. We had affordable and available medical care. My parents had decent jobs."
Dr. Bob says government can't do it all but recognizes without proper and appropriate support and safety nets working families cannot thrive. Lorinser says as Americans, citizens need and deserve a government that provides support to those who need it.
In his speech, Lorinser discussed the unification of the district and America, suggesting that the country is divided economically, politically, and culturally. He laid out the need for government solutions that reflect "our values and priorities" and advocated for programs and policies to address the needs of everyday citizens.
"To serve my district, Michigan, and our nation, I support economic viability because it enables us to thrive. We need jobs with living wages," said Dr. Lorinser. "If an adult is working full-time, they should not be forced to go on food stamps to feed their family."
Another major issue Lorinser addressed was the need for universal healthcare. He believes no one should suffer the consequences of not accessing medical care providers or their hospitals. Dr. Lorinser said as a physician, he's seen the financial burden medical procedures place on working families, and he worries about those who lack the resources to cover the high cost of quality medicine without going into debt. "Unfortunately, the system is still in need of a fix."
He advocated for accessible and affordable public education and training without insurmountable debt. He highlighted the need for a social safety net capable of assistance and support, "but not to enable," he said. Dr. Lorinser supports universal childcare, the expansion of Medicaid, and Medicare.
"We want and need to be self-supporting but understand at times, just like my family, we may need help and support," said Dr. Lorinser. "Why am I running? In one word - service. I believe I can represent the needs of our community at a national level, and I know I can be an effective member of Congress guiding us on a national and worldwide stage under the ideals and principles of what it means to be a proud American."
Qualities Dr. Bob focuses on are his "bedrock of principles, wisdom, justice, courage, kindness, democratic freedom, equality under the law, and moderation."
"I hope voters will agree I operate with a solid moral compass," said Dr. Lorinser. "I am a person of integrity, speak the truth, and try to represent all that is best in my district. I have a vision. I can recognize problems on the horizon and develop reasonable solutions for the short-term and the long term."
Dr. Lorinser said he has the ability to build a consensus to achieve his vision.
"I have a vision we will all see each other as Americans who know, understand, and respect each other," said Dr. Lorinser. "If elected to Congress, I would like to represent the majority of Americans, and I believe most Americans support our democratic objectives."
If unopposed, Dr. Lorinser would carry a primary in August and move on to the general election on Nov. 8, 2022. Dr. Lorinser will be attending various events throughout the district in the next few weeks collecting donations and petition signatures. For more information on the campaign, citizens can visit VoteDrBob.com and view his upcoming event schedule on Facebook.