GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Joseph Alfonso, the democratic candidate for office in the state’s newly drawn 4th Congressional District, doesn’t have a background in politics, and says that’s exactly why people should vote for him.
With new district lines, Alfonso says, should also come a change in the political winds in Michigan.
Previously, the district served Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties, along with Lake and Newaygo counties.
The new District 4 looks much different. It moved further south to include all of Allegan and Van Buren counties, along with parts of Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Ottawa counties.
“With modern day politics, the playbook's out the window,” he said. “Thinking that you can just be an incumbent, come in and expect people to vote for you is not the same anymore. You have to work for it.”
Alfonso is running in a year where redistricting shook up the political landscape, literally, for even the most seasoned politicians like his opponent, Republican Representative Bill Huizenga. A long-time representative of the state’s old 2nd Congressional District, Huizenga will be running in mostly new territory in the November midterms. Still, if he is an underdog, Alfonso doesn’t think much about it.
“That’s been my story my whole life, nothing’s ever been handed to me,” he said. “I’ve had to claw tooth and nail to get an inch where most people get a mile. So that doesn’t shake me one bit.”
Alfonso was born in the Bronx and was raised in New York. The son of a Puerto Rican mother and a Dominican father, straight out of high school, Alfonso enlisted in the United States Marines and quickly found himself overseas on tours of East- and South-East Asia, organizing aid assistance and managing multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects.
“You’re 20, 21-years-old managing upwards of $2-3 billion worth of projects. It’s really rapid,” he said.
Alfonso met his wife, an Ottawa County native, while stationed in San Diego and the two moved back to West Michigan after their time in the service. Alfonso later graduated from Western Michigan University and would go on to hold jobs over the years as a banker, electrician and salesman. He currently works in the city of Kentwood’s inspections department.
He had an atypical path to the midterm ballot – Alfonso was a write-in candidate who had to reach 5% of the total vote to be placed on the November ballot alongside Huizenga. That meant he needed about 3,000 votes; Alfonso received around 10,000.
On the issues, Alfonso is pro-choice and is hoping to see Proposal Three pass in November.
“We need to stay out of the way of the woman and her doctor from being able to make that decision, because you’re making an impossible decision harder,” he said. “It’s not something anybody wants to occur, but it’s something that happens, and we shouldn’t make that decision harder.”
Alfonso would also take steps to decrease spending at the federal level if elected, calling the current Congress’ spending habits “wasteful.”
Alfonso also wants to improve the state’s water quality, ensuring Michigan is brought up to EPA standards and is enforcing all the stipulations of the Clean Water Act.
Because of his time with the Marines, Alfonso wants to be an advocate for veterans, bolstering healthcare programs for those who’ve served and making sure they know what resources are available to them. He’d also like to make sweeping improvements at the state’s Veterans Affairs hospitals, including the massive VA facility in the city of Battle Creek that would be in his district should he win.
“Really hammering on improving the quality of services for veterans and servicemembers,” he said, “because once you get out it’s very difficult to figure out what you need to do next and what are the next steps.”
Alfonso recognizes that his new district includes cities like Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, and rural areas that he says have been underfunded for decades. Alfonso wants to find money for construction of more community centers that offer activity, tutoring and meal programs. He’s also proposed communities covering a portion of the cost with the federal government subsidizing the rest for construction, maintenance and employee benefits.
Alfonso has been out-fundraised by his opponent throughout the race, but says money isn’t what wins loyalty or votes.
“It just takes work, and work is what I’ve got,” he said. “You could have all the money in the world but if you don’t have the voting record to really support that you’re the right fit – that you’ve earned the right to be reelected – that’s not something that’s going to bode well for the community.”
WATCH our full interview with Alfonso:
To learn more about Alfonso’s campaign, click here.
The midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 8. Polls are open in Michigan from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
