The DeVos family is throwing their money in with 3rd Congressional candidate Terri DeBoer

In early March, local TV weather person Terri DeBoer announced that she would run as a Republican to challenge the incumbent 3rd Congressional District Rep. Hillary Scholten.

On DeBoer’s campaign website she lists 5 items under priorities:

Peace Through Strength & Secure Borders – “I will support a modern, lethal military and a fully secure border. America must be a beacon of freedom, but that light requires a strong defense to keep us safe at home. Getting violent, criminal illegal immigrants off of our streets is not controversial, it’s common sense.”

Protect the Most Vulnerable – “We must protect the Social Security contract with seniors and make sure programs intended to help the poor and sick actually prioritize helping poor and sick U.S. citizens.”

Focus on Patient-Centered Healthcare & Price Transparency – “The cure for our healthcare crisis isn’t a government takeover—it’s transparency. I will fight to mandate upfront pricing for all medical procedures, eliminate the waste, fraud, and abuse in the current system, and ensure subsidies go to patients, not insurance companies. Accountability begins when the patient is the customer.”

Parents-First – “Education and upbringing are the domain of the family, not the state. I will protect the fundamental right of parents to direct their children’s medical care and education, ensuring funding follows the student to the school of their choice.”

Restore Fiscal Sanity and Make Life Affordable for West Michiganders – “It’s time we identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within our federal budget. Families live within their means; the federal government must do the same. We must simplify the tax code, lower rates for working families, and eliminate the “hidden tax” of inflation. You should keep more of your money, not the federal government.”

Two things about things about Terri DeBoer’s so-called priorities. First, they are either really vague and meaningless or they often reflect the standard Republican platform – supporting US imperialism, an anti-immigrant xenophobia, a corporate health care system, privatized education, never being critical of capitalism and never advocating for people to make a living wage. My second observation is that these “priorities” are also the priorities of the DeVos family. This makes complete sense, since the DeVos family and high ranking members of the DeVos-run businesses have already made significant campaign contributions to DeBoer.

Here is a list of the DeVos family members that have contributed, based on the most recent FEC filings:

• Betsy DeVos $7000
• Dalton DeVos $7000
• Daniel DeVos $7000
• Doug DeVos $7000
• Maria DeVos $7000
• Melissa DeVos $7000
• Pamela DeVos $7000
• Dick DeVos $7000
• Rick DeVos $7000

Total  $63000

Here is a list of high ranking members of the DeVos-run businesses who have contributed:

• Olivia Griffioen/RDV Corp. $7000
• Monreau Stewart/RDV Corp $7000
• Micaela Richtsmeier/RDV Corp $7000
• Robert Schierbeek $7000

Total  $28000

List of people who also made large campaign contributions and are connected to the DeVos family:

• James Engen/Van Andel Institute $7000
• Nancy Engen/Van Andel Institute $7000
• John Essex/Port City Ventures $7000
• Jennifer Essex $3500
• Daniel Hibma/Land & Company $14000
• Terri Land/Land & Company $7000
• Larry Hines/Hines Corp. $7000
• JC Huizenga $7000
• Sidney Jansma/Wolverine Oil $7000
• Sharin Jansma$7000
• James Bolger/WMPF $1000

Total  $74500

This means that a total of $165,500 from very wealthy and powerful people has gone to support the candidate Terri DeBoer.

At the same time, Rep. Hillary Scholten is running for re-election against DeBoer. For those of you who are familiar with this blog I have been deeply critical of Rep. Scholten on matters of unconditionally supporting Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians, her yes votes on the annual US military budget, her votes in favor of criminalizing undocumented immigrants, and her very weak actions during the first 15 months of the Trump Administration. I personally wouldn’t vote for either Scholten or DeBoer.