Michael Prusi
Encyclopedia
Michael Prusi was a Democratic
member of the Michigan Senate
,who represented the 38th District from 2003 to 2010. His district included Gogebic
, Iron
, Ontonagon
, Delta
, Dickinson
, Keweenaw
, Houghton
, Baraga
, Marquette
, Alger
, Luce
, Schoolcraft
, and Menominee
counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Previously he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1995 through 2000. Currently, he serves as the Senate Minority Leader, following the election of the previous leader, Mark Schauer
, to the U.S. House
.
and Lansing Community College
. Before entering politics, he worked as an Iron Ore
miner with the Clevland Cliffs Mining Company http://www.cleveland-cliffs.com/|. He was elected to three terms as President of Local Union 4950 of the United Steelworkers of America. He was a member of the International Union’s Wage Policy Committee and Upper Peninsula Delegate for the union’s Committee on Political Education. Mike also served on the Executive Board of the Marquette County Labor Council.
Prior to joining the Senate, Prusi also served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, succeeding Dominic Jacobetti
.
from Michigan's 38th District, which includes Alger
, Baraga
, Baraga
, Dickinson
, Gogebic
, Houghton
, Iron
, Keweenaw
, Luce
, Marquette
, Menominee
, Ontonagon
, and Schoolcraft
Counties. Prusi was term limited in the 2010 election and was suceeded by Tom Casperson
.
Prusi has been a member of the Senate since 2003. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Labor & Economic Growth and Joint Capital Outlay subcommittees. He also serves on the Higher Education and Corrections and Judiciary subcommittees.
On November 7, 2006, he was elected to his second term, and on November 12, 2008, he was elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to serve as Minority Leader.
. He is married to Sandi Prusi and has two children, Heather and Holly.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
,who represented the 38th District from 2003 to 2010. His district included Gogebic
Gogebic County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,370 people, 7,425 households, and 4,581 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 10,839 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, Iron
Iron County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,138 people, 5,748 households, and 3,615 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 8,772 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, Ontonagon
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
, Delta
Delta County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, Dickinson
Dickinson County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,472 people, 11,386 households, and 7,583 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 13,702 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Keweenaw
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Houghton
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
, Baraga
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
, Marquette
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
, Alger
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
, Luce
Luce County, Michigan
-Government:The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers...
, Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,903 people, 3,606 households, and 2,498 families residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile . There were 5,700 housing units...
, and Menominee
Menominee County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,326 people, 10,529 households, and 7,001 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 13,639 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Previously he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1995 through 2000. Currently, he serves as the Senate Minority Leader, following the election of the previous leader, Mark Schauer
Mark Schauer
Mark Schauer is the former U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party.He was previously a member of the Michigan Senate, where he served as the Minority Leader, and the Michigan House of Representatives....
, to the U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Early career
He attended Northern Michigan UniversityNorthern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
and Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a two-year public college founded in 1957. The college's main campus is located on an urban, 42-acre site in downtown Lansing, Michigan spanning seven city blocks approximately two blocks from the state capital...
. Before entering politics, he worked as an Iron Ore
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
miner with the Clevland Cliffs Mining Company http://www.cleveland-cliffs.com/|. He was elected to three terms as President of Local Union 4950 of the United Steelworkers of America. He was a member of the International Union’s Wage Policy Committee and Upper Peninsula Delegate for the union’s Committee on Political Education. Mike also served on the Executive Board of the Marquette County Labor Council.
Prior to joining the Senate, Prusi also served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, succeeding Dominic Jacobetti
Dominic Jacobetti
Dominic J. Jacobetti was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He holds the record as the longest-serving member of the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 1955 until his death in 1994, representing Michigan's 108th and 109th Districts.- Early life :Dominic was born...
.
Michigan State Senate
Prusi was a State SenatorMichigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
from Michigan's 38th District, which includes Alger
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
, Baraga
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
, Baraga
Delta County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, Dickinson
Dickinson County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,472 people, 11,386 households, and 7,583 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 13,702 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Gogebic
Gogebic County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,370 people, 7,425 households, and 4,581 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 10,839 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, Houghton
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
, Iron
Iron County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,138 people, 5,748 households, and 3,615 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile . There were 8,772 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, Keweenaw
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Luce
Luce County, Michigan
-Government:The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers...
, Marquette
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
, Menominee
Menominee County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,326 people, 10,529 households, and 7,001 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 13,639 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, Ontonagon
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
, and Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,903 people, 3,606 households, and 2,498 families residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile . There were 5,700 housing units...
Counties. Prusi was term limited in the 2010 election and was suceeded by Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson is a politician from the State of Michigan. He was a Republican member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the 108th district, which is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes Delta County, Menominee County, and Dickinson County.-Early life:Casperson was...
.
Prusi has been a member of the Senate since 2003. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Labor & Economic Growth and Joint Capital Outlay subcommittees. He also serves on the Higher Education and Corrections and Judiciary subcommittees.
On November 7, 2006, he was elected to his second term, and on November 12, 2008, he was elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to serve as Minority Leader.
Personal Background
He resides in Ishpeming, MichiganIshpeming, Michigan
Ishpeming is a city in Marquette County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,686 at the 2000 census. This is down from a higher population in the 1950s and 1960s when the economically supportive iron ore mines had a much higher employment level...
. He is married to Sandi Prusi and has two children, Heather and Holly.
External links
- Michigan Senate - Mike Prusi official government website
- Floor Statements video clips
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Michael A. 'Mike' Prusi (MI) profile
- Follow the Money - Michael Prusi
- Mike Prusi official campaign website
- Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus
- Michigan Liberal - SD38