Bruce Caswell of Hillsdale visited the Lockport Township Board meeting Monday evening as he campaigns for the Republican nomination for state senator from Michigan's 16th District.

Bruce Caswell brought his campaign for state senator from Michigan’s 16th District to Lockport Township Monday evening (November 9th).

Caswell – from Hillsdale County – introduced himself during the November meeting of the Lockport Township Board and noted that, in addition to serving as a state representative for six years, his governmental experience includes a 20-year stint as a township supervisor.

Caswell is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat currently held by state Senator Cameron Brown of Fawn River Township.  Brown can’t seek re-election because of term limits, but is in the running for secretary of state.  Caswell said Brown and former state Representative Rick Shaffer have endorsed his candidacy.

Caswell said, “I think Michigan is facing some very difficult times now” and indicated he thinks there are “two major issues in the campaign coming up.”  He identified them as “jobs” and “spending in Lansing.”

Caswell cited a need to focus on small business and said, “We’re going to have to grow ourselves from the bottom up like we did after World War Two.”

Regarding spending, Caswell noted that Michigan’s economy and state government were built on the auto industry and said that, with the decline of that sector, “We are going to have to downsize our government in Lansing.”  And he cited four core functions of state government:  educating students K through 12, good public safety, good infrastructure including high-speed Internet service throughout the state, and the care of the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.

Caswell responded to several questions from those attending the township board meeting,  said he will “be around a lot” in coming months as the campaign unfolds, and indicated he would be back after the first of the year.