MARQUETTE COUNTY -- Democrat Mike Prusi had big shoes to fill in the Michigan House in the wake of his late predecessor, Dominic Jacobetti.
An iron ore miner for two decades and president of the U.P.'s United Steel Workers of American Union Local 4950, Prusi was in touch with the local workforce. His "everyman" character catapulted him into the state legislature.
"Working with people that are middle class, hard working families, sustaining jobs, gave me an insight, I believe, into how public policy affects people, like that; and not many legislators get that kind of background," said Prusi.
He's best known for keeping the U.P.'s state fairgrounds in Escanaba and continuing supplemental deer feeding to maintain the U.P. herd and grow the sport of hunting.
And after 14 years of representing the U.P. in Lansing, Prusi's eight-year Senate term is up. His seat will be filled by Republican Tom Casperson.
Prusi hopes the extreme partisanship doesn't get in the way of solving the state's problems.
"You can win an election on either extreme, on the left or the right," Prusi said. "You can win a primary, you can win an election, but I don't believe anybody can govern from either of those extremes, and I would hope that everybody in Lansing will find a way to get to the middle."
But what is next for the Ishpeming Township resident?
"I still have a mortgage and car payment and bills to pay, so I'll be out there looking for a job, and who knows, I may wind up back at the mine," Prusi said.
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