New State Representative Ed McBroom is going from working on the family farm to working in Lansing
VULCAN -- It is seven o'clock in the morning which means there is only one place you'll find Ed McBroom--milking one of the 110 dairy cows at his family's farm in Vulcan.
As a full-time farmer, McBroom has never held public office, but he became fed up with Michigan's direction last year and decided to run for office.
"I want my kids to be able to grow up with the same opportunities I had on the farm, and I saw that dream kind of endangered,” said McBroom. "All of a sudden I found myself running for an office."
After a surprising primary victory, McBroom won the 108th District's seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. He said he's eager to help get Michigan back on its feet, but it won't be easy leaving the family farm.
"It's going to be hard to work through, I think, in a lot of ways because that's such a part of who I was everyday,” he said. “At the same time it was something that my family really supported me and encouraged me to do."
So how are the McBroom's going to compensate on the farm with Ed in Lansing?
"I guess that's not clear yet,” said Ken McBroom, Ed’s father. “We're playing it by ear, and we'll fill in the gaps where we have to, and we'll see how it works out."
McBroom says his number one priority is to get the U.P. back to work. He will be officially sworn in, in Lansing, January 12.
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