Make No Mistake – Pagel Not Endorsing Haight, But Says He’s “Strong Candidate”

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He’s not endorsing a Democrat, and he won’t even say he’s voting for him, but state Representative Dave Pagel doesn’t have anything negative to say about Ian Haight, who is the Democrat running for the state Senate in the 21st District. Pagel lost the Republican primary for the seat to fellow state Representative Kim LaSata in August.

“Ian asked me for an endorsement,” Pagel tells WSJM News. “I respect him, but I couldn’t endorse him. He asked what could I say, and I said ‘you’re a strong candidate.’ It is what it is.”

Pagel is term-limited in the House, and says he won’t miss the partisanship that was not present during his time at the helm of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners. As for what’s next after his term expires in January, he’s not sure.

“I’m keeping my options open. I’ll see if the next administration, whoever’s in Lansing, approaches me with some kind of an offer. I’ll consider serving locally in some role, but I haven’t picked anything out yet,” Pagel says.

Prior to being elected to the state House in 2012, Pagel chaired the Berrien County Board of Commissioners and also served on the Berrien Springs school board before that.