And they're off: GOP primary fight set in 39th District

Commerce Township Republican Klint Kesto is looking for his party’s nomination for the new 39th state House of Representatives District seat, which will represent Commerce, Wolverine Lake, Wixom, and the western half of West Bloomfield Township.

Kesto’s candidacy sets the stage for a contested primary battle between himself and Wixom Republican Nick Kennedy, the chairman of the Wixom Community Foundation Board of Directors and a past president of Passing Along the Heritage, who announced that he is running for the 39th state House seat in November.

“I’ve always thought about jumping into the race,” Kesto said. “As they did redistricting, I thought it was a good opportunity to get a strong Republican in.”

A former employee of the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Justice, Kesto is currently a prosecutor. He added that he also had a small business in Canton, as well as one in Sterling Heights.

He said his background in public safety leads him to believe that the economy can be bolstered by “getting more job seekers out there rather than turning to a life a crime and turning to criminal activities.

In addition, Kesto said he is a pro-life Republican who also is focused on things like clean energy, protection of the environment, and immigration.

The University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School graduate said he expects to make a formal announcement of his candidacy “in a couple weeks.”

He added that he was married, but his wife lost a battle with cancer. The pair had often discussed the possibility of running for elected office, he said.

Commerce resident Pam Jackson, a Democrat, is also seeking election to the new 39th House seat that represents roughly 92,000 Oakland County residents.

State Rep. Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield, Commerce, Wolverine Lake) now serves in the current 39th District.

The filing deadline for candidates is May 15.

State representatives serve two-year terms and are currently paid $79,650 per year.