Matthew DenOtter is running to represent Michigan’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He will challenge other Republicans, Justin Michal and incumbent Jack Bergman, in the August primary. (Courtesy photo)

ESCANABA — A newcomer to the race to represent Michigan’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives has arrived on the scene — Matthew DenOtter, currently based in Boyne City.

Key platforms of DenOtter’s campaign include protecting and expanding rural healthcare, investing in Michigan industries and infrastructure, making sure residents have reliable internet, securing the nation’s borders and ending sanctuary policies.

“I believe the First District deserves a representative who will show up, speak up, and deliver. I bring a private-sector background in healthcare and small business, where results matter and accountability is non-negotiable,” the candidate said.

DenOtter, a Republican, seeks to replace Jack Bergman, who has held the position for five terms. Other candidates in the running are Republican Justin Michal; Independent Zebulon Featherly; Democrats Wayne Stiles, Callie Barr and Kyle Blomquist; and Bergman.

The winner will represent the entirety of the Upper Peninsula and approximately the northern third of the Lower Peninsula in Washington, D.C.

DenOtter, age 51, made his living in the pharmaceutical industry, having worked for 23 years in regional sales and similar positions for AstraZeneca, Allergen, Bristol-Myers Squibb and mdxhealth, according to LinkedIn.

He started his own company, called CWC Medical Management, which is described in paperwork filed with Michigan’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) as “management services for medical practices.” The business is registered to an address in Highland — downstate in Oakland County, where DenOtter called home until about a year ago. DenOtter says CWC is focused on wound care and rural health access.

“I started my career in pharmaceutical sales throughout the entire Upper Peninsula and was based out of Harvey, Mich. During my time there, I recognized all of the access issues that come with rural healthcare,” DenOtter told the Daily Press recently. “More recently, I brought my medical management company to northern Michigan in early 2025 after again seeing the significant need for specialized health care services in rural areas. I fell in love with the region, so I purchased a home for my family in Boyne City at that time.”

DenOtter’s wife, Lisa, and daughter, Violet, reportedly plan to move up to Boyne to join him after Violet’s school year ends.

“I’d like to raise my daughter in a place where we have top shelf healthcare, great education and a solid infrastructure,” DenOtter said. “…Big donors from other parts of the country should not be the driving force between action and/or inaction. Unlike my opponent, I will not be accepting campaign contributions from any special interest groups. The money to fund this campaign will come from individuals and myself.”

A few years ago, DenOtter found a calling in politics. He served as a delegate in Michigan Republican Party State Convention representing District 10 in 2022. That same year, Michigan underwent redistricting.

As he is this year, DenOtter ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, but in another district. He was up for representing Michigan’s 11th Congressional District — which covers an area near Detroit — but lost in the Republican primary that August to Mark Ambrose.

Interestingly, Bergman, who both now and then held the seat DenOtter is now seeking, attended campaign events with DenOtter back then and endorsed the younger man for the 11th District.

“The Congressman still invested time and effort into helping (DenOtter’s) campaign because he believes in building up the next generation of leaders,” wrote Bergman’s Communications Director, James Hogge, when asked about the relationship.

Though some people speculated that DenOtter was recruited by Bergman’s team to run in the First District this year in an attempt to split the primary and take votes away from Michal, both Hogge and DenOtter wholeheartedly denounced the rumor as false. If that had been the goal, it was ineffective: a Newberry resident and Upper Peninsula Poet Laureate recently wrote a letter to the Mining Gazette saying that he was withdrawing support for Bergman in favor of DenOtter.

DenOtter explained that he has a love of the northern region, has seen problems it faces, and wants to provide better representation to its people.

“I respect Congressman Bergman’s service, especially his military background. But I believe this district needs a more active, present, and engaged approach, someone who is constantly on the ground, communicating with residents, and pushing aggressively for results,” DenOtter said. “This race is about something bigger than past associations; it’s about representation and results today.”

He continued to say that “at the end of the day, campaigns should be about who’s best positioned to serve the people right now. And I’m running because I believe I can bring a level of energy, accessibility, and focus that meets this moment for northern Michigan and the U.P. … I didn’t intend to run for office when I came back to northern Michigan; I came here to help provide access to rural specialty healthcare services. I only decided to run after seeing all of the barriers to access in this district that other parts of the state take for granted.”

Having lived in multiple parts of the state, DenOtter has seen firsthand the difficulties that residents in different areas experience.

“No matter where you are in Michigan, folks are worried about rising costs and economic pressure, whether it’s groceries, housing, or energy. There are concerns across the state about infrastructure that’s aging and unreliable, from roads to power grids. Michigan has struggled with reliability issues and outages, especially in the severe weather we experienced last March and again more recently. Access to opportunities like good jobs, affordable housing, quality healthcare and education are also common concerns. There’s also a shared frustration, people feel like decisions are being made far away without enough input from local communities,” DenOtter wrote in an email to the Press.

“While being something we have in common across the state, access is also a big difference because of the vast size and geography of District 1.  I’ve seen this challenge firsthand and helped remedy it as a local business owner and healthcare provider, facilitating specialized wound care services in people’s homes rather than in facilities far away or even downstate. The citizens of District 1 deserve a leader who invests in and respects their way of life with targeted solutions and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

“…I have enjoyed northern Michigan, both as a resident and a visitor. This is why I purchased my ‘forever home’ here. There are, however, several changes I would like to implement when elected,” he wrote.

The differences between DenOtter and the other candidates will become more apparent to those who follow his campaign as time goes on, he said, noting: “We will communicate our position on a wide variety of topics that affect Northern Michigan residents and our plan to increase access.”

Though organizers of the ongoing forums throughout the district — which Featherly, Michal, Stiles and Blomquist have been attending — had previously been unable to reach the newest Republican in the race, DenOtter said he would consider attending events for which he receives invitations.

“That being said, I plan on continuing to travel across the district to meet voters where they are, listen to their concerns firsthand, and ensure every community, no matter how small or remote, has a voice in this campaign,” he added.