Judy Nerat
Encyclopedia
Judith "Judy" Kaczmarczyk Nerat (born August 12, 1948) is a Democratic
politician and member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
. Nerat was elected to represent the 108th State House District on November 4, 2008. The 108th District is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes all of Delta, Dickinson, and Menominee Counties. Nerat previously ran for the same seat in 2006, losing to then incumbent Representative Tom Casperson
.
, located in Menominee County on August 12, 1948. Leo Kaczmarczyk was a Marine Shipyard worker in Marinette, Wisconsin
and a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Union.
Judy graduated from Stephenson High School as well as the College of Beauty Culture in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. She owned and operated a Hair Salon in Menominee, Michigan
for over 34 years. In 2004, Judy Nerat was certified as a nursing assistant and worked at a local assisted living facility.
Nerat is married and has two children and four grandchildren. She lives in Wallace, Michigan, and belongs to Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.
In August 2009, Nerat was diagnosed with multiple myeloma
, a type of cancer which affects plasma cells. She took time away from the legislature to battle the disease, missing over 100 votes. She returned full time in November, 2009.
In 2006 she announced her intention to run as a Democrat
against incumbent Republican
State Representative Tom Casperson
in the 108th District in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Nerat easily won the Democratic Primary, but went on to lose to Casperson in the general election.
However, in 2008, Tom Casperson was unable to run for re-election due to term limits, choosing instead to run against Congressman Bart Stupak
. Nerat again declared her intention to run, this time for an open seat. She narrowly defeated Janis Burgess in the Democratic Primary, winning by only 76 votes. In the November General Election, Nerat faced Republican Mike Falcon of Gladstone. Nerat won the seat with 56% of the vote. She campaigned the last three weeks leading up to the election with a fractured hip before undergoing hip replacement
surgery in late October.
Nerat is quoted in the 3 February 2009 Daily Press in regards to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's announcement that the state will cease subsidizing the Upper Peninsula State Fair as saying, "I don't know where this rumor started. However, up to this point, the state has not provided any state funding to support the fair."
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician and member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
. Nerat was elected to represent the 108th State House District on November 4, 2008. The 108th District is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes all of Delta, Dickinson, and Menominee Counties. Nerat previously ran for the same seat in 2006, losing to then incumbent Representative Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson is a politician from the State of Michigan. He was a Republican member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the 108th district, which is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes Delta County, Menominee County, and Dickinson County.-Early life:Casperson was...
.
Biography
Judy Nerat was born Judith Kaczmarczyk to Leo and Irene Kaczmarczyk in Daggett, MichiganDaggett, Michigan
Daggett is a village in Menominee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 270. The village is located within Daggett Township and is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, located in Menominee County on August 12, 1948. Leo Kaczmarczyk was a Marine Shipyard worker in Marinette, Wisconsin
Marinette, Wisconsin
Marinette is a city in and the county seat of Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,749 at the 2000 census.Marinette is the principal city of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Marinette County, Wisconsin and Menominee...
and a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Union.
Judy graduated from Stephenson High School as well as the College of Beauty Culture in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. She owned and operated a Hair Salon in Menominee, Michigan
Menominee, Michigan
Menominee is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,131. It is the county seat of Menominee County. Menominee is the fourth-largest city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, and Escanaba...
for over 34 years. In 2004, Judy Nerat was certified as a nursing assistant and worked at a local assisted living facility.
Nerat is married and has two children and four grandchildren. She lives in Wallace, Michigan, and belongs to Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.
In August 2009, Nerat was diagnosed with multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
, a type of cancer which affects plasma cells. She took time away from the legislature to battle the disease, missing over 100 votes. She returned full time in November, 2009.
Political career
Nerat was elected to the Menominee County Road Commission in 1998. In 2000, she was appointed to the Commissioners’ Committee for the County Road Association of Michigan. In 2002, she was appointed chair of the Commissioners’ Committee. Judy was elected to the County Road Association Self Insurance Fund in 2003, as one of nine directors. She was re-elected to the Road Commission in 2004.In 2006 she announced her intention to run as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
against incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
State Representative Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson
Tom Casperson is a politician from the State of Michigan. He was a Republican member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the 108th district, which is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes Delta County, Menominee County, and Dickinson County.-Early life:Casperson was...
in the 108th District in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Nerat easily won the Democratic Primary, but went on to lose to Casperson in the general election.
However, in 2008, Tom Casperson was unable to run for re-election due to term limits, choosing instead to run against Congressman Bart Stupak
Bart Stupak
Bartholomew Thomas "Bart" Stupak is a lobbyist and American politician of the Democratic Party. He served as the U.S. Representative from from 1993 to 2011....
. Nerat again declared her intention to run, this time for an open seat. She narrowly defeated Janis Burgess in the Democratic Primary, winning by only 76 votes. In the November General Election, Nerat faced Republican Mike Falcon of Gladstone. Nerat won the seat with 56% of the vote. She campaigned the last three weeks leading up to the election with a fractured hip before undergoing hip replacement
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
surgery in late October.
Nerat is quoted in the 3 February 2009 Daily Press in regards to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's announcement that the state will cease subsidizing the Upper Peninsula State Fair as saying, "I don't know where this rumor started. However, up to this point, the state has not provided any state funding to support the fair."
Electoral history
- 2010 election for State House
- Judy Nerat (D), 11,870
- Ed McBroom (R), 17,734
- 2008 election for State House
- Judy Nerat (D), 56%
- Mike Falcon (R), 44%
- 2008 Democratic Primary election for State House
- Judy Nerat (D), 37%
- Janis Burgess (D), 36%
- Dennis Baldinelli (D), 17%
- David Polzin (D), 10%
- 2006 election for State House
- Tom CaspersonTom CaspersonTom Casperson is a politician from the State of Michigan. He was a Republican member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, representing the 108th district, which is located in the Upper Peninsula and includes Delta County, Menominee County, and Dickinson County.-Early life:Casperson was...
(R), 55% - Judy Nerat (D), 45%
- Tom Casperson
- 2006 Democratic Primary election for State House
- Judy Nerat (D), 69%
- David Polzin (D), 31%