INCUMBENTS
Hillary Scholten
3rd Congressional District
Hillary’s story starts in West Michigan, where she was born and raised. Her mother was a Grand Rapids Public School teacher, and her father worked as a local reporter for the Grand Rapids Press. Through their work, Hillary was introduced to people who didn’t have their voices heard or their stories told by the decision-makers in their lives.
Their work and stories of these families inspired Hillary’s own career in public service, first as a social worker helping individuals facing homelessness, and then as an attorney. She served our country in the U.S. Department of Justice, where she took an oath to uphold our Constitution, and worked to create fair and moral laws.
Hillary’s dedication to service inspired her to bring her knowledge and experience back home to West Michigan, where she serves her community as an attorney, a deacon in her church, and an engaged neighbor. She and her husband, Jesse, a local college professor, are raising their two rambunctious boys right around the corner from where her grandfather grew up.
Now, Hillary understands that the most important issues facing West Michigan – healthcare, protecting a woman's right to choose, and boosting the bottom line for hard-working families – are all on the line. With her experience as a public interest attorney and her lifelong value of service equipping and inspiring her, she is ready to become her community’s voice in Washington.
Doug Zylstra
3rd District County Commissioner
Doug Zylstra was elected to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners in 2018. to represent the city of Holland. As county Commissioner, his goal is to continue to work to fulfill our mission of making Ottawa County a place where we all belong.
CANDIDATES
Chris Kleinjans
Ottawa County Commission, District 2
As a native Hollander and longtime resident of District 2, Chris Kleinjans has a deep understanding of the district's unique opportunities and challenges. He is a 1986 graduate of Holland High School and a veteran, having served honorably in the U.S. Navy for four years. After returning home and marrying his wife, Sarah, Kleinjans went back to college on the GI Bill. He and Sarah moved to the District 2 area nearly 30 years ago, where they raised their two boys. They have one grandchild.
Kleinjans has a 25-year history of working in the nonprofit sector, including in his current position as a community nutrition instructor. His lifetime commitment to service extends to the wider community as well. He is a volunteer with the Ottawa County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and as a member of the board of Community Mental Health of Ottawa County (CMHOC) and the Advisory Board of Ottawa Food. Kleinjans is also a member of the American Legion and VFW.
“District 2 is the crossroads of the county, with a high degree of diversity in many aspects,” Kleinjans said. “With that comes an understanding of what it takes to strive for a better future. We know how to work, and we know what works. People with this much hustle and this much strength deserve representation equal to their aspirations.”
Becky Patrick
Ottawa County Commission, District 8
Becky Patrick is, in the words of the Holland Sentinel, “arguably one of the most civically engaged citizens in Ottawa County in 2023.” This civic engagement led her to declare her candidacy for the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, representing District 8, Allendale Township.
Her campaign for election will emphasize the need to restore Ottawa County to good governance and fiscal responsibility. “The people of Ottawa County deserve - and expect - their elected officials to do better than what we have seen in the past year. We have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on legal fees and severance packages, at least 4 lawsuits against the Commission with the threat of more to come, and the specter of a $4 million employee settlement. I want to work with the residents of Allendale Township to restore fiscal responsibility, good governance, and a sense of moving forward together.”
Becky served as the Lake Michigan Regional Director for the combined departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality. Her responsibilities included bringing together leaders from divergent groups to find common ground on natural resource use and regulation. She also worked closely with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and its constituents to develop a Leadership Academy for emerging government leaders in Ag, Natural Resources, and Environmental Quality.
She is married to her husband of 40 years, with one son and daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.
“Ottawa County has had a reputation as a wonderful place to live, work and play. Allendale Township is literally at the center of that. I love living here, and I would be honored to serve District 8 as County Commissioner.”
Are you interested in running for office? Do you know someone who would be an ideal candidate? Contact us at runforoffice@ottawadems.com and let us know!
The Ottawa County Democratic Party is actively recruiting candidates for the upcoming election cycle. Give Ottawa progressives a choice on future ballots and #DaretoRun!