Abby Klomparens wants to keep Michigan moving forward.
She’s running to represent Michigan’s 86th district, a new and rather purple swath of the Great Lake State created when its congress redrew its electoral map last cycle. It encompasses the greater Holland area, where Klomparens was born and raised. To support her candidacy, she’s secured endorsements from the Michigan Education Association, young progressive voter PAC Run for Something, pro-choice PAC Emily’s List, and labor union SEIU Michigan, among others.
The Democratic primary in Michigan takes place this Tuesday, but Klomparens has no challenger – nor does her Republican opponent, incumbent Rep. Nancy De Boer, meaning the two are set to face off in November. They are vying to represent a district that is likely to flip from red to blue, according to some experts. “Holland has not had Democratic leadership on a state level since before the Republican Party existed,” Klomparens added.
The encroaching power of an area Christian nationalist organization, Ottawa Impact, could block a blue wave. But stopping the push of far-right candidates and policies is a significant factor in Klomparens’ decision to run.
As a lifelong resident, Klomparents has witnessed “how tremendously the community has grown and diversified” – and “how our state representation and federal representation is not keeping up with who we are.” Especially De Boer, who Klomparens says prioritized “ceremonies and photo ops” over everything else.
Working to limit the reach of extreme right-wing politicians has been a motivator for Klomparens throughout her years in public service – it’s a path she set herself upon following the election of former President Donald Trump.
Back in November 2016, she had recently graduated from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, and had plans to embark upon a career in museum curation or communications. All of that changed when Trump was named commander-in-chief.
“I was … ignorant as to how someone like him – with the policies he was going to implement and the freedoms he was looking to take away” – could get elected, she says. “My privileged bubble popped.”
She would spend the next eight years supporting the sort of progressive politicians she wanted to see in charge, until April 9 of this year – her 30th birthday – when she formally launched her own campaign for office.
Past Influencing Present Principles
Klomparens grew up the daughter of two public servants – “so it’s hard not to feel a pull toward public service.”
Her father, Wayne, was a Holland city council member; her mother, Rhonda, was her high school principal. She saw firsthand the work that they did – and their passion for it, especially when their jobs permeated the dinner table conversation. After graduating from high school, she attended college, where she concentrated on American history and writing.
In 2017, newly graduated and still troubled over Trump’s election, she began volunteering with the local League of Women Voters, helping area high school children better understand how government works to encourage their involvement in it, and with the Macatawa Area Express Transportation Authority, serving as an appointed member of Holland’s city council to fight for funding to care for the area’s transit infrastructure.
She then moved to Lansing, where she secured internships – first, providing administrative support for the Michigan House of Representatives, then working on now-Senator Winnie Brinks’ campaign for office in 2018. She then returned to work in the House for several years, earning her way into the role of legislative director.
Then Covid lockdowns took their toll on her professional momentum, and she found herself moving back to Holland to be near her family and boyfriend. She took on some marketing and communications work for income, but “my passion was public service.” Late last year, Emily’s List reached out to her to discuss the prospect of running to fill her local House seat. They viewed the election as a top priority, and wanted Klomparens as their candidate. “I did a lot of talking and thinking about it, but – that was the spark that lit the flame.”
If elected, she wants to do her part to take advantage of the Democratic majority Michigan has presently. Increasing funding for public schools is high on her list of priorities, as well as ensuring that “middle-class families here in Michigan are able to live and work in their own communities.” She sees housing prices rising around her, and folks struggling to afford to live in the state – often moving away as a result. “It’s a growing issue … for my generation, and it’s going to be a big deal for a lot of folks for a long time.”
Overall, “We need to make sure we’re meeting needs,” Klomparens adds. Though she’s far younger than the average elected official (who is roughly 58), she hopes voters see past her age to acknowledge her years of experience in politics.
“I know how to introduce and implement policy, how to work with stakeholders and reach across aisles,” she says. “It’s what I’ve spent my career doing.”
