Jack Bergman

John Warren Bergman (born February 2, 1947) is an American politician and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general serving as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 1st congressional district since 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party.

He served as commanding general of the Marine Forces Reserve and the Marine Forces North. He also served as a naval aviator, flying rotary-winged aircraft such as the CH-46 and UH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the T-28 and KC-130.

Early life and education

Bergman was born on February 2, 1947, in Shakopee, Minnesota, and received his undergraduate degree in business from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1969. He subsequently earned an M.B.A. degree from the University of West Florida. His formal military education includes Naval Aviation Flight Training, Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command & Staff College, Landing Force Staff Planning (Marine Expeditionary Brigade EBand Air Command Element CE, Reserve Component National Security and Naval War College Strategy & Policy, Syracuse University National Security Seminar, Combined Forces Air Component Command, LOGTECH, and CAPSTONE.

Military career

After graduating from college, Bergman was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1969 under the Platoon Leaders Course program for aviation (PLC-Air) and entered active duty. Following completion of The Basic School (TBS) at MCB Quantico, Virginia and flight training at NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field, Florida, he was designated as a Naval Aviator.

He then flew CH-46 helicopters with HMM-261 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, and with HMM-164 at MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Japan, and the Republic of Vietnam. Later assigned shore duty as a flight instructor, he flew the T-28 with Training Squadron Six ( VT-6) at NAS Whiting Field, Florida. He left active duty in 1975 and flew UH-1 helicopters with the Rhode Island Army National Guard, at the former NAS Quonset Point in Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

After a 1978 civilian employment transfer to Chicago, Bergman transferred from the Rhode Island Army National Guard back to the Marine Corps Reserve, where he served in several 4th Marine Aircraft Wing units at NAS Glenview, Illinois: HML-776, flying the UH-1; VMGR-234, flying the KC-130; and Mobilization Training Unit IL-1. He was selected to stand up the second KC-130 squadron in 4th MAW and in 1988 became the first commanding officer of VMGR-452 at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York. From 1992 to 1994 he commanded Mobilization Station, Chicago.

In 1995, he was a special staff officer at Marine Corps Reserve Support Command at Overland Park, Kansas. In 1996, he became chief of staff/deputy commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. In 1997, he transferred to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana to serve as assistant chief of staff/G-1. Promoted to Brigadier General, he became deputy commanding general of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.

Transferred in June 1998 to Headquarters, Marine Forces Europe, Stuttgart, Germany, Bergman served as deputy commander. Recalled to active duty from April to July 1999, he was dual-hatted as EUCOM, Deputy J-3A. He then commanded II Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, until assuming command of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, New Orleans, Louisiana in August 2000.

In September 2002, Bergman assumed command of the 4th Force Service Support Group, New Orleans, Louisiana. He also served as chairman of the secretary of the Navy's Marine Corps Reserve Policy Board from 2001 to 2003. Returning to active duty in October 2003, he served as director of Reserve Affairs, Quantico, Virginia. He began his final assignment, command of the Marine Forces Reserve/Marine Forces North, on June 10, 2005. He relinquished that command in October 2009 and retired from active duty in December of that year.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Bergman won the Republican primary in Michigan's 1st congressional district in August 2016. The district covers all of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. He defeated Democratic nominee Lon Johnson and Libertarian nominee Diane Bostow in the November general election. Bergman, who was elected to succeed retiring Republican Representative Dan Benishek, won 55% of the vote to Johnson's 40% and Bostow's 4%.

Bergman was uncontested in the Republican primary in 2018, and was reelected against Democratic candidate Matthew Morgan with 56% of the vote. He was again uncontested in the 2020 primary, and defeated Democratic candidate Dana Ferguson in 2020 with 62% of the vote.

Representative Jack Bergman announced his candidacy for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 election. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, his campaign reported record-breaking first quarter fundraising totals for the cycle.

The 1st congressional district shifted slightly in the 2020 United States redistricting cycle following the 2020 census, losing Manistee County and part of Mason County, while gaining Missaukee County, Roscommon County, Ogemaw County, Iosco County, Arenac County, and part of Wexford County. This shift did not have a significant impact on the district's political leanings, remaining strongly Republican. In the 2022 election for the new district, Bergman faced only write-in opposition in the Republican primary, and was reelected easily against Democratic candidate Bob Lorinser, winning 60% of the vote.

In 2024, Bergman faced Josh Saul in the Republican primary, winning renomination with 79% of the vote. He defeated Democratic candidate Callie Barr in the general election with 59% of the vote.

In the 2023-2024 election cycle Bergman received $46,200 from members of the DeVos family, who also contributed substantially to republican-aligned super PACs. Overall, 36.6% of Bergman's campaign funding was from PACs, 22% from large donors, and 11% from individual contributions under $200.

Tenure

Bergman assumed office on January 3, 2017. He is a member of the Republican Study Committee, the Climate Solutions Caucus and the U.S.–Japan Caucus.

Bergman serves on the House Budget Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

In June 2017, Bergman was one of the Republican congressmen who were practicing on an Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field for the annual Congressional Baseball Game when James Hodgkinson began shooting at them, harming four people, including Representative Steve Scalise. Afterward, Bergman blamed the incident on anti-GOP rhetoric and the media.

Bergman voted with President Joe Biden's stated position roughly 6% of the time.

In October 2023, Bergman unsuccessfully ran for Speaker of the House.

Committee assignments

* Committee on Armed Services
** Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations (Chair)
** Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
** Subcommittee on Military Personnel
* Committee on the Budget
* Committee on Veterans' Affairs
** Subcommittee on Health
** Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
*Source:

Caucus memberships

* Republican Study Committee
* Climate Solutions Caucus
* Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
* U.S.–Japan Caucus.
* Psychedelics Advancing Therapies Caucus

Constituent Relations

In early 2025 Rep Bergman was criticized for failing to attend "empty seat" town halls hosted by Democrat and left-leaning organizations such as Indivisible in Escanaba, Houghton, and Traverse City.

Political positions

Spending and budget

In March 2016, Bergman said that cutting spending would be his top priority in Congress.

In a July 2016 television interview, Bergman said his three top priorities were to "get Congress working together" instead of being preoccupied with partisan division, to "utilize the Constitution", and to pass a balanced budget amendment.

In March 2021, all House Republicans including Bergman voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, an economic stimulus bill aimed at speeding up the United States' recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession.

Healthcare

Bergman opposes the Affordable Care Act and voted to repeal it in May 2017.

Environment

In September 2017, Bergman became the 29th Republican to join the Climate Solutions Caucus. However, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and the Vote Climate U.S. PAC both give him poor scores for environmental and climate votes. In 2024 Bergman voted against funding to implement the Paris Climate Agreement, though the bill was never taken up by the Senate.

Bergman voted in favor of the Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act, which would allow the Department of Commerce to award grants to Native American tribes for historical preservation, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation in the Great Lakes.

In 2025, Bergman voted to nullify the EPA rule on "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing" and the EPA rule on "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems", which would have helped decrease methane emissions, with a net benefits of $180 million.

Marriage

Bergman voted against the "Respect for Marriage Act" codifying '' Loving v. Virginia'' and '' Obergefell v. Hodges'', recognizing marriages across state lines regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."

Military

In August 2017, Bergman sided with then-President Donald Trump on barring transgender individuals from the military.

2020 presidential election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Trump refused to concede, Bergman announced he would oppose the confirmation of the Electoral College's vote in Congress.

In December 2020, Bergman was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of '' Texas v. Pennsylvania'', a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Biden defeated Trump.

In January 2021, Bergman announced his intention to object to the certification of the Electoral College results.

Israel

Bergman has been a vocal supporter of Israels right to defend itself and voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Awards and decorations

Bergman's military awards include:

Medals and ribbons

Personal life

Bergman has lived in Watersmeet, Michigan for over 30 years. They have ten grandchildren. Bergman is a Lutheran.

References

External links

Congressman Jack Bergman
official U.S. House website

Campaign website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergman, Jack
1947 births
American Lutherans
United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
Gustavus Adolphus College alumni
Living people
Lutherans from Michigan
Military personnel from Minnesota
People from Gogebic County, Michigan
People from Shakopee, Minnesota
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
Recipients of the Air Medal
Rhode Island National Guard personnel
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
United States Marine Corps generals
United States Marine Corps reservists
United States Naval Aviators
University of West Florida alumni
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives