Steven Pestka (born October 5, 1951) is an American politician, attorney and businessman. Pestka served as a member of the

Michigan 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 2020 ...

, judge, and a Kent County commissioner. He was the Democratic Party nominee for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

2012 election to represent

Michigan's 3rd congressional district Michigan's 3rd congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, U.S. congressional district in West Michigan. From 2003 to 2013, it consisted of the counties of Barry County, Michigan, Barry and Ionia County, Michigan, ...

, which he lost to Justin Amash.

Early life and education

Pestka's father, Henry, survived the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Henry relocated to

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, where he started a real estate business. Pestka graduated from East Grand Rapids High School. He then attended Grand Rapids Community College and graduated from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. Pestka received his

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

degree from the

Michigan State University College of Law The Michigan State University College of Law (Michigan State Law or MSU Law) is the law school of Michigan State University, a Public university, public research university in East Lansing, Michigan. Established in 1891 as the Detroit College o ...

Career

After law school, Pestka became Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for

Kent County, Michigan Kent County is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the county had a population of 657,974, making it the fourth most populous county in Michigan, and the largest outside of the Metro Detroit, ...

. He became a member of the Kent County Board of Commissioners in 1992 and served three terms. In 1998, Pestka was elected to the

, where he served two terms. In 2002, Pestka ran against Bill Hardiman for election to the

Michigan Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...

rather than seek reelection to the Michigan House. Pestka lost the election 53.8–44.7%.

Jennifer Granholm Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician who was the 16th United States secretary of energy from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she previously served as the 47t ...

, the

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...

, appointed Pestka to the

Family Court Family courts were originally created to be a Court of Equity convened to decide matters and make orders in relation to family law, including custody of children, and could disregard certain legal requirements as long as the petitioner/plaintif ...

in the Kent County

Circuit Court Circuit courts are court systems in several common law jurisdictions. It may refer to: * Courts that literally sit 'on circuit', i.e., judges move around a region or country to different towns or cities where they will hear cases; * Courts that s ...

in 2003. He was elected to a six-year term in 2004. However, he resigned as judge in 2009 to help run his father's real estate business. Pestka ran for the Democratic Party nomination for the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...

to represent

. He lost to Republican (subsequently

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

and then

Libertarian Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

) Justin Amash.

Personal

Pestka and his wife, Alicia, have one son. They reside in

Ada, Michigan Ada Township ( ) is a civil township of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 14,388 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The majority of the township is included in the Forest Hills, Mich ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pestka, Steve 1951 births County commissioners in Michigan Living people Politicians from Grand Rapids, Michigan Michigan state court judges Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives University of Michigan alumni Detroit College of Law alumni Businesspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids Community College alumni People from Ada, Michigan 20th-century members of the Michigan Legislature 21st-century members of the Michigan Legislature