78th state House race: Where Johnsen, Terpening stand on key issues

LANSING — Gina Johnsen, a first-term Republican legislator, and newcomer Christine Terpening, a Democrat, are vying for a two-year term representing the 78th District in the State House in the Nov. 5 election. The winner will serve Ionia County and portions of Eaton, Barry and Kent counties.
Each woman has, for the most part, different priorities and approaches for addressing issues.
Johnsen, an insurance agent for Swan Retirement Partners who turns 57 next month, is focused on ensuring local municipalities have enough funding for proper infrastructure and safety in their communities.
“If the state government is not, in my opinion, giving back to the local counties, the lower governments, an adequate amount of money to cover infrastructure and safety we’re kind of failing at our jobs,” the Lake Odessa Republican said. “Roads, clean water, wastewater treatment plants, bridges, dams, etc.: That has to be covered first, adequately and safety, police, fire, etc. If that’s not done well and enough, I don’t know why we’re talking about everything else.”
Terpening, 53, of Vermontville, an artist who owns a shirt printing business, said she wants to advocate for the health and safety of all children.
“Especially equality for all people,” she said. “Trans kids right now are being attacked, and I will protect trans kids. I’m very concerned with people who want to legislate against things that, maybe, are against their religion. I will represent everybody equally and make sure that we keep the rights that we hold dear in this state.”
Here’s a look at where the two candidates stand on key issues:
“I think we need to reevaluate what’s affecting our housing industry,” Johnsen said. “When I talk to builders, they are, there again, overburdened with regulations, fees and delays in being given permission to build. We have to reevaluate that. If we are screaming that we need housing, and we do, then let the builders build. Let them build what is wanted and pursued in each area.”
Johnsen said she also opposes the impending elimination of tipped wages at restaurants and forcing businesses to provide paid time off for their employees.
“Not only is this not affordable by them, but this kind of narrative pits the employee against the employer in many cases where there is no battle, there is no animosity,” she said.
Terpening didn’t cite a specific policy position, but said she supports making life easier for families.
“I would like the families to afford their groceries, and I’d like them to be able to afford a home and I’d like them to be able to breathe outside their paycheck,” she said. “That’s what I want. I’m going to be thinking of everybody that lives in our district equally and doing what’s right and what’s best for everybody.”
While Johnsen and Terpening have differing personal beliefs regarding abortion, neither would seek to take that right away from women.
Johnsen, the executive director of Pregnancy Center of Eaton County and a volunteer for Protect Life Mi, is pro-life, but she said as a legislator her role is to uphold the state’s Constitution, which now protects abortion.
“Frankly, when Proposal 3 passed, it was a slim majority, but it passed with the majority vote, and abortion is no longer a discussion we can have,” Johnsen said. “It can’t be taken away. The rights are clear.”
Terpening said she will “always fight for the right for a woman to make her own health care decisions. I look at abortions as health care. I also, just like everybody, don’t like abortions. I wish there was never a need for a woman to have an abortion. But there are so many reasons that this may happen.”
Supporting education and contraception is just as important, she said.
Johnsen said she sees herself as “a green Republican,” but she opposes “a fake green energy narrative that doesn’t give us clean air, water and soil, but spends a whole lot of money pretending that we can actually ever sustain ourselves on wind and solar energy. That is ridiculous.”
Johnsen said she’s voted against proposals promoting green energy because they aren’t affordable or sustainable. She said she supports several ideas brought up by Robert Kennedy Jr., though she didn’t cite any specifically.
Terpening is an advocate for solar and wind power.
“I believe in cleaner and renewable resources, and using solar power and wind power that does not rob the planet of resources that we cannot renew, and it also leads to cleaner water and cleaner land for my kids, and I want that for all kids,” she said.
Terpening said she would consult with experts before voting on green energy proposals as a legislator.
Johnsen believes the best way to address gun violence is to ensure police agencies and first responders have enough funding and support.
“We have to have enough funding for safety, the partnership with local authorities, respect for local authorities, funding the police adequately and all the departments that go with the police, 911, dispatch, etc.,” she said. “We have to have all this in place…That’s how you deal with any kind of violence, any kind of safety problem.”
Terpening supports putting gun registration laws in place. She also believes there needs to be a solid system in place for people to report individuals they believe may harm others with a gun.
“I think we need to become more of a community when it comes to guns and this is a tricky issue,” she said. “People are very stuck to their guns. I am very stuck to our children and (shootings) could happen here. It could happen in our schools. We’re already losing kids to suicide. I would tighten our belt when it comes to gun laws.”
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Johnsen said she supports forging community partnerships between school districts, local churches and other organizations that she says are already offering mental health support to kids.
“Collaboration is the answer for so many of our problems,” she said. “We need to collaborate with local communities, civic organizations, churches, synagogues — any group that is supportive of the people they are already serving.”
Johnsen also supports increasing funding to local school districts for mental health support. “The burden is so heavy on the teachers and the administration, and they just cannot sustain learning like this,” she said. “Our model for learning in the state is impractical at best.”
Terpening, the founder of I’ll Be Your Rock, a rural LGBTQ+ youth support group with chapters in communities that include Charlotte, Vermontville and Ingham County, said the group often works with school social workers.
“I am learning where to access it, but it is so hard, I think, to find especially when you’re in the middle of needing it,” she said. “I want it more accessible, especially because I come from a rural community. I want more mental health services, and I want them to be accessible, and I want them affordable.”
Terpening said every school needs to employ at least one counselor. She supports “options for counselors at schools and more intervention.”
Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at [email protected]. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .