Republican · Michigan's 1st District · 2026
Jack Bergman
Bergman's family roots in the Upper Peninsula go back to iron miners in the late 1800s.
Biography
Jack Bergman's family connection to the Upper Peninsula reaches back to ancestors who worked as iron miners in the late nineteenth century.1 He and his wife, Cindy, have a home in Watersmeet, and he is a grandfather.1 His civilian working life has included commercial aviation and businesses in medical equipment.1
Bergman spent forty years in uniform and retired as a Marine Corps lieutenant general in 2009.2 His assignments included flying helicopters in Vietnam and commanding Marine Forces North and Marine Forces Reserve.2 He also had a twenty two year career as a commercial airline pilot and launched two medical equipment businesses during his military career.1
He entered Congress in 2017 and represents Michigan's 1st District.3 His committee assignments include Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs and Budget.2 He chairs the Budget Committee's Oversight Task Force and serves on the Veterans' Affairs panels covering health and oversight and investigations.2
His stated priorities include military readiness, adequate defense funding, scrutiny of defense spending and reducing federal spending.2 In March 2026, he joined Republicans and Democrats in introducing legislation to review federal mental health programs for veterans and people transitioning out of military service.4 The proposal focuses on evaluating how effectively those programs serve people seeking care.4
Record and controversies
Staff consulting complaint
Two constituents asked the House Ethics Committee in May 2026 to investigate Bergman over senior aides' outside consulting business and compensation arrangements, alleging that the pay structure avoided financial disclosures.5 His chief of staff said he complied with House rules, including outside income limits, and denied that hiring the consulting firm determined whether clients received Bergman's endorsement.5 The committee declined comment, and Bergman's office did not answer the newspaper's request for comment for that report.5
A complaint requesting an investigation does not establish that the committee opened one. An announced investigation or official finding was not verified in this review.
Washington housing arrangement
An October 2026 Detroit News investigation reported that a campaign supporter's company sold the Washington home Bergman rented to a company registered to adult members of his family, using seller financing.6 Watchdog lawyers questioned whether the transaction and rental payments reflected fair market value; Bergman's spokesman said he paid fair market rent and complied fully with House ethics rules, and rejected the report as speculation.6 The report said he continued claiming House lodging reimbursements after the sale.6
An official finding that the sale, rent or reimbursements violated ethics rules was not verified in this review.