Jason Allen (politician)


Jason Allen was a 2016 candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Michigan's 1st congressional district. Allen previously served as a senior policy advisor for the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, State of Michigan.
Prior to his appointment as senior policy advisor, Allen was a Republican Party politician from the U.S. State of Michigan. He served as the majority whip of the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2010.
He resigned as senior policy advisor to run for Congress in January 2016.
Allen, who is from Traverse City, Michigan, was first elected to the Michigan Senate in November 2002, and was subsequently re-elected in November 2006. He represented the 37th district, which includes Grand Traverse, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Chippewa and Mackinac Counties.

Early life and education

Allen has lived his entire life in Traverse City. After graduating high school he attended Northwestern Michigan College. From there he completed his education at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Finance. He then returned to his hometown and began a job at his family's menswear business. He has served in the Michigan National Guard with the rank of E4 specialist and is a member of the American Legion. Allen has also remained active in his community. As an Eagle Scout he continues to help out with scouting activities, serving on the President Ford Executive Board and counseling merit badges.

Political career

Prior to becoming a senator in 2002, Allen served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives for the 104th District from 1999 to 2002. In 2000 and 2004, he was named the Advocate of the Year by the Michigan Manufacturers Association.
He has been a member a member of the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, Great Lakes Community Health Board and Northwestern Michigan Council of Government. He is also a member of Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Whitetails, the Ruffed Grouse Society, the American Legion and a Life Member of the NRA.
Allen is pro-life and supports lower taxes, reducing government regulation and the right to bear arms. In 2016, Allen signed the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge, committing to opposing tax increases.
On November 6, 2017, the Trump Administration announced the appointment of Jason Allen as the new State Director for USDA Rural Development in Michigan.

Congressional campaigns

Allen unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Congress in the 2010 primary election, losing by only 15 votes out of 70,996 total votes cast. Allen chose not to request a recount so the Party and the District was not put through a lengthy and costly process. "It is time to put the primary behind us and move to the general election. It is time for all conservatives to band together to defeat Gary McDowell," Allen said in 2010. He ran in 2016 for the Republican nomination for the open congressional seat. He was defeated in the Republican primary by Jack Bergman, who also won the general election in November 2016.