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Former state lawmaker to run for Michigan's 7th congressional district seat

A former state lawmaker is launching her bid to challenge mid-Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg in 2014.

Pam Byrnes announced her campaign for the Democratic Party nomination today.

She is an attorney from Chelsea with a background in family law.    She is the former Director of the Washtenaw County Friend of the Court.  Byrnes was also the Executive Director of the University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute. 

Byrnes says Washington is broken and that is hurting middle class families. 

“I think that the current representative from the 7th congressional district is a significant part of that gridlock in Washington,” says Byrnes.

Republican Tim Walberg was first elected to Congress in 2006.   He lost his seat in 2008, but regained it in 2010.  

While not addressing Byrnes' candidacy directly, Walberg released a statement, saying he’s “focused on building a healthy economy and working with colleagues to help hardworking taxpayers by making government live within its means, improving education and workforce training, stopping the IRS from abusing citizens, and repealing the government takeover of health care that is raising costs and hurting families.”

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.