Jerry Zandstra

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Zandstra, an avid hunter. (left)

Reverend Gerald (Jerry) Zandstra is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church and a conservative activist from Michigan.^{[citation needed]} He is the head of the Pro-Life Federation of Michigan.^{[citation needed]} He has three sons, Jacob, Thomas, and James. He is married to Mary Van Duyn.

[edit] Politics

Zandstra sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2006, for the seat now held by Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who is running for re-election.^{[citation needed]} Running as an outsider candidate with little funding, Zandstra failed to make the ballot after the Michigan Secretary of State's office determined he filed too few signatures (712 short of 15,000).^{[citation needed]} Zandstra decided not to legally challenge that determination despite his claim to the Board of Canvassers that enough of the 1400 challenged signatures were legally valid.

Zandstra was most noted for his support of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or Proposal 2. He was the only Senate candidate in the Republican field that supported the initiative, which eventually went on to win 58% - 42%.

On August 1, 2006, Zandstra announced his support for Keith Butler at a press conference held in Grand Rapids.^{[citation needed]} Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, the front-runner, went on to win the Republican primary, but lost to Stabenow in the general election.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Zandstra holds a Bachelor's degree, two Master's degrees, a Doctor of Divinity, and is completing a second doctorate from the Western Michigan University School of Public Affairs.^{[citation needed]} He has taught in several colleges and graduate schools, focusing mostly on economics and leadership.^{[citation needed]} He is a former director of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. He has published articles in newspapers throughout the United States and has traveled the world extensively.^{[citation needed]} Zandstra was an advisor to the Kenyan Constitutional Committee.^{[citation needed]}