Congressman Fred Upton’s penchant for reaching across the aisle to take up bipartisan causes in the nation is being recognized by a national organization as a “Common Ground Champion.”
The Common Ground Committee – a national nonpartisan, citizen-led organization – has named the St. Joseph Republican a “Common Ground Champion” today for his commitment to working with both sides of the aisle to find solutions. Upton’s ‘Common Ground’ score of 70 was the eleventh highest among elected officials nationwide and was the highest among all Michigan elected officials.
The average score was 26.
Erik Olsen, Co-Founder of Common Ground Committee, says, “We can’t hope to solve the issues facing our nation if we stand divided,” and adds, “Lawmakers like Congressman Upton are working together to make progress for their constituents. We hope that more lawmakers follow their lead and make a commitment to finding common ground.”
Responding to the recognition, Upton says, “This isn’t just about some score – this is about a real commitment to working with anyone to solve problems. If it’s a good idea and will help solve problems, sign me up.” He adds, “We need more lawmakers committed to coming together, solving problems, and finding common ground. If we paid more attention to governing than politics, we could do a lot more good for a lot more people. That’s what I’m about.”
According to the Common Ground Committee, the scores were based on how elected officials embody the spirit and practice of a Common Grounder — someone who seeks points of agreement and solutions on social and political issues through listening and productive conversation.
For more information on the Common Ground Committee and this year’s scores, click this link:
