Curtis Hertel Jr. (born January 9, 1978) is an American politician who served as a state senator from 2015 to 2023, for the 23rd district in Michigan, representing the Greater Lansing Area.[1]
He is the son of Curtis Hertel, who was co-speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1993 to 1994. Hertel's brother, Kevin Hertel, was elected to the Michigan State Senate in November 2022.[6]
Education and early career
Hertel holds a bachelor's degree from James Madison College at Michigan State University, where he attended from 1996 to 2000.[7] Hertel served on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners from 2001 to 2008, representing the north half of East Lansing and Meridian Township. From 2005 to 2008, Hertel worked as a Legislative Liaison for the Department of Community Health under Governor Jennifer Granholm.[8]
Hertel was elected Ingham County Register of Deeds in 2008, and re-elected to a second term in 2012.[3] As Register of Deeds, Hertel filed a lawsuit against mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2011, seeking millions in unpaid taxes on property transfers in the county.[9] The outcome is still pending.[citation needed]
He introduced bills to offer tax credits to Michigan college graduates who elected to remain residents of the state after graduation.[11] He also introduced legislation to require discussions on affirmative consent in high school sex education classes.[12] In March 2016, he introduced a bill to put $3 million into the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund, which would give money to firefighters who develop cancer due to chemical exposure on the job.[13]
In November 2018, Hertel was re-elected to the 23rd district in the Michigan State Senate, where he served four more years.[14] Hertel served as the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.[15]
Political career
Due to term limits, Hertel was ineligible for re-election in 2022. He joined the gubernatorial administration of Gretchen Whitmer as Whitmer's top lobbyist in the role of director of legislative affairs.[4] He announced his resignation from the Whitmer administration on June 30, 2023.[16] Less than a week after resigning from the Whitmer administration, where he had negotiated the state's $82 billion budget, Hertel took a role at the nonprofit Greater Flint Health Coalition, which was expected to benefit from the state budget in the form of a $1.5 million grant. Hertel denied that his involvement in the state budget included knowledge of the $1.5 million budget appropriation earmarked for the Greater Flint Health Coalition. According to The Detroit News, the arrangement "puts a spotlight on the close, behind-the-scenes relationships between groups seeking assistance from state government and officials in positions to provide it."[2]
