Patrick Colbeck

Colbeck is a graduate of Detroit Catholic Central High School. He later graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with a Bachelors of Science in Engineering for Aerospace in 1987 and a Masters of Science in Engineering for Aerospace in 1988.[3] He went on to study Life Sciences for a summer at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

Colbeck was employed by Boeing as a Senior Design Engineer responsible for components of the Environmental Control and Life Support System and Quest Airlock module for International Space Station. He later provided contract systems engineering services to the Department of Defense for work on advanced simulation system for training military forces.[4] Colbeck then served as a Management Consultant and President of Perspective Shifts, LLC. He launched Tek Made Easy in 2007 to provide SharePoint-based web services for clients. In 2006, he published the book Information Technology Roadmap for Professional Service Firms.[5]

He is married to his wife Angie since 1995. They both are members of Northridge Church in Plymouth, Michigan, and call Canton, Michigan home.[6]

Senator Colbeck ran for office during the Tea Party wave of the 2010 elections. As a member of the Rattle With Us Tea Party in Plymouth, Michigan, he leveraged his retirement account to fund his campaign to become the first State Senator elected directly into the Michigan Senate without ever having served in public office in three decades. During his first term in the Michigan Senate, he served on the Senate Leadership Team as the Assistant Caucus Chair. He also served as the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and State Police budgets. During his second term, his outspoken opposition to Obamacare, tax increases, and Common Core Standards motivated the Republican Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof to make him the only returning Republican Senator to be denied any chairmanships.[7] He later had him removed from all committees after Colbeck attended a Right to Life Dinner in the Senate Majority Leader's district.[8]

In 2011–2012, Colbeck led the effort to make Michigan the 24th Right-to-Work state in the United States. Recognized as the "most vocal conservative in the Michigan Senate",[8] he led the unsuccessful effort to oppose state-based health exchanges in Michigan and Medicaid Expansion. He was successful regarding the state-based exchange effort but, despite a procedural move that temporarily blocked passage, he was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping Medicaid Expansion which is now referred to as the Healthy Michigan program. He was also responsible for the passage of legislation to expand school choice and he has been a vocal opponent of the Common Core Standards Initiative.

He is a co-Founder and Board Member for the Michigan Armed Forces Hospitality Center known as the Freedom Center.[9] He chronicled his time in the Michigan Senate in his book Wrestling Gators: An Outsider's Guide to Draining the Swamp.[10]

Colbeck was perhaps the most vocal critic of government-led healthcare expansion in the state of Michigan.[11] His articles entitled "Free Market Healthcare Revolution: Why and How" and "The Case for Medicaid Block Grants" outline his views on healthcare.

In 2011, Senator Colbeck co-founded the MI Freedom Center (aka Michigan Armed Forces Hospitality Center) to serve military personnel, veterans and their families. As the chair of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs budget, he implemented performance-based budgets that helped improve Michigan veteran services from among the worst in the nation to #2 in the nation.[12]

In 2015, during the middle of an intense debate over how to fix Michigan's roads, Senator Colbeck challenged his colleagues to a debate over whether or not it was necessary to increase taxes to fix the roads.[13] Senator Curtis Hertel accepted the challenge. The ensuing debate was moderated by Kyle Melinn of MIRS News Service. [14]

Colbeck has publicly stated that it is his opinion that wireless technology represents the #1 environmental issue of our day.[15] In December 2018, he hosted a forum in Lansing to discuss the benefits and risks of wireless technology such as smart meters, cell phones and 5G networks.[16] During his tenure, he introduced legislation which he claimed would empower consumers with increased choice as to the source of their electricity.[17]

He has been widely criticized for his remarks at a public forum featuring former member of the Muslim Brotherhood Kamal Saleem and former counter-terrorism expert with the Department of Homeland Security Phil Haney. During the forum, he reviewed a document entered as evidence in the federal trial U.S. vs Holy Land Foundation called the “Explanatory Memorandum”. The Explanatory Memorandum contains the Muslim Brotherhood's plan for what they refer to as “civilization jihad” in America. It cites organizations such as the Muslim Students Association as means to that end.[18] Colbeck made a point of highlighting that Abdul El-Sayed, one of his Democratic Party opponents, was Vice President of the Muslim Students Association at the University of Michigan, making unsubstantiated claims that El-Sayed has "affiliations" with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Students Association is not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. At a May 10, 2018 gubernatorial candidate forum hosted by the Michigan Press Association, Colbeck reiterated his unfounded claims. Abdul El-Sayed responded to Colbeck's remarks, calling for the GOP Field to condemn Islamophobia and racism, and to Colbeck, "You may not hate Muslims, but Muslims definitely hate you."[19]

During a public forum where he discussed belief in not utilizing tax increases, the Senator referred to his 72k salary as 'fixed income' since it remained constant throughout his 8 years of public service. Critics took issue with him calling a $72,000 per year salary a 'fixed income', many viewing the statement as insensitive to people of lower income levels.[20] “I often use the term ‘fixed’ to describe variables that are constant,” Colbeck claimed in a statement. “For example, I regularly refer to ‘fixed’ and ‘variable’ costs in financial discussions. Plus, I like to fix things and we have many problems in state government that can benefit from this attitude.”[21]

Colbeck called for the repeal of the Michigan Business Tax as a freshman state senator, claiming this and other cuts could save the state of Michigan $5.7 billion annually.[22] When this became a House Bill and it was time to vote on the repeal, he voted "No" citing issues with the legislation increasing taxes on seniors and property.[23]

On May 31, 2017, Colbeck filed to run for Michigan governor to replace then Republican governor Rick Snyder, whose second and final term expired in January 2019.[24][25] Colbeck was widely recognized as the most conservative candidate for governor in the 2018 gubernatorial race.[26]

Colbeck ran on what he called "Principled Solutions," asserting that the "solutions to the issues we face as a state are driven by guiding principles, not the whims of powerful special interests." His "principled solutions" are: job growth, excellence in education, no state income tax, budgets driven by priorities of the citizens of the state, better roads, quality and affordable healthcare, affordable auto insurance, defending your rights and supporting those who secure your rights.[27]

In August 2018, Colbeck lost the Republican primary to Attorney General Bill Schuette. He received 13% of the Republican primary vote in a 4-way primary race.[1]

In November 2020, Colbeck appeared at the 2020 Michigan State Board of Canvassers Certification meeting, where he pushed substantiated claims that the Michigan election had been rigged, despite Joe Biden leading by more than 150,000 votes statewide.[28] An affidavit filed by Colbeck claims that the computers used by election officials were connected to the Internet, which "opens the door" to possible vote manipulation.[29] However, chief judge Timothy Kenny found that there was "No evidence" to support these claims.[30]