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.[7]
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.[8] 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.[9]
Hertel was elected Ingham County Register of Deeds in 2008,and re-elected to a second term in 2012.[4] 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.[10] 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.[12] He also introduced legislation to require discussions on affirmative consent in high school sex education classes.[13] In March 2016,he introduced a bill to put $3million into the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund, which would give money to firefighters who develop cancer due to chemical exposure on the job.[14]
In November 2018,Hertel was re-elected to the 23rd district in the Michigan State Senate,where he served four more years.[15] Hertel served as the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.[16]
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.[5] He announced his resignation from the Whitmer administration on June 30,2023.[17] Less than a week after resigning from the Whitmer administration,where he had negotiated the state's $82billion 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 $1.5million grant. Hertel denied that his involvement in the state budget included knowledge of the $1.5million 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."[3]
In February 2025,Hertel was elected chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. Hertel ran unopposed after his only opponent dropped out due to not collecting enough signatures.[1]
Personal life
His wife,Elizabeth,serves as Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services director.[9]
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