COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Prosecutor Val White will not seek a full term in office as she had originally planned.
She is instead backing her Chief Assistant Prosecutor Zachary Stempien in the August Republican Primary against former Branch County Prosecutor Terri Norris.
White was appointed as Branch County Prosecuting Attorney in early 2019 to serve out the balance of Ralph Kimble’s term. He was forced to resign after sexual harassment complaints were made against him by female courthouse employees.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, White said “it had been my plan to run for election in the 2020 primary and general election. As a relative newcomer to Branch County, and given the challenges of presenting a campaign and continuing to meet with community members due to COVID 19, I have made the difficult decision to change my plans. I am instead choosing to back the campaign and election efforts of Zachary Stempien as he runs for Branch County Prosecuting Attorney.”
Stempien is a Coldwater native who is a graduate of the Thomas Cooley Law School
While working at HaasCaywood, he was appointed as Chief Assistant Prosecutor in March of 2019.
Stempien serves on the City of Coldwater Planning Commission and has been involved in coaching local youth basketball, baseball and football teams.
In announcing his candidacy, Stempien said “as a community, we are at a crossroads in the fight against crime. As crime continues to increase and as addiction continues to tear apart our community and families, we need a clear, passionate and aggressive direction forward.”
