From Football to Making History

Liz Gullett

Dec 22, 2022

Last month, the House Democratic Caucus elected Representative Joe Tate (D-Detroit) to serve as Speaker of the House next term. This marks a historic first for Michigan, as he will be the first black Speaker of the House in state history. When he was elected to the House in November 2018, he came to the House without any prior experience serving in government or being an elected official. During his first two terms, he quickly rose as a leader in his caucus. In his most recent term, he served as the Democratic Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and served on the following subcommittees: General Government, Health and Human Services, Military and Veterans Affairs and State Police, and Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and Insurance and Financial Services.

Speaker-elect Tate began his professional life in the NFL, after playing football at Michigan State University. After his time playing football, he served his country in the United States Marine Corps, deploying twice to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Following an honorable discharge, he earned both an M.B.A. and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Planning from the University of Michigan. Prior to running for office, Speaker-elect Tate worked as a program manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, helping small businesses grow their capacity.

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