About Penny

I'm Penny Crider, and I'm excited about the opportunity to be your next State Representative for 17th district. 

I have a deep love for the communities within the 17th district. I was raised in Farmington Hills and Livonia. My husband Ken and I bought our first home in N-Redford and raised our family there before moving back to Livonia, very simply, metro Detroit is my home.

I am running to be the voice of this community, a majority of whom want and expect someone to stand up for their "family first" values. 

My personal motto for this campaign is  "MI Future is Brighter with Crider"

Our Governor or our current state representative have no respect for our constitutional rights, the nuclear family, freedom of speech, the rights of parents to choose what's right for their children whether that's choosing what their taught in school or what is put into their bodies, I could go on and on. She needs to go!

The citizens within the 17th district and Michigan as  a whole deserve better.

I am the daughter of parents who grew up during the Great Depression.  Their experience in those tough times made my mom and dad very conservative both, personally and fiscally, in the way they lived their lives. This traditional conservatism rubbed off on me. My father was a Combat Engineer in the United States Army and served his beloved country with the 32nd division “Red Arrows” in the Pacific Theater from the beginning of WWII (Feb, 1942 - Oct, 1945) through to the end.  My father’s patriotism and love of country is also something, I am proud to have inherited.  

Though I was born a Yooper in Marquette MI, I grew up in metro Detroit, moving to Oak Park and then to Farmington Hills as a young child.  I attended Clarenceville Schools from my days at Edgewood Elementary through my graduation from Clarenceville High School.  I met my husband Ken while he was a junior at “C-Ville” High, and we have been happily married for almost 37 years.  Our son also attended Livonia Schools and carried on what is now a family tradition by marrying his high school sweetheart.  

My initial career was as a dental assistant and office manager and then I went on to be a stay at home mom raising our son, a decision I will never regret. After twenty years of managing our household, and volunteering at school and thought the community, I took a job as a bus driver for the Livonia Public School district and loved it. While I drove for the school district, I was elected to represent the other union employees as a union steward for local 25. 

I attended Madonna University for an accelerated course in medical billing and coding but, as fate would have it, God had other plans. I had a chance meeting with State Senator Patrick Colbeck of the 7th district who represented my area. I was asked to interview for a position within his office. That following Monday, I was interview and offered the position of the Senators District Manager. I was blessed to have worked for the Senator for six years.

As district manager, I worked with constituents and local elected officials daily, helping solve their problems. I also learned how Lansing works, so I can hit the ground running from day one as your next state representative.

I'm dedicated to continuing to serve those who live in my district as your state representative. You will have a strong voice in Lansing and I will do everything I can to make sure you, your sons and daughters, small business owners, and new industry leaders want to make Michigan and metro Detroit their home. 

I look forward to getting to know you and thank you in advance for your support.

I have been a "small government" warrior for all of my adult life with a history to prove it. I will fight to protect the US and State's Constitutions and fight to protect life and liberty. I understand that the constitutions protect our God given rights and that our constitutions puts limits on the government not the governed.