Green Oak Scientist, Small-Business Owner Rob Hower Makes Case for Education, Health Care and Economic Change in State Senate Bid

February 16, 2026

By Matthew Hutchison / news@whmi.com

Green Oak Township business owner Rob Hower says his bid for the state Senate representing Michigan’s 22nd District is rooted in a simple idea: bring a problem-solver’s mindset to Lansing and focus on education, health care and the rising cost of living facing Michigan families.

“I’m just a regular guy,” Hower, a Democrat, said during an appearance on WHMI’s Meet the People podcast, where he outlined his background and priorities as he challenges Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy, a Republican, for the seat currently held by term-limited Republican Sen. Lana Theis.

Hower, a fourth-generation Michigander who moved to Green Oak Township in 2003, is the CEO of Ann Arbor-based Numed Technologies and a part-time engineering professor whose career has centered on developing advanced sensor technology and medical devices.

Scientific Background

He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, supporting himself through school with a series of jobs, including tutoring math — work he said helped shape his desire to teach.

Recalling his parents’ careers in education, Hower said, “I loved what they did and I wanted to follow in that, and I’ve always wanted to teach others.” His mother worked for Michigan’s Department of Education developing K-12 health and wellness curriculum, while his father served as an early administrator and financial aid director at Washtenaw Community College.

Although he initially expected to become a full-time teacher, Hower said his interest in electronics steered him toward engineering research and medical technology. In addition to serving as CEO of Numed, Hower teaches electrical engineering at Wayne State University and has spent more than a decade training therapy dogs that visit hospitals, nursing homes and schools.

Education As Top Priority

Hower says education is the central issue of his campaign, arguing Michigan’s academic performance remains a serious concern even in higher-performing counties like Livingston.
“Livingston County is doing better than a lot of the (other) counties in the state,” he said. “However, we’re still not doing great. We’re still looking at around 50 percent of students being proficient in reading. Even that I think is still very low, and that needs to be improved.”

He supports incentivizing teachers to focus on literacy programs.

“We need to incentivize teachers — they can make more money if they are coaches or do extracurricular activities,” he said. “Why not give them money to have reading programs after school to help some of these students who need work on reading?”

Hower also pointed to early dyslexia testing and more individualized instruction as tools that can lead to improved outcomes.

He also believes Michigan should rebalance school funding disparities tied heavily to local property taxes. “We need to make sure that everybody has access to good education,” he said.

Beyond K-12 schools, Hower emphasized strengthening community colleges and trade programs, arguing the state has undervalued skilled trades.

“Not everyone wants or needs to get a four-year education,” he said. “We need people who are plumbers and auto mechanics and electricians, which (require) trade schools and internships. These trade schools are very important.”

He also voiced support for the new state law going into effect for the 2026-2027 school year prohibiting K-12 students from using smartphones in classrooms, saying education should prioritize interpersonal development.

“Part of education is learning to deal with other people and talk to other kids and exchange ideas and play sports and run around and be kids,” he said.

Technology, AI & the Classroom

As an educator and business owner, Hower said artificial intelligence presents both opportunity and risk.

He supports using technology to assist teachers with lesson planning and classroom engagement, freeing teachers up to spend more time interacting with students. But he also worries that AI may reduce critical thinking and reasoning skills.

“We need to do more training of teachers on the use of some of these new tools,” he said, while adding that, as a professor, he can recognize when students rely too heavily on AI.

Preventative Health Care

Health care ranks as Hower’s second major priority. He argued Michigan must focus more on preventative care to reduce long-term costs and improve outcomes.

“At the state level, we need to promote regular checkups and detecting problems very early,” he said. “If you catch cancer at stage zero, it’s very easy to fix.”

He cited concerns about infant mortality and mental-health access, saying additional study and expanded prenatal care could help improve outcomes.

“We’ve got to look at prenatal care and why we have such a high infant mortality rate,” he said.

Economic Concerns and Small Business Growth

On the economy, Hower said voters consistently raise concerns about the rising cost of living.

“I’m hearing that costs are rising on everything and wages aren’t keeping up,” he said.

He graded Michigan’s economy a “C-minus,” arguing the state must diversify beyond traditional industries and attract more high-tech employers to keep graduates from leaving.
“We need more high-tech industries in Michigan,” he said, adding that the state should also expand housing construction, which in turn supports trades employment.

As a small-business owner, Hower advocates for targeted tax incentives for smaller companies as a means to accelerate hiring. “A small tax break could mean the difference between hiring another employee and not hiring another employee,” he said.

Asked about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s performance, Hower offered mixed praise.

“There’s things she’s done that I really like, and there’s things that she’s done that I don’t like,” he said, pointing to road improvements and environmental priorities as positives while questioning the state’s promotion of tax incentives for data centers.

Data Centers and State Leadership

Hower criticized the push for large data center developments, including proposals in Livingston County, saying environmental and transparency concerns outweighed projected benefits.

“I would rather vote against something if I don’t have all of the information,” he said, citing concerns about non-disclosure agreements and heavily redacted materials tied to proposed projects.

A Call for Civility and Compromise

Hower repeatedly emphasized a willingness to work across party lines.

“Just because a Republican says it doesn’t mean it’s not right,” he said. “I want to listen to everybody.”
Asked why voters should support his candidacy, Hower framed his scientific background as an asset.

“I’m a hard worker. I’m a scientist. I like to do my research,” he said. “I’m going to listen to everybody and try to come up with the best solution… and take that to Lansing and be the voice of the people of the community.”

Hower faces Republican Mike Murphy in the November election for the 22nd Senate District, which includes all of Livingston County and portions of Ingham, Shiawassee, Genesee and Oakland counties.

You can hear Matt’s discussion with Rob Hower on the podcast page of WHMI.com linked below.