With 55 years in office, Representative John Dingell is the longest serving member of Congress. His opponent in Michigan's 15th district, however, is quite the opposite, having never before run for office.

But despite his inexperience as a politician, Republican Rob Steele, a cardiologist, emphasizes his role as a community member and career man as attributes that will aid him in office.

Steele varies greatly from Dingell in his opinions on political over-regulation. Steele says that government interference has lead to less action in several areas and that his lack of knowledge about Washington will serve as a strength rather than a detriment.

While Dingell defends Medicare, Steele calls the Medicare system "broken" and believes that the new government health care system will only create more red tape problems for citizens, according to his campaign website.

Elizabeth Barrett, communications director for Dingell's campaign, wrote in an e-mail to The Michigan Daily that Dingell wholeheartedly supports these systems.

She wrote that Dingell hopes not only to protect Medicare for citizens, but also to continue to work for better health care within the parameters of the new government plan.

"He will be a watchdog for health care reform to protect the patients’ bill of rights, which he authored," she wrote. "And he will work to make sure it is effectively implemented for a solid, lasting and helpful reform."

Steele and Dingell also differ on their education reform objectives. The former feels that government funding is not the problem with education and instead points to proper schooling as the larger issue.

Dingell, on the other hand, hopes to fight for more government funds to make higher education more available.

“He will protect the Direct Loan and the Pell Grant Award Programs for Michigan higher education so that more young people have access to higher education to keep the great minds of the future here in the United States,” Barrett told the Daily.

According to his campaign site, Steele believes Dingell has not done enough to protect the district against unemployment problems plaguing the state, but Barrett wrote that Dingell aims to continue to focus on this issue in the future.

"He knows the job situation is difficult for young people right now," she wrote. "That is why he is working with new industries to bring jobs back to Michigan.

Steele cites fair taxes and government accountability as other important issues, writing on his website that government spending in Washington is out of control and must be curbed.

In an October 5, interview with The Michigan Daily, Steele said he feels his opponent is too consumed with larger government intervention.

“(Dingell has) been in the position where he thinks every solution starts and ends in Washington D.C., and that’s just not the case,” Steele said.

Because of the vast differences between the candidates, Barrett urged students to become informed and vote. She wrote that Dingell feels it is important for students to be involved in the election.

“He wants to make sure students are aware and vote on Tuesday,” she wrote. “As he says, our young people are only a quarter of our population, but they are 100 percent of our future.”