State Rep. Jack Hoogendyk has his work cut out for him.

The three-term Republican legislator from Kalamazoo is looking for a promotion to the U.S. Senate, but to get there, he has to defeat five-term incumbent Sen. Carl Levin.

In a speech to the University's College Republicans chapter last night, Hoogendyk said people shouldn't count him out.

“I wasn’t drafted,” he said. “Some consider me as a sacrificial lamb, but I did this willingly because I felt called to and I felt it was something we could do,” he told 100 College Republicans gathered at the Michigan League.

Levin, a Democrat, is running for a sixth term after winning the last three elections with the support of 60 percent of voters.

Hoogendyk, who has twice been voted the most conservative member of the Michigan House of Representatives, said government is “becoming more and more socialistic, that believes they know all the answers and that they can provide all the things that you need.”

He said the federal government is too involved in health care and education.

“They have no clue, and they’re wasting your tax dollars,” he said. “I would rather see us eliminate the Department of Education and block-grant the money right straight to the states and say, 'here, take this, and you figure out how to educate your children.'”

He also said business and property owners shouldn’t be as restricted by the government as they currently are.

“That’s why I’ve decided to put my name up and run against a very well entrenched opponent in a very uphill battle, no question,” Hoogendyk said.

LSA junior Brady Smith, chair of the University’s chapter of College Republicans, said he was very happy Hoogendyk came to speak.

“He represents the direction we need to move in and what’s great about the country,” Smith said. “Despite the obstacles, he’ll bring a lot to the race and raise awareness.”

Hoogendyk said his strong conservative thinking is what gives him a chance against Levin.

“I find it interesting that so often, the folks in the middle and on the left will say ‘you conservatives, you’re never going to get anywhere because you’re just too conservative, you’re too far to the right, you’re out of the mainstream.’”