Pannebecker, 67, announced his candidacy to fill the soon-to-be vacant position left behind by Rep. Jay DeBoyer of Clay Township, who was selected to be a running mate for Governor John James.

The retired auto worker has made himself known in the revolving door of advocates who attend and speak for President Trump whenever he makes a campaign stop in Michigan.

Pannebecker will be one of several Republicans vying for DeBoyer’s position. However, his enthusiasm and claimed status as a political activist have given the candidate hope that he’ll stand out from the crowd.

"I just feel like everything I've done as a political activist has led up to this moment," Pannebecker said in a Friday interview with The Detroit News. "And it was something more than coincidence that Jay was chosen by John James to be his running mate.

Having been an automaker for around 30 years before retiring in 2020, Pannebecker first got involved in conservative politics around 2006, calling organizers of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative ballot campaign and telling them they needed to "up their game."

Pannebecker went on to work for state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, R-Harrison Township, and to found the organization Auto Workers for Trump.

He’s caught the attention of Trump, who regularly calls upon Pannebecker to his podium to speak on his opinions regarding the auto industry.

In a Facebook post by Pannebecker, he highlighted his pleasant relationship with the president, saying: “He called me up on stage and then asked me how I thought he was doing, and I said ‘you’re exceeding expectations’ and he got a good laugh out of it!”