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State Rep. Brian Palmer's advice to whoever succeeds him as the elected speaker for the 36th District in Lansing: be bold.

"We need people who will take bold steps to turn things in the state around," the outgoing state legislator said. "We don't want more of the same. We need people to be bold and take a chance."

Palmer, R-Romeo, is term-limited at three two-year terms.

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On Aug. 5, voters in the 36th District will choose a Republican and a Democrat to face off Nov. 4.

The district, which is viewed as Republican territory based on its voting history, includes the northern Macomb County communities of Bruce Township, Shelby Township, the village of Romeo and Washington Township.

Those who vote in the Democratic primary will have three candidates from which to choose; those who cast votes in the GOP primary will have two.

Jeff Grundy, 62, and Greg Moore, 55, both of Washington Township, and Robert Murphy, 51, of Romeo are running as Democrats.

Their rivals from the Republican Party are Matthew Hedge, 39, and Pete Lund, 44, both of Shelby Township.

All five say the top issues facing the district -- as well as Metro Detroit and the rest of the state -- are Michigan's stagnant economy, its growing unemployment and rising energy costs.

Grundy believes lawmakers must step up efforts to retain businesses in Michigan and lure new ones to the state to improve the state's health. He also thinks his background as a business development manager equips him the best for that task.

"We've had lots of lawyers and bean counters, but we haven't had enough real business people in Lansing," he said.

Meanwhile, Moore's plan for helping the district's residents focuses on promoting education -- especially for children.

"I'm also pledging to donate $10,000 of my salary to my district to help its citizens, if I'm elected," said Moore, who boasts more than 20 years experience in the health care industry. The base salary for a state representative is $79,650.

And Murphy, a mediation specialist, believes his skill as a negotiator makes him the best-suited candidate.

"My training and experience has been invaluable in resolving problems," Murphy said. "I'm going to work closer with our U.S. congressional delegation to get funding for my district and the state from Washington."

If elected, Hedge, who has more than a decade of experience in corporate finance management, plans to introduce legislation to lower taxes and cut government spending.

"We have to lower taxes across the board and everything will follow from that," he said. "That'll attract capital into the Michigan marketplace and allow us to compete with other states."

Pete Lund is arguably the most well known of the candidates because he's served as a Macomb county commissioner for the last 10 years.

He is also the owner of a direct mailing company and an adjunct professor of finance and economics at Walsh College.

"I understand how to work with others, put coalitions together and get things done," Lund said. He said his top priority will be to push for the repeal of the Michigan Business Tax to attract businesses to the state.

Palmer's other of piece of advice for his successor: "You're going to have to do those things, which are the right things to do but they don't get you re-elected," he said. "You have to make your own way."