John Pappageorge was born to a Greek family on the east side of Detroit, Michigan.

[3] Pappageorge served 30 years of active duty in the Infantry, including two combat tours in Vietnam.

Pappageorge conducted shuttle diplomacy between Greece and Turkey that returned Greek forces to NATO's integrated military structure.

[2] After retirement from the Army, Pappageorge became Director of Business and Strategic Planning at General Dynamics Land Systems Division.

[3] His son George is an Army reserve Lieutenant Colonel who has served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This was the first serious Republican opposition against Levin, after his congressional district absorbed a Republican-leaning spur of Oakland County in redistricting.

Pappageorge served in the Michigan State House of Representatives from 1999 to 2004, when he retired due to term limits.

[2] In 1998, he ran for the Michigan State House 41st District seat, which then encompassed southern Troy, Clawson and northern Royal Oak in Oakland County.

[7] After Pappageorge joined the race, Gosselin dropped out in order to run for County Commissioner in Troy.

The Michigan Republican Party, on behalf of Pappageorge's campaign, distributed flyers alleging that Levin had stances on issues, including same-sex marriage, illegal immigration and gun control, that were too liberal for the district.

[11] In the general election, Pappageorge was challenged by newcomer Aaron Bailey, a West Point graduate and Afghanistan veteran.