Goschka achieved a political upset by defeating then-Speaker of the House, Lew Dodak (D-Taymouth Twp.
Being elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1998 in a heavily Democrat district, and winning reelection in 2002, it was in his second term that Goschka established himself as a strong proponent of Higher Education.
He successfully convinced his colleagues that a basic minimum funding floor should exist for every college student in the State of Michigan's public universities, regardless of which school they attended.
Goschka was also recognized as a "Friend of Agriculture," as designated by Michigan Farm Bureau, and received their "Silver Plow" Award.
Additionally, he was honored by Saginaw Valley State University in May 2006 with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.