William Lund, then a 32 year-old Socialist Party activist born to Norwegian parents who became interested in politics when Bryan ran for President in 1896, defeated the Republican incumbent who had represented the district since 1902 by mobilizing miners and ethnic voters, and to integrate the Upper Peninsula into the rest of Michigan. Lund also advocated for progressive policies such as the initiative, referendum and recall, farm cooperatives and reparations for injured workers, causing Lund to be endorsed by the Progressive Party. In his upset victory, he outperformed Eugene Debs in Marquette County by 43 points. 

In the Michigan House of Representatives, Lund caucused with the Democrats, which were very weak statewide, and was very active in writing and voting legislation, especially that favorable to farmers and miners. His most enduring legacies are a free textbook program for schoolchildren and the reparations he promised on the campaign trail. 

Lund's strong opposition to any American involvement in WWI caused him to lose reelection in 1916, but he would make a comeback 28 years later as the nominee of his declining American Socialist Party. After merging with the Democrats in 1948, Lund lost reelection to a moderate Republican woman in 1952, fading into obscurity.

1912, 1914 and 1916 Michigan House of Representatives elections in the district Marquette County was located in.