Michigan Politics

2018 Michigan State House Races

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Cross-posted at The Western Right, Right Michigan, and RRH Elections.

All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives will be up for election in November. Republicans won a 63-47 majority in 2016, the same margin as in 2014. There are 42 open seats, 25 held by Republicans and 17 held by democrats. There are 23 open due to term-limits, 18 just due to seeking another office, and 1 pure retirement.

Democrats are hoping to take control of the state house. They may benefit from anti-Trump enthusiasm.  Libertarians achieved major party status due to Gary Johnson’s showing in 2016, which led to more Libertarian candidates.  The elimination of straight ticket voting may help Republicans in downballot races.

Conservatives did reasonably well in 2018 primaries.  Conservative Lee Chatfield is the presumptive next house GOP leader.

Republican Michigander has a profile of the Michigan state house focusing more on district demographics.



The following lists district number, current incumbent, geographic description, 2012, 2014, and 2016 state house results, 2012 Romney %, 2016 Trump % (if known), and political rating.  The complete candidate list is available here:

https://miboecfr.nictusa.com/election/candlist/2018GEN_CANDLIST.html

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Conservative News, Cronyism, Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Government Incompetence, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Oh no, you’ve caught me in another lie! Now, what do I do?

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Jocelyn Benson obviously thinks that women voters aren’t very smart nor can think for themselves.

Perennial Michigan Secretary of State Candidate Jocelyn Benson was on Michigan Matters last weekend.

Despite claiming to be THE candidate for Michigan SoS (even noted democratic contributor Nolan Finley felt that she was more up to the job than Mary Treder Lang), she succeeded in shoving her head firmly up her anal database even before she bothered to open up her mouth.

Let’s just say that Carol Cain’s question right from the start immediately gave Ms. Benson the deer-in-the-headlights appearance for this so-called “Ready-for-Prime-Time” player.

Submitted without any further comment (the fun starts at this link right at the 1:00 mark).

 

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Democrats, Detroit, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Lest We Forget

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In 2010, it was the office of Jocelyn Benson that was organizing the fake tea party fiasco.

It was Oakland county operatives who committed felony election fraud.  Those same operatives were toadies for Benson and other political players masterminding the scheme to defraud voters that year.  Michigan Freedom Fund noted this a month ago, but somehow we missed it.  (H/T CS)

Benson has been intimately linked to a 2010 election fraud scheme that resulted in nearly a dozen felony charges and two convictions.  Benson, who was running an unsuccessful campaign for Secretary of State even then, employed a campaign manager named Jason Bauer.  That year, Bauer pled no contest after being charged with multiple felony counts in connection with a voter fraud scheme.  Bauer and Michael McGuinness, Jocelyn Benson’s then operations director, were busted forging records to set up dummy candidates in an illegal effort to siphon votes away from Republican candidates in metro Detroit.

To this day, Benson has yet to answer for the election fraud scheme perpetrated by her senior staff members, or to offer any remorse or explanation for her improper handling as a candidate for the state’s top elections post of individuals who were attempting to rig our elections.

Michigan voters need to be reminded of whom it was that tried to manipulate our elections. they need to be reminded that the #PartyOfCrime never quits. Power seeking by illicit players needs to be checked.

And in this case, making Jocelyn Benson Michigan’s Secretary of State is giving the robber the keys to the vault.

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

New Mary Treder Lang Radio Spot Highlights Expertise

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The Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State Campaign today unveiled a new statewide radio advertisement reminding voters that when our elections and electronic data are on the line, Treder Lang’s cyber security and technology management experience make her the best candidate for Secretary of State.  I have done a quick video to the right (at no cost) which might make it easier to share.

    “Mary Treder Lang has over 15 years of experience in cyber security in the private sector,” says the ad. “Mary Treder Lang has what it takes to protect the sanctity and security of our voter rolls, election records, and your personal information. Don’t send a law school professor to do the job of a cyber security expert. Vote Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State.”

    The ad is on air now and is expected to be broadcast on radio stations across Michigan between now and Election Day. The ad is also available online.

    “Mary Treder Lang’s experience as a cyber security expert and leader at some of the world’s most well-known technology companies makes her the best candidate for Secretary of State,” said Ian Barber, campaign manager for Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. “When hackers or foreign governments try to meddle with our elections and steal voters’ personal data, Michiganders know Treder Lang has the experience and the modern day skills to make all the difference.”

    Treder Lang has a modern set of skills, developed over a 30 year record of accomplishment using technology to find efficiencies and improve lives. An expert in cyber security and the meaningful use of technology, she’s spent decades shattering glass ceilings, launching her career at KPMG in Detroit before filling a series of management positions at SBC / Ameritech and LINX Technologies. She later joined Siemens, Inc., where she held various senior management positions. Since 2013, Treder Lang has served as a Vice President at Vista Maria, a nonprofit organization in metro Detroit delivering innovative care, support, treatment, and education to at-risk youth.

    For more information, you should check out MaryTrederLangForSOS.com.

 

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2018 US Senate Race, Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Republicans

Protect The American Dream Tour

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John James will be making a number of Northern Michigan Stops this Friday.

Friday, October 26th, John is making a tour through Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula– and you have the chance to meet him at one of four different rallies.

Alpena County Breakfast
Location: Alpena Victory Center, 1201 W. Chisholm, Alpena, MI
Event Time: 8:45 AM Doors Open, Breakfast 9:00 AM-10:00 AM

Marquette County Rally*
Event Time: Doors Open Noon, Event runs 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Location: Marquette Commons, 112 South 3rd Street, Marquette, MI 49855

Iron Mountain Rally*
Location: Lake Shore Systems, 2141 Woodward Ave, Kingsford, MI
Event Time: Doors Open 1:00 PM, Event Runs 1:30 PM-2:30 PM (Central Daylight Time)

Traverse City Rally*
Location: Traverse City Victory Center, 1148 W South Airport Rd, Traverse City, MI
Time: 4:30 PM-5:30 PM

*Marquette, Iron Mountain, and Traverse City stops Congressman Bergman will be joining

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Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics

Debbie Stabenow Has Been BAD For Michigan

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Americans for Limited Government has released an issue advocacy ad (linked and at right) targeted at social media users in Michigan that attacks Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) for her stance against tariffs being levied by President Donald Trump against China.

The ad cites Stabenow criticizing the tariffs in one of the senatorial debates against opponent John James (R-Mich.), where she stated, “What’s happening around these tariffs is hurting us in terms of our jobs.” -more below-

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Michigan Politics

2018 Michigan State Senate Elections

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Cross-posted at The Western Right, Right Michigan, and RRH Elections.

All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election in 2014.  Republicans currently have a 27-11 supermajority, and have controlled the senate since 1983.  Republican control of the state senate has prevented democrats from complete control of Michigan’s government in some years, and stopped a lot of bad things from being passed.

Fortunately for Republicans, the Michigan state senate is up only in midterms, which usually favor Republicans much more than presidential years.  Republicans had a good year in 2014, picking up one state senate seat, following four pickups in 2010.

The 2010 redistricting produced a map that was moderately pro-Republican, while complying with all relevant laws.

Michigan Redistricting: Official Republican State Senate Map Released
Michigan Redistricting: Republican State Senate Map Passed

There are 26 open seats due to term-limits, 7 D and 19 R.  All current state senators are former state representatives except three (Colbeck, Conyers, Hertel).  Next year, three Detroit-based districts will have senators with no house experience.

For the past few years, the state senate has been more moderate than the state house.  This cycle, several ideologically split Republican primaries resulted in a state senate that will be slightly more conservative than before.

I have included election data for the 2014 state senate election, and McCain (2008), Romney (2012), and Trump (2016) results in each district.  More data is available from Republican Michigander and RRH Elections.

Republican Michigander district profiles (see sidebar)
RRH Michigan Senate Data File
Michigan State Senate 2018 Preview (all up in 2018)

The McCain numbers look terrible for Republicans because he collapsed after publicly pulling out of Michigan.  The largest McCain percentage in any Michigan state senate district won by a democrat in the past twelve years is 46.2% in (old) district 31.

Here is a breakdown of the individual races.  State reps years in office are listed after their names, with P meaning present.

2018 Candidate List (Michigan Secretary of State)

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Michigan, Michigan Politics

Proof That Proposal 2 Cannot Work

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A political action committee that is calling itself Republican Women for Progress is promoting Democrats in the general election.

Gosh, have we ever seen this happen before?    Each election cycle it is axiomatic that someone attempts to paint themselves as what they are not, in order to elect their guy (or gal).  Politics makes for great liars.

And this time they are targeting Mike Bishop and Lana Epstein.  Nothing says bipartisan feminist like targeting a Jewish woman because of the Kavanaugh hearings, the premise upon which this group was supposedly founded.

Does it surprise you that the primary funder for the group Republican Women for Progress is Reid Hoffman?  It shouldn’t.

The group’s founder Meghan Milloy was (also no surprise) previously the Chair of Republican Women for Hillary (RWFH). Incredibly, her bio also notes her ‘day job,’ something potential donors to ‘center right’ think tanks ought to note.  How long does one have to shill for the other side’s candidates before they lose any credibility in the party they pretend to support?

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2018 Michigan Gubernatorial Race, Elections, Michigan

Frightening

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Gretchen Whitmer’s teammate Garlin Gilchrist really really really doesn’t like to debate.

He must find it to be a little scary.  That or the boss knows he will drag her chances for a win to the floor.  Three strikes and yer out!  The last three times it didn’t go so well, and Gilchrist didn’t win as candidate for city clerk.

The Schuette campaign was hoping that Garlin Gilchrist  would agree to debate Lisa Lyons at least once.  If only so that voters could see how well this man with no governmental oversight or legislative experience might do when put under the slightest of pressure.

So instead of pressuring Gretchen Whitmer’s BEST PICK for Lt. Governor relentlessly, the Schuette campaign has released as a public service, a list of each debate he has already engaged in, so that Michigan’s voting public can make an informed choice on November 6.

See them by going below the fold.

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