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Recapping the election: Democrats in charge in Lansing, a northern Michigan House district turns blue, some GOP incumbents hold on

 From left, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. All three won re-election Tuesday night (11/8/22).
From left, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. All three Democrats won re-election Tuesday night.

A state House district in northern Michigan will be represented by a Democrat, as the party rises to power in Lansing. That doesn't mean it was bad news for many Republicans, though.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer led a ticket that won a historic sweep of election victories Tuesday night, putting Democrats in control of Lansing.

This is the first time that’s happened in four decades.

In a formal victory speech Wednesday, Whitmer spoke about some goals for the coming four years.

“Our story is defined by movements for women’s rights and civil rights and LGBTQ rights, and our lives have been shaped by generations of Michiganders who unionized and fought for better pay and benefits,” she said.]

Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon also formally conceded the race with a phone call to Whitmer.

Democrats won the House and Senate as well as seats on the Michigan Supreme Court.

Voters also returned Democrats Dana Nessel and Jocelyn Benson to their respective jobs as attorney general and secretary of state.

DEMOCRATS GAIN IN LANSING

The seats picked up by Democrats in Lansing include a district from northern Michigan.

Side-by-side portraits of Republican state Rep. Jack O'Malley and Democratic challenger Betsy Coffia.
Betsy Coffia, a Grand Traverse County commissioner, unseated Republican state Rep. Jack O'Malley in the 103rd District.

Voters chose Betsy Coffia to represent them in the 103rd House District, which includes Leelanau County and parts of Grand Traverse and Benzie counties.

She beat incumbent Republican state Rep. Jack O'Malley, who was seeking his third term in the House. O'Malley represented the 101st District, but was placed into the 103rd after electoral maps changed following the 2020 census.

Speaking to IPR on election night, but before the results were known, Coffia said she was optimistic about her chances of getting elected — optimism that was ultimately borne out by voters.

“We campaigned across our part of Grand Traverse County, as well as all over Leelanau County, a little bit of Benzie County," Coffia said. "I think there’s a lot of excitement that this is a truly competitive district. At the end of the day, that’s good for the voters, to have real options.”

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND OTHER PROPOSALS

Whitmer made reproductive rights a centerpiece of her campaign during this election, which also included a ballot measure — Proposal 3 — to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution.

Voters supported the proposal, many of them perhaps animated by this summer's overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The petition to place the measure on the ballot garnered a record-breaking number of signatures.

Also getting the green light from voters: Proposal 1, to make changes to term limits in Michigan's legislature and require more transparency for lawmakers; and Proposal 2, a constitutional amendment to expand voting rights.

GOP INCUMBENTS

Republicans fared well in northern Michigan, despite the loss of the 103rd House District.

Two Republican state representatives are leaving the House but staying in the legislature.

State Rep. Michele Hoitenga will become a senator for the 36th District. She beat Democrat Joel Sheltrown. And in the 37th District, state Rep. John Damoose beat Democrat and Northport school board member Barb Conley.

And Republican state Sen. Jon Bumstead was leading Democrat Terry Sabo for the 32nd District state senate seat.

In the House, state Rep. John Roth won his race for Michigan's 104th District over Democrat Cathy Albro, and incumbent Republican Ken Borton won the 105th District, beating Democrat Adam Wojdan. The district includes parts of Antrim, Kalkaska and Crawford counties.

And Republican Cam Cavitt beat Democrat Marie Fielder in the 106th District, which includes parts of Cheboygan County.

In Congress, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman secured another term by handily defeating Democratic challenger Dr. Bob Lorinser, a physician from Marquette.

(Left) Jack Bergman (I) (R), (Right) Bob Lorinser (D)
Incumbent Republican Rep. Jack Bergman, left, will return to Congress after defeating Democratic challenger Dr. Bob Lorinser.

Bergman is a retired Marine lieutenant general and airline pilot who has represented Michigan's 1st District in Washington, D.C., since 2017.

He’s also one of four congressional Republicans who signed onto a lawsuit that attempted — and ultimately failed — to undermine the 2020 election results.

"I look forward to working across the aisle to fix the problems plaguing our state and continuing to be a leader in Congress," said a post on Bergman's Facebook page.

The last Democrat to hold this seat was Bart Stupak, in 2010.

On Twitter, Lorinser said his team ran an excellent campaign but "missed our mark." According to unofficial results on the Michigan Secretary of State's website, Lorinser trailed by more than 22 percentage points.

"Our margin of loss was unexpected and disappointing, but we cannot be defeated if we never give up," he said. "We must persevere."

MARIJUANA, TALL BUILDINGS AND TRANSIT

 Stephen Ezell holds one of his campaign signs in his store, Interlochen Alternative Health, a medical marijuana dispensary in Green Lake Township. He's hoping voters there approve recreational marijuana sales.
Ed Ronco
/
IPR News
Stephen Ezell's campaign to approve recreational marijuana sales in Green Lake Township appears to have been successful. (Photo: Ed Ronco/IPR News)

Recreational marijuana had mixed results across the region. Voters in Green Lake Township approved a proposal to allow recreational pot businesses to operate there. The community had previously "opted out" of the state's legalized marketplace for pot.

Voters in Petoskey and Frankfort rejected similar proposals.

Traverse City's Proposal 1, to approve an apartment complex, was soundly rejected by 58 percent of voters.

The proposed building would have been more than 60 feet tall, which triggers a public vote under the city charter.

Voters were warmer toward public transit — approving a millage for the Bay Area Transportation Authority by about 20 points. The renewed millage continues bus service through 2027.

MORE ELECTIONS

Didn't find what you were looking for? Here are links to various county websites with election data:

Antrim | Benzie | Charlevoix | Cheboygan | Emmet | Grand Traverse | Kalkaska | Leelanau | Manistee | Mason | Wexford

You can also visit the Michigan Secretary of State's election website, and follow the national picture from NPR.


Reporting for this story by: Rick Pluta and Colin Jackson of the Michigan Public Radio Network, and IPR's Michael Livingston, Patrick Shea, Daniel Wanschura, Max Copeland and Ed Ronco.