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August 17th, 2022 Political Note #494 Michigan House of Representatives
2022 General Election
Michigan’s redistricting has made it possible for Democrats to gain a majority in the House of Representatives. Possible, but not easy and maybe harder than it was under the old districts. The current make-up of the Michigan House is 56 Republicans, 53 Democrats, and 1 Independent. With redistricting, despite the work of the independent redistricting commission the situation looks worse. CNanalysis anticipates 58 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 4 Toss up seats. Of the 58 Republican seats they project two Tilt Republican. If the Democrats win the Toss ups and the Republican Tilts while holding all the projected Democratic seats, they would still be one seat short of taking control of the House.
Help the Democrats find a way to a majority. Look at the Toss ups, the Tilt Rs, plus the Lean Rs. Support these Democrats $5 or $10 per candidate helps them understand that people around the country are rooting for them.
Toss Ups – Michigan 38, Michigan 44, Michigan 83, and Michigan 103
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Joey Andrews. Jim Haadsma
John Fitzgerald Betsy Coffia
Michigan 38
Joey Andrews is an attorney and a policy analyst for the state AFL-CIO. He touts himself as a fifth generation southwest Michigan native focused on water issues, including erosion and flooding, the aging infrastructure including the presence of lead, the short term rentals creating a housing shortage, and the need for fair wages. He would work to make abortions legal and accessible in Michigan and to include members of the LGBTQ community subject to Michigan’s civil rights laws.
Joey Andrews will have to defeat Kevin Whiteford, a former county Republican party chair of the whose wife is completing her third and final term in the House. Whiteford entered the race hoping for less fighting between parties, but his platform as the “pro-life,” “pro-second amendment” candidate makes that hope improbable. Consider a donation to Joey Andrews campaign.
Michigan 44
Jim Haadsma is an attorney and the incumbent Representative for Michigan 44. Born in Muskegon, he has lived in Battle Creek for nearly 20 years. He has a local office of a larger Michigan firm and specializes in labor law and workers comp. The son of missionaries in Africa, he lived in Africa for much of his youth – returning to Michigan for college, law school, and ultimately to settle. He serves on several local boards with a special interest in the NAACP and the Urban League. Initially elected to the state House of Representatives in 2018, he has focused on making unemployment insurance accessible during the pandemic, strengthening education during the pandemic with high speed internet and with sufficient funding for the long term, on making health care accessible, and on improving infrastructure.
Jim Haadsma’s opponent is Dave Morgan, who had a 25 year career with Amtrak as an Amtrak conductor and in management. Retired from Amtrak, he was active in community organizations, and coaching kids. More moderate than most Republicans, he urges full funding for first responders, rights for parents in schools (a consistent issue for Michigan Republican candidates without clarifying what it means), and school investments in STEM. He would protect union and non-union jobs, reform property tax to give seniors a break and give a break to people who make improvements on their home. Michigan is better off if MI 44 keeps Jim Haadsma in the House.
Michigan 83
John Fitzgerald is from Wyoming, Wyoming Michigan. He comes from a family of political figures including a former governor and a former state supreme court justice. His father died when he was young; his mom was a pastor in Grand Rapids and other communities. He has been on a variety of community boards and served on the Wyoming City Council. He identifies five priorities for his service in the legislature: helping schools, recovering from the pandemic, defending reproductive freedom, providing universal access to quality health care, and capitalizing on the recent job growth by investing in these new workers, and taking common sense steps toward greater gun safety.
John Fitzgerald’s opponent is Lisa DeKryger. She and her husband own and run a construction company. She is a Deacon and a youth ministry leader as well as a school volunteer. Her recent campaign picnic was billed as a Vote Life picnic. Provide John Fitzgerald a little support so that Michigan’s House has a Democratic majority and a majority that supports women’s reproductive rights.
Michigan 103
Betsy Coffia is the Democratic candidate for District 103 which includes Traverse City and nearby counties. If Macomb County is at the base of the thumb that is Michigan Traverse City is near the top of the pinky.
Betsy Coffia was elected to the Grand Traverse County Commission in 2018. She ran for the MI House once before – in 2012. In anticipation of that run, she created a political consulting firm. Before that, she worked as a news editor and as a family service worker for Head Start. Since then, she was Director of Alumni Relations for Northwestern Michigan College for three years. When she campaigns, she tells people about the importance of health insurance. Her health insurance paid more than $300,000 for services she received when she had a benign brain tumor.
Betsy Coffia had a productive experience as a County Commissioner including
- jail reforms she encouraged after two suicides
- arranging meetings with the Sheriff’s office and the BIPOC community that, in turn led to the purchase of police body cameras,
- a wage study for employees that led to raises for employees after commissioners awarded themselves raises that she opposed.
She has four clear priorities in her run
- take care of the workforce so the economy runs,
- protect reproductive rights,
- protect and supporting public education,
- protect voting rights.
Betsy Coffia is running against the incumbent Jack O’Malley – a long time radio and television broadcaster whose most recent accomplishment is passing legislation prohibiting an unauthorized person from entering a school bus without the bus driver’s permission. Provide support for Betsy Coffia.
Tilt Republican – Michigan 54, Michigan 58
Shadia Martini. Nate Shannon
Michigan 54
Shadia Martini is from Aleppo. Had she returned to Aleppo when she finished her research at the University of Economics in Vienna, she would not be alive today. This daughter of Syrian physicians with a degree in architectural engineering left for southeast Michigan. She received an MBA from the University of Michigan, now lives in Bloomfield Hills and owns a real estate brokerage, a construction company, and a medical spa. She is a human rights advocate who will bring that advocacy to the Michigan House of Representatives.
If Shadia Martini is to be in the Michigan House, she will need to defeat Donni Steele, the treasurer of and former Orion Trustee. Steele would reduce government oversight of businesses, reduce inflation by minimizing reliance on foreign oil, keep social agendas out of the schools, reduce taxes for seniors and support veterans. Michigan would be better off with Shadia Martini in the House. Provide her with some support.
Michigan 58
Nate Shannon, a public school teacher and the child of two public school teachers, is the incumbent in this district. Before his election as State Rep, he was on the Sterling Heights City Council in southeast Michigan about one third of the way between Detroit and Chicago. In the legislature, he has sought to eliminate a rigid third grade reading retention law, prohibit denial of health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions, support expansion of broadband, require corporations to pay penalties for their pollution, provide a tax credit for those working in and providing apprenticeships, streamline approval of safe house care for kinship caregivers, and increase funding for local law enforcement.
Michelle Smith is Nate Shannon’s challenger. She describes herself as a conservative Republican and is married to a police officer. She says the role of government is to keep a balanced budget, promote the growth of industry, population, tourism, and the quality of life. She would improve the efficiency of Michigan’s infrastructure, government agencies, and education. Keep Nate Shannon. Support him.
Lean Republican Michigan 28, Michigan 31, Michigan 55, Michigan 61
Rob Kull Reggie Miller.
Pat Bernard. Denise Mentzer
Michigan 28
Rob Kull’s grandfather, a Teamster, served on the Jefferson School Board. His father, a UAW member served on the Jefferson School Board. His mother taught in the Jefferson schools. Rob Kull got waylaid during his time at Eastern Michigan University by the 2008 recession. He joined the navy, served as a structural mechanic, and completed his degree at the University of Arizona. He served as chair of the Arizona Veterans Democratic Caucus, as Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown’s Veteran and rural outreach coordinator, and veterans coordinator for Amy McGrath’s Kentucky Senate run.
He returned home as Veterans Affairs Director for Monroe County, MI. His wife is teaching in the Downriver school district. Rob Kull has four priorities for his campaign – infrastructure, support for families, support for schools, and support for veterans and their families. Help Rob Kull defeat political neophyte Republican Jamie Thompson. Thompson may be new, but she has figured out a way to create a website that says nothing about her political views.
Michigan 31
Reggie Miller began babysitting at the age of nine, began regular part-time work at 14. Raised by her mother after her father died young, she has become a community pillar – serving on a half dozen committees ranging from the Senior Endowment to serving as the Executive Director of the strawberry festival. She has been a Van Buren Township Trustee since 2012. In her run for the Michigan House, she announces herself as the only 100% pro-choice candidate in the race. She is endorsed by unions, conservation organizations, and pro-choice organizations. She may even get a little help from Emily’s List. Help her out, too.
Her Republican opponent is retired trucker Dale Biniecki. He is for defending Michigan as a border state, traditional education, and preserving agricultural land from energy special interests. Donate to Reggie Miller. Help Michigan get a Democratic majority in the House.
Michigan 55
Pat Bernard is the Democratic candidate. Unlike most candidates for the state legislature, she is no local. She was born in England where her US Air Force dad was stationed. She and her two siblings were raised by her mom in Rochester, MI, which makes her local enough. She has a BA from Wayne State, and MBA from Central Michigan University and a doctorate in education from Andrews University – a school both local and Christian.
Two more things about Pat Bernard. She is African American in an overwhelmingly white community. She owns a trucking company, is a real estate broker, and consults with businesses. Her issues page begins with women’s rights, continue with gun safety, education, health care, the environment, and voting rights. She is running against Mark Tisdel who was elected to the legislature in 2020. He sells insurance, serves on numerous local boards, and says not a thing about his political views. Give a little money to Pat Bernard’s campaign.
Michigan 61
Denise Mentzer is a graduate of Baker College. She worked for four years as the Assistant to the Chief Information Officer in Macomb Counties Technology Office and then became the County’s Senior Buyer. Meanwhile she ran for elective office and, in 2013, was elected a Commissioner for the City of Mount Clemens. She has been an advocate, supporting the Michigan governor plan that has been enacted into law for improving water quality – replacing lead pipes, removing toxic contaminants from the water supply, and generally making Michigan’s water supply more drinkable.
Her Republican opponent Mike Aiello promises to stand up to the socialists so that he can preserve “the freedoms and opportunity choices” for his children and the rest of the next generation. It is unlikely that he includes women choosing whether or not to have a child is among the choices he hopes to preserve. Support Denise Mentzer.
Support these Democratic candidates for the Michigan House of Representatives. Win these races and Michigan will have a Democratic House of Representatives.
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