Sunday, 01 December 2024

Republicans Flip Legislative Chamber In Battleground State


The state of Michigan will no longer have a Democrat trifecta.

Although reports focused on President Trump winning the Wolverine State, Republicans secured control of the state House.

Per CBS News:

Michigan Republicans are reclaiming a portion of the state government, breaking the Democratic Party’s trifecta that developed after the 2022 midterms.

Republicans are projected to lead or win 58 of the 110 state House seats after Tuesday’s general election, according to unofficial results. The GOP only needed to gain two seats to obtain a majority. A handful of races remained too early to call Wednesday afternoon, but the Associated Press had called more than half of the state House districts for Republican candidates.

Democrats currently control the governor’s office and the state Senate, which was not up for election this year.

“It gives us the opportunity to stop the progressive, far-left agenda that the governor is ushering through the state of Michigan that’s really impacted the economy here and really impacted the bottom lines of everyday Michiganders,” said state Rep. Bryan Posthumus (R-Rockford), who is expecting to take the role of floor leader in the new majority.

“Democrats vastly outspent Republicans throughout the state, but lost key races in southeast Michigan and Upper Peninsula,” Bridge Michigan noted.

The outlet reported that vulnerable Republicans managed to retain their seats.

Bridge Michigan reports:

Democratic Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, conceded the loss in a separate statement, saying Democrats “left everything on the field” in an effort to maintain the majority, adding that they’ll be back fighting to regain it in 2026.

“Come January, we will look for every opportunity to work with our Republican colleagues in a bipartisan manner to put the people of Michigan first,” Tate said. “We will fulfill our duty as the voice of reason and do our best to make our mark on legislation that moves through the state legislature.”

Democrats wrested control of the House and Senate from Republicans two years ago, winning a 56-54 majority in a favorable environment that saw Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other Democratic candidates sweep statewide seats.

With a close presidential race at the top of the ticket, Republicans were optimistic they could flip it back and end the Democrats’ political dominance in Lansing.

Democrats outspent Republican rivals at a near four-to-one ratio. As of mid-October, Democratic state House candidates had pumped $5.9 million into advertising and other expenses, compared to less than $1.6 million for Republicans.


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