More About Michigan
There’s so much happening this year, here’s what else you need to know about your adopted state:
Michigan State House
We need to flip the Michigan House, which will happen if we pick up just four seats in November. To do that, we have to hold onto the seats we picked up in 2018. These candidates beat the odds in 2018 largely due to a big direct voter contact campaign to folks who don’t typically vote for Democrats. With Trump back on the ballot, we need to turn these new Democratic voters out again so we can keep these seats blue at the state level, and beat Donald Trump at the top of the ticket.
Here are some of the races to watch (and ways you can get involved):
Rep. Nate Shannon: (HD-25)
Rep. Nate Shannon is the current state representative in Michigan’s 25th district, which represents parts of the cities of Sterling Heights and Warren in Macomb County. The district gained national attention in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, where Trump won with nearly 54% of the vote. Mostly working class and white, Macomb County is the third-largest county in the state, and a political battleground in 2020. Despite leaning Republican, Rep. Shannon, a former teacher, won the district in 2018 and is fighting to keep his seat to continue funding our public schools and fighting the DeVos agenda, improving our infrastructure, and protecting our Great Lakes.
Rep. Mari Manoogian (HD-40)
Rep. Mari Manoogian is the current state representative in Michigan’s 40th district, which encompasses Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and a portion of West Bloomfield Township in Oakland County, the suburbs north of Detroit. First elected at 26, Manoogian became the youngest woman serving in the 100th Legislature, and the first Armenian-American woman to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives. District 40 was once regarded as a Republican stronghold, and points towards a bigger demographic we’ll need to flip the Michigan State House and win back the White House: the suburbs. The district with the highest percentage of bachelor’s degree attainment in the state, HD 40 is an important seat to win again if we want to see real change in Michigan and on the national level.
Rep. Jim Haadsma (HD-62)
Rep. Jim Haadsma is the current state representative in Michigan’s 62nd district in Calhoun County, which represents the city of Battle Creek, Rep. Haadsma, a lawyer specializing in labor relations and workers’ compensation, has spent his life fighting for working families to ensure opportunity for everyone in his community. Rep. Haadsma continues to practice law and remains heavily involved in his community, sitting on several local nonprofit boards, including the Art Center of Battle Creek, The Haven, and the Battle Creek Corps of the Salvation Army. In another district that went for both Trump and Gov. Whitmer, Rep. Haadsma’s seat is one to protect.
Rep. Angela Witwer (HD-71)
Rep. Angela Witwer is the current state representative in District 71, which includes much of Eaton County, including suburbs and rural communities surrounding Lansing. Rep Witwer’s district turned out for Trump in 2016, but also turned out for Rep. Witwer and Gov. Whitmer. Rep. Witwer has been a champion for adequate health care and quality public education, and sits on the Agriculture and Health Policy committee, as well as Gov. Whitmer’s Prescription Drug Task force. Rep. Witwer’s seat is crucial to winning the majority in 2020, and illustrates how the right candidate can flip a district thought to be unwinnable.