After sailing to reelection victory, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer may soon be greeted with a Democratic-controlled state legislature.
For the first time since 1984, Democrats appear on track to capture the state Senate, according to Gongwer subscription news service. Republicans held a 22 to 16 seat majority over Democrats, but a series of victories has seemingly whittled that away.
In the state House, Democrats are similarly poised to win a majority for the first time since 2010, MIRS subscription news reported. Redistricting had rendered the state House race more hospitable to Democrats than prior maps.
Furthering the strong showing among Democrats, the party has also held its advantage on the state Supreme Court, flipped a congressional seat, and won a number of referendums.
On the state Supreme Court front, the two incumbents, Brian Zahra (R) and Richard Bernstein (D), won their respective races, per the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Democrat Hillary Scholten bested John Gibbs in the race for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District.
Abortion appeared to be a major factor for Michigan voters in the midterm election cycle. The state had a law on the books that predated Roe v. Wade and banned abortion. Proposal 3, which created a state constitutional right to abortion got the approval from voters on election night.
