Unofficial election results show two Democratic state representatives running for mayor will advance to the General Election this fall. Their mayoral bids could lead Democrats in the state House to temporarily lose their majority.
Democratic state Rep. Kevin Coleman won 41% of the vote in Westland’s mayoral primary and will face off against interim Westland Mayor Mike Londeau who won 45% of the vote in November, according to unofficial election results from Wayne County.
Meanwhile, Democratic state Rep. Lori Stone won 28% of the vote in Warren’s mayoral primary and will face off against City Human Resources Director George Dimas who won 34% of the vote, according to unofficial election results from Macomb County.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won reelection last fall while Michigan Democrats flipped both chambers of the state Legislature. This year marked the first Democratic trifecta in Michigan’s state government in 40 years.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes told the Free Press on Tuesday that she was monitoring the local election results and paying attention to what impact victory for the Democratic state representatives running would have on the state Legislature. “But I am just pleased that folks were out voting and exercising their right to vote,” she said.
Democrats hold narrow majorities in Lansing. In the state House, Democrats hold 56 seats to the Republicans’ 54, requiring all Democrats to stick together in the face of unified GOP opposition. Coleman and Stone’s mayoral bids set up a few potential scenarios.
Local elections:Mayoral races could temporarily cost Democrats their majority in the state House
Mayoral campaigns and Dems’ state House majority
If Coleman and Stone both lose their mayoral races, they won’t have to vacate their seats and can serve the remainder of their terms in the House, allowing Democrats to keep their majority without any interruption.
If only one of them wins, that still leaves Democrats with a workable 55-54 majority.
But if both win, that leaves Democrats with a 54-54 tie with Republicans. Under this scenario, House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, would continue to serve as speaker with Democrats chairing committees and deciding which bills come to the floor for a vote. (The House rules only allow a new speaker election to be called in the event of a 55-55 split.)
How would mayoral victories impact Lansing?
Both Coleman and Stone said Democratic control of the Legislature complicated their decisions to seek local office, but emphasize that Democrats in Lansing already have moved quickly to pass their key priorities and they expect to see a turn toward bipartisanship when lawmakers return from their summer break.
“With Speaker Tate and the governor, we’ve been working through the major legislative agenda at a pretty fast pace here. And I think this might be one of the reasons because it’s like, let’s get the hard work done so we can show what we’ve accomplished; but also in case there’s any changes to the Legislature, then we’ve ticked those boxes,” Coleman told the Free Press previously.
Stone doesn’t see a major impact on her fellow Democrats if she wins. “I definitely believe that regardless of how my race ends, it doesn’t change the dynamics in Lansing,” Stone previously told the Free Press.
Tate celebrated what Democrats have done with their new power in the Legislature so far. “But I think it will definitely slow things down,” he said in a May interview when asked about the potential even partisan split in the state House if Coleman and Stone’s mayoral bids are successful.
Democrats have so far used their majorities to reverse GOP labor laws, establish new gun safety measures and repeal abortion restrictions on party-line votes.
What’s next?
In the upcoming General Election Nov. 7, voters in Warren and Westland will choose their next mayor.
If Coleman and Stone win their respective races, they’ll be sworn into office after the results are certified, leaving their seats in the state House vacant.
It’s up to Whitmer to call a special election. She’s expected to do so quickly. Michigan election law doesn’t stipulate a deadline for the governor to call a special election. The Secretary of State’s office estimates it will take approximately 120 days to hold a special election if there’s a vacancy in a state representative’s seat.
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.