Democrats take back control of the house

[TC Talks]

The quotes of the Republicans about "cooperation and bi-partisanship" made me laugh out loud. Time to get some things done in Michigan.

Bridge Michigan

Special elections in Southeast Michigan Tuesday are expected to end a months-long tie in the state House, which has been gripped by partisan gridlock since two Democratic lawmakers stepped down last fall.

The 13th District, covering Warren and part of Detroit, and the 25th District, which covers the cities of Wayne and Westland, were left vacant last year after former Reps. Lori Stone and Kevin Coleman resigned to take local mayoral positions.

Both districts trend heavily Democratic, meaning Macomb County Commissioner Mai Xiong and Westland City Council member Peter Herzberg are strong favorites to fill the vacant seats.

Their victories would restore Democrats’ 56-54 advantage in the state House, which party leaders say is critical to ending the ongoing deadlock,finalizing a state budget and advancing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s policy agenda before lawmakers shift their focus to fall campaigns.

“Being back at full strength means we can continue to do the work that we’re sent here to do for Michigan residents,” House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, told Bridge Michigan. “After these elections … we’ll be able to do that.”

House Republicans say they’ve been frustrated by what they viewed as a lack of cooperation by Democrats during the partisan tie.

Minority Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, had unsuccessfully pushed for a power-sharing deal during the temporary split, including proposed creation of a joint rules committee that would have determined which bills made it to the floor.

“In a House evenly split, it’s vital for Republicans and Democrats to collaborate on issues…where common ground exists,” Hall wrote in one of several letters he penned to Tate in recent months.

[TC Talks]

Great win and a +2 for Democrats in the State House.

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Great win and a +2 for Democrats in the State House.

Good. With all the Josh Powell signs in my neighborhood and endless mailers threatening doom upon me for voting for Herzberg and all the Trump signs in my little corner of the district you would think there was real support there. Fortunately not. I feel better now.

[billmich88888]

there should never be ties, either add a 111th member, or have the Lt. Governor break ties like they can in the state senate.

[TC Talks]

It certainly is another indication of how the state ends up in the Presidential election. This is the first showing after the new districts were drawn.

[Taco]

Time to get things done!

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Time to get things done!

Aren’t you ostensibly a Democrat?

[Graham Wellington]

there should never be ties, either add a 111th member, or have the Lt. Governor break ties like they can in the state senate.

Therein lies the issue with this legal gerrymandering law. It focuses more on being fair to the political parties at the expense of actually representing the citizens in the district. It didn't solve a damn thing. All it did was gerrymander different groups of people and make their votes and voices worthless.

[Rate This]

there should never be ties, either add a 111th member, or have the Lt. Governor break ties like they can in the state senate.

Therein lies the issue with this legal gerrymandering law. It focuses more on being fair to the political parties at the expense of actually representing the citizens in the district. It didn't solve a damn thing. All it did was gerrymander different groups of people and make their votes and voices worthless.

They were worth more when one party (the one with fewer overall adherents) was grossly over represented in state government?

[Graham Wellington]

there should never be ties, either add a 111th member, or have the Lt. Governor break ties like they can in the state senate.

Therein lies the issue with this legal gerrymandering law. It focuses more on being fair to the political parties at the expense of actually representing the citizens in the district. It didn't solve a damn thing. All it did was gerrymander different groups of people and make their votes and voices worthless.

They were worth more when one party (the one with fewer overall adherents) was grossly over represented in state government?

No. That's my point. This new way of drawing the districts solved nothing. People are still being gerrymandered into districts to make their votes essentially worthless, all in the goal of ensuring "fairness" to the political parties.

[Rate This]

there should never be ties, either add a 111th member, or have the Lt. Governor break ties like they can in the state senate.

Therein lies the issue with this legal gerrymandering law. It focuses more on being fair to the political parties at the expense of actually representing the citizens in the district. It didn't solve a damn thing. All it did was gerrymander different groups of people and make their votes and voices worthless.

They were worth more when one party (the one with fewer overall adherents) was grossly over represented in state government?

No. That's my point. This new way of drawing the districts solved nothing. People are still being gerrymandered into districts to make their votes essentially worthless, all in the goal of ensuring "fairness" to the political parties.

Well… they are going to end up put into districts somehow… the goal is to make the districts reflective of the political makeup of the state. Slightly more Democratic than Republican but pretty even… whatta ya know? That’s exactly what we have…

[TC Talks]

I doubt the grippers today said much when we had districts looking like this...