Following successful local elections, two members of the House Democratic Caucus will leave the chamber next week. This will shift the makeup of the House to a 54-54 Democratic/Republican split majority.
Key Points:
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- Representative Kevin Coleman and Representative Lori Stone were both elected mayors of their respective cities this past Tuesday.
- Both are set to be sworn in as mayor next week, leaving the two House seats vacant.
- Under House Rules, Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) will continue in his role leading the House.
- With the new split majority makeup of the chamber, either party will need at least one member from the opposite party to join them to pass legislation as 55 votes are needed.
13th House District:
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- Representative Lori Stone is serving her third term in this seat.
- The district is located in Wayne and Macomb Counties, including portions of Warren and Detroit.
- The seat has a 68% Democratic base.
25th House District:
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- Representative Kevin Coleman was serving his third term in office representing this district.
- It’s located in Wayne County and includes the city of Wayne and portions of Westland and Canton.
- The district has a 62% Democratic base.
Next Steps:
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- Governor Gretchen Whitmer will call for special primary and general elections to fill the seats.
- The exact dates of the special elections are currently unknown, however, the early indication is the primary will align with the February 27 presidential primary, and the general election held as late as May.
- Given the Democratic base in both seats, it’s anticipated they will both continue to be represented by Democratic officials.
