ICYMI: Michigan Dems Lay Out Stakes Ahead of House Special Elections

Chair Barnes and Representatives Pohutsky, Steckloff, and Grant highlighted Tuesday's election as another critical moment to reject extremism

LANSING - In case you missed it, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party Lavora Barnes, Speaker Pro Tempore Laurie Pohutsky, Representative Sam Steckloff, and Representative Kristian Grant laid out the stakes of today's special elections that will determine control of the state House.

These Democratic leaders warned that a MAGA MIGOP majority in the Michigan House would work to undo the historic strides Democrats have made on reproductive rights, clean air and water, infrastructure, and more. The MIGOP will continue to push an extremist agenda, regardless of the damage it will do to Michiganders and their families.

Barnes, Pohutsky, Steckloff, and Grant also emphasized that this election will foreshadow the fight for the state House this November when we are confident voters will continue to reject the MAGA extremism in favor of the great strides Michigan Democrats have made across the state to build a brighter future for all.

Check out coverage ahead of the special elections below:

AP: Democrats seek to seize control of deadlocked Michigan House in special elections

• "These special elections will determine who controls the House here in Michigan and set the tone for November, when we will decide whether Democrats hold on to the state House," said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes…
• Democrats flipped both chambers in the 2022 midterms while maintaining control of the governor's office to win a trifecta for the first time in 40 years. They moved quickly to roll back decades of Republican measures and implement the party's agenda in their first year, including overhauling the state's gun laws.

Detroit Free Press: Michigan House special elections: Democrats could regain majority 'trifecta'

• Last year, Democrats enjoyed majorities in both the Michigan House and Senate. The majorities allowed Democratic lawmakers to blitz through a series of policy goals - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills establishing new gun safety laws, widening Michigan's civil rights act, repealing certain abortion restrictions, establishing new clean energy goals and more under a "trifecta" of Democratic control.
• "In an instance like this where there is so much on the line, we're not taking anything for granted," state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia said on a press call Monday. "Absolutely, historically, the seats have been pretty solidly Democratic. And I don't think that this will be any different but … turnout is always a little unpredictable, especially elections. Because we are looking at the possibility of our work thus far being undone, we're not leaving anything to chance."

MPR: Special elections Tuesday will determine balance of power in Michigan House

• Democrats, however, repeatedly shot down the notion of instituting a shared power agreement.
• "The minority leader's kind of vanity project, I think, has become all encompassing. And good policy, good bipartisan policy has kind of fallen away by the wayside as a byproduct," House Speaker Pro Tempore Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) said.

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