Big Wins For Social Workers This Primary Election

Big Wins For Social Workers This Primary Election

MPACE is excited to announce our endorsed candidates that won their primary elections this Tuesday. Our BSW and MSW candidates did fantastic on election night, with nine (so far) moving on to the general election, including four candidates for the Michigan State House. 

If you would like to be involved in MPACE and help determine endorsed candidates for the general election we invite you to join our next meeting on Monday, August 8th at 4pm. Register here.

Review all of our endorsed winners below:

State Senate

• Stephanie Chang, State Senate District 3*
• Barbara Conley, State Senate District 37
• Jordan Genso, State Senate District 22
• Mallory McMorrow, State Senate District 8

State House

• Felicia Brabec, State House District 33*
• Jamie Churches, State House District 27
• Linda Clor, State House District 60*
• Betsey Coffia, State House District 103*
• Anthony Feig, State House District 92
• Alex Garza, State House District 29
• Jim Haadsma, State House District 44
• Kara Hope, State House District 74
• Matt Koleszar, State House District 22
• Reggie Miller, State House District 31
• Laurie Pohutsky, State House District 17
• Carrie Rheingans, State House District 47*
• Nate Shannon, State House District 58
• Penelope Tsernoglou, State House District 75
• Angela Witwer, State House District 76

Local Races

• Ayesha Ghazi Edwin, Ann Arbor City Council Ward 3*
• Justin Hodge, Washtenaw County Commissioner District 5*
• Danielle Hoover, Monroe County Commissioner District 2*
• Michelle King, Ypsilanti City Council Ward 1*

*Candidates denoted with an asterisk have their BSW/MSW

Michigan Primary Election Recap

Michigan’s primary election proved to be a rough night for some political incumbents but was good to Tudor Dixon, who prevailed in the state’s closely watched Republican gubernatorial primary, and will be the first woman Republican nominee for Michigan governor. Dixon will now go on to face Gretchen Whitmer in November.

U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer and state Sen. Kim LaSata of Niles each lost Republican primaries to challengers backed by former President Donald Trump, who also backed Dixon but still had some notable misses in Michigan.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Andy Levin lost too after squaring off with fellow incumbent U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in newly redrawn District 11. 

Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) defeated Sen. Marshall Bullock (D-Detroit) in the 8th state Senate Democratic primary, in the only race featuring two incumbent senators drawn into the same district through redistricting. Bullock won the Detroit portion of the district, but McMorrow beat Bullock by a landslide in Oakland County, creating a huge lead.

Two Detroit senators secured Democratic nominations to compete in the General Election. This year, the state Senate chamber had five Detroit lawmakers serving.

Sen. Stephanie Chang, MSW (D-Detroit) won her primary with over 82% of the vote.

Similarly, Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) secured the Democratic nomination with over 80% of the vote.

Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), chair of the Michigan Progressive Women's Caucus, stood unchallenged to represent Michigan's new 17th state House District. While Pohutsky is used to representing the majority of Livonia, the new 17th state House District will give her new territory, like the Holcomb Community in Detroit and other Detroit neighborhoods like Oak Grove, Seven Mile-Rouge and Old Redford.

Additional social work highlights:

MPACE endorsed MSW candidate Carrie Rheinghans won the Democratic nomination for 47th District House of Representatives and will go on to compete against Tina Bednarski-Lynch in November. With this year’s redistricting, the 47th is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the state. 

The other expected competitive race this November is the 103rd House race, which covers the Traverse City area. The race will pit MPACE endorsed BSW candidate Betsy Coffia against Rep. Jack O’Malley.

Election Recaps:

• Michigan primary takeaways: Big night for Trump, bad night for Black Democrats
• Full election results 
• Upsets, runaways and surprises: A round up of Michigan’s closely watched House, Senate races