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الوسم: defend

  • Democratic-backed justices look to defend control of Michigan’s Supreme Court

    Democratic-backed justices look to defend control of Michigan’s Supreme Court

    DETROIT (AP) — Michigan Democrats and their allies were defending their majority on the state’s Supreme Court on Tuesday after a campaign marked by exorbitant spending.

    Court races are nonpartisan but candidates are nominated at party conventions. Democratic-backed justices currently hold a 4-3 edge, and Republicans have sought to flip it to regain a margin of control in a state dominated by Democrats for the past two years. They need to win both seats up for election to do so.

    The four candidates largely spent their official campaign resources on touting their career experiences and qualifications, leaving state parties and outside spending groups to define the issues.

    Republican-backed Judge Patrick O’Grady is seeking election to the seat held by Justice Kyra Harris Bolden, who unsuccessfully ran for the court before she was appointed to a vacancy in 2022 by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

    She’s the first Black woman on the bench and would be the first to be elected justice if she wins the race. O’Grady has campaigned on his experience as a state trooper, prosecutor and longtime circuit judge in southern Michigan. The winner will serve the last four years of the eight-year term vacated in 2022 by former Justice Bridget McCormick.

    Republican nominee state Rep. Andrew Fink and Democratic nominee law professor Kimberly Anne Thomas are competing for a full-term seat being vacated by Justice David Viviano, a Republican-backed justice. Thomas and Bolden have campaigned arm and arm since they were officially nominated by the Democratic party in August.

    Fink, like O’Grady, has said his election would restore balance to a court accused of “legislating from the bench” in favor of liberal causes and Democratic policy in recent years.

    Abortion access was enshrined in the state constitution by voters in 2022. Democratic allies have framed the race through the lens of reproductive rights, saying the court has the potential to rule on abortion in the future. Republicans have rejected this idea, saying the amendment finalized abortion protections that cannot be undone.

  • Democrats defend Michigan’s open Senate seat, a rare opportunity for Republicans

    Democrats defend Michigan’s open Senate seat, a rare opportunity for Republicans

    DETROIT (AP) — Michigan voters are deciding between Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Republican former congressman Mike Rogers in a tight U.S. Senate battleground contest that could sway the balance of federal power.

    Slotkin had a clear head start, but as Republicans became more confident about Donald Trump’s presidential prospects in Michigan, the contest drew more attention from funders who believed Rogers had a good chance of becoming the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in the state in 30 years.

    The race could determine whether Democrats continue to hold their slim majority in the Senate, where they are defending more seats than Republicans in this election.

    Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and third-term representative, launched her Senate campaign shortly after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced her retirement in early 2023. With a largely uncontested primary, Slotkin built a significant fundraising advantage, much of which she has poured into ads during the race’s final month. She’s also gained high-profile support from figures like former President Barack Obama and Stabenow, who have helped her on the campaign trail in the final month.

    On the Republican side, Rogers faced multiple challengers for the party’s nomination, including former Reps. Justin Amash and Peter Meijer, the latter of whom withdrew before the Aug. 6 primary. Rogers served in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2015 and chaired the House Intelligence Committee.

    Rogers would become the first Republican since Spence Abraham in 1994 to win a U.S. Senate race in Michigan.

    The presidential race at the top of the ticket could significantly influence the outcome. Rogers repeatedly accused Slotkin of voting “100% with the Biden-Harris agenda” and aligned himself closely with Republican nominee Donald Trump, who endorsed him.

    Slotkin used her funding advantage to establish her narrative early, aiming to connect both with her base and disillusioned Republicans.

    “For the Republicans who feel like their party has left them over the last few years, you will always have an open door in my office,” Slotkin said during their only debate.

    Metro Detroit could be an area of vulnerability for Slotkin, with frustration over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war affecting down-ballot Democrats. Slotkin, who is Jewish, has supported Israel while criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many leaders of the state’s large Muslim community voiced frustration that she and other Democrats haven’t advocated more forcefully for Palestinians.