Conley claims Democratic lead in 37th State Senate District primary; Republicans too early to call

Aug. 3—TRAVERSE CITY — Shortly after midnight Wednesday, Barbara Conley showed a decisive lead in the Democratic race for the 37th District State Senate seat.

The race saw her pitted against two right-wing conservatives running as Democrats — Randy Bishop, better known as "Trucker Randy," and James Schmidt.

"I'm very pleased, and very happy the voters decided to vote for me," she said. "I'm also just glad people went out to vote, first of all — that they actually participated in their government — but it is very nice to be able to win the Democratic primary as a Democrat."

With nearly 56 percent of the vote counted late Tuesday into early Wednesday, Schmidt and Bishop both trailed Conley, standing at 1,198 and 962 votes respectively, to Conley's 13,845. That's more than 85 percent of the vote. Those figures reflect initial, unofficial results from Mackinac Cheboygan, Charlevoix, and partial counts from Antrim and Grand Traverse counties.

The Republican race was still too early to call.

The seat has no incumbent, being occupied currently by Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, who is term-limited from running again this year. At the same time, the district lines have altered slightly following the new state apportionment map approved by the independent citizens' redistricting commission last year.

The district will include Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Cheboygan, Mackinaw and Chippewa counties.

In a previous statement to the Record-Eagle, Chris Cracchiolo, chair of the Grand Traverse Democrats, called Conley "the only candidate on the ballot that holds to true Democratic values."

Both Bishop and Schmidt were previously involved with the Antrim County Republican Party, with Bishop serving as chair for six years. He told the Record-Eagle last month that left the part four years ago, and that he was running as a "common-sense JFK businessman."

"There was quite a bit of noise particularly one of my rivals, but, you know, I'm, I'm gratified

The Republican ballot includes a couple of political outsiders, alongside two candidates with prior experience in the state legislature.

Former state Rep. Triston Cole, of Mancelona; current state Rep. John Damoose, of Harbor Springs; William Hindle, of Charlevoix; and George Ranville, of Mackinaw City; are all vying for the Republican party's nomination to the newly redrawn district.

As of early Wednesday, Damoose was leading Cole by several thousand votes. Both were trailed by Hindle and Ranville.

"I am eager to get at it," Conley said. "I'm going to make my case to as many people as I can possibly reach, and the voters will decide."

Report for America corps member and data journalist William T. Perkins' reporting is made possible by a partnership between the Record-Eagle and Report for America, a journalism service project founded by the nonprofit Ground Truth Project. Generous community support helps fund a local share of the Record-Eagle/RFA partnership. To support RFA reporters in Traverse City, go to www.record-eagle.com/rfa.