In evenly divided Michigan House, Republicans end year with more cash on hand
In an evenly divided Michigan House of Representatives, the Democratic campaign arm outraised that of the Republicans. But, the GOP caucus ended last year with more cash on hand, according to finance reports filed Wednesday. Every seat in the state House is up for re-election this year.
The Michigan House Democratic Fund raised more than $4.4 million in 2023 compared to the House Republican Campaign Committee's more than $4.2 million. But House Democrats ended the year with just over $3.5 million in cash on hand compared to Republicans' $4.1 million as Democrats try to keep control of the state House.
In one quarter last year, Republicans brought in more money than Democrats when looking at all contributions and other receipts.
Minority Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, celebrated his caucus' fundraising position. "Again and again, House Republicans keep earning historic support for our work to win back majority and serve the people of Michigan," he said in a statement Wednesday.
While Democrats started last year with a narrow one-vote majority in the state House, they began this year's session holding the same number of seats as Republicans after two former Democratic state representatives won mayoral elections last fall. House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, has expressed confidence that Democrats will prevail in special elections in April in the solidly Democratic vacant seats and restore his caucus to full strength.
Republican efforts to flip control of the state House come at a time when the Michigan GOP is in turmoil. The Republican National Committee recently intervened in a protracted internal party battle over who leads the state party.
Hall told reporters last week that his caucus doesn't need the help of the Michigan GOP this fall. "We're raising those funds, and we're in control of our destiny, and that's where you want to be rather than having to rely on all these other people to make the decisions for you," he said.
Last year, Democrats used their legislative majority to send bills to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that had stalled under GOP control such as legislation to curb gun violence, protect abortion rights and repeal the state's right-to-work law.
But now with an even split in the chamber, Democrats are off to a much slower start this year. The state House was initially scheduled to have nine session days in January. But for five of those session days, neither votes nor attendance were taken, including one session day that was canceled due to inclement weather.
The chamber has passed only one bill this month to create a highway memorial. Meanwhile, at the end of January last year, Democrats celebrated the earliest a bill was signed into law at the start of a new term since 1947.
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Tate has repeatedly expressed frustrations with Hall's efforts to broker a so-called "power-sharing" agreement but told reporters last week that he still sees opportunities for bipartisan action in the coming months.
Michigan senators are not up for re-election until 2026, but Democrats' campaign arm in the chamber also outraised Republicans' last year, according to the latest financial filings. Still, Republicans ended the year with a cash-on-hand advantage over Democrats.
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House Democrats outraise Republicans in 2023
