GOP remains on top in Northern Michigan but Democrats made some inroads Tuesday

GAYLORD — Tuesday's election showed that while the Republican Party still dominates Northern Michigan, there were some voting results that should at least give the Democratic Party some hope in the future.

Scott LaDeur, professor of political science at North Central Michigan College, noted that the GOP easily won state legislative races like Ken Borton in the 105th state house district, John Roth in the 104th, Cam Cavitt in the 106th and Neil Friske in the 107th.

Republicans Michele Hoitenga and John Damoose also trounced their Democratic Party opponents Joel Sheltrown and Barbara Conley in the 36th and 37th state senate districts respectively.

"But under the surface I start to look at the numbers and wonder about (what could be an emerging) trend," LaDeur said. "Betsy Coffia (Democrat) wins in the 103rd (state house district) in Traverse City, and the governor's race where Tudor Dixon (GOP) lost support from where Bill Schuette was four years ago in many Northern Michigan counties. In Emmet County they ran almost neck and neck."

Proposal 3, which basically assured Michigan residents of access to abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, was why Whitmer and the Dems did better Tuesday, said LaDeur.

"It's a part of the reason. (Whitmer) made it a central part of her campaign. The presence of Proposal 3 energized abortion supporters and they voted heavily for Whitmer," he said.

Proposal 3 was backed by a majority of the voters in Grand Traverse and Emmet counties in the northern Lower Peninsula. About 72 percent of Ogemaw County voters were in favor of Prop 3. Alger and Gogebic counties in the Upper Peninsula also backed the measure.

These results enabled state Democrats to make some inroads into the northern part of the state, according to LaDeur. Voters in Cheboygan, Crawford, Otsego and Montmorency counties voted against the proposal.

Democrats in the region may have also been helped by some population shifts in Northern Michigan, said LaDeur.

"You saw Emmet and Grand Traverse counties grow in population in the 2020 census and most of it was an older population. You wonder if this was a reflection of those changing demographics in those counties and now maybe our expectation that they will be like the rest of Northern Michigan is going to be challenged," LaDeur said.

There are reasons for some optimism for Northern Michigan Democrats and an awareness of the challenges that lie ahead, LaDeur added.

The Coffia race at least offers a partial blueprint for a win.

"I think (Democrats) can see some optimism in the gubernatorial tallies in certain counties. The downside is were the results a reflection of voter preferences or were they tied to Proposal 3, which probably won't be on the ballot in the future," said LaDeur.

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Republicans should rejoice about winning the state legislative races fairly handily and the realization that redistricting only cost them one seat, LaDeur said.

If the GOP is looking at clouds on the horizon, LaDeur said they could look at the erosion of support for Dixon in some counties.

— Contact reporter Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: GOP remains on top in Northern Michigan but Democrats made some inroads Tuesday