Race watch: Local legislative races tagged for wider political impact

Oct. 12—TRAVERSE CITY — The outcome of three state legislative races, featured in Monday's Traverse Connect candidate forum, could be significant — not just for the region, but for the state, a forum organizer said.

The event at the Hagerty Center was hosted by the local economic development agency and involved six candidates vying for seats in the state Legislature: 37th Senate District candidates Rep. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) and Dr. Barbara Conley (D-Northport); 103rd House District candidates Rep. Jack O'Malley (R-Lake Ann) and Grand Traverse County Commissioner Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City); and 104th District candidates Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen) and Cathy Albro (D-Bellaire).

Organizers said the intention of the forum was for candidates to provide answers to questions, rather than use the platform for argument and rebuttal.

"Politics is a team sport," said Henry Wolf, director of government relations for Traverse Connect, in an interview prior to the forum. "If that's not a cornerstone of your campaign, it calls into question how effective you may be."

The only major barbs thrown came at the end, between O'Malley and Coffia, as both questioned the other's ability to reach across the aisle, and O'Malley refuted suggestions that he is an "extremist" candidate.

"The race for the 103rd, when you really look at our records and what we stand for, does represent a very clear choice," Coffia said, highlighting O'Malley's decision to sign a 2020 legal brief in a Texas lawsuit opposing the results of the 2020 election.

O'Malley said he has "a pretty good B.S. detector," and that "it goes off a lot when I see and hear the criticism from my opponent."

Since the start of primary season, all three of the races have, at one point or another, received statewide attention, Wolf said. In the case of the 37th Senate District, that spotlight came as a result of a crowded primary race, resulting in a tight win by Damoose on the Republican side.

Meanwhile, the Michigan Information and Research Service has ranked the 103rd district as the second-most competitive incumbent race in the state, and the results of that race could be key to flipping the House.

"If the Democrats want to take control, if the Republicans want to take control, they're going to need to win the 103rd district," Wolf said.

Both House seats are examples of districts significantly altered at the end of last year by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. That commission, which Michigan voters approved in 2018, was tasked with redrawing legislative districts in a less partisan manner, opening up the possibility of more competitive races.

Previously, the 104th House District was comprised entirely of Grand Traverse County. Republicans have held the seat for decades.

Now, the county has been split into two districts: The northern portion of the county, including the entirety of Traverse City, as well as the entirety of Leelanau County and a portion of Benzie County, is the new 103rd District.

Roth, the 103rd District incumbent now running in the 104th District, lamented the fact that his district no longer includes all of Grand Traverse County.

He told the gathering of about 100 people that he had spent the last two years getting to know the community as its legislator. So the redistricting change has been "a tough one," he said, adding that he has enjoyed meeting new would-be constituents to "learn their needs and wants."

During the forum, certain issues of concern proved universal among all — or nearly all — of the candidates: the lack of affordable housing, the mental health crisis, access to childcare, and the future of Michigan's energy resources.

Several also opined that officials in Lansing devote too little attention and too few resources to northern Michigan.

Albro urged the state to "get off of fossil fuels as quickly and as smart as possible."

The two Republican House contenders acknowledged the need for a more diverse energy infrastructure, while questioning the pragmatism of switching entirely to alternative fuels.

All three races also pit three Democratic women against the current male incumbent legislators, in an election cycle where reproductive rights have been a front-and-center issue. The U.S. Supreme Court's repeal of Roe v. Wade in June means state governments now have purview over abortion rights, and Michigan is currently facing a ballot issue on the matter.

Multiple times during the forum, Coffia framed the issue as a matter of keeping "big government" out of individuals' private health decisions, while Conley vowed to "preserve a woman's right to control her destiny."

Their opponents said nothing on the topics of reproductive rights and abortion.