State Senate Redistricting - District 23 (SD-23)

State Senate - District 23
Current Rep – Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing)

2010 Results - Old District (23rd)
Gretchen Whitmer - 49,990
Kyle Haubrich - 28,133

This district is a democrat stronghold, and that did not change. There was some change among the rural portions. It picks up Stockbridge, Mason, Vevay Twp, Bunker Hill Twp, and Leslie City/Township from Joe Hune. It drops Locke Twp, Leroy Twp, Williamston, Williamstown Twp, and Wheatfield Twp to the 24th District and Rick Jones. From a partisan standpoint, there's little change, although this district may be slightly more democrat giving up the Williamston and Webberville areas and taking on Stockbridge and Mason.

I believe Whitmer has one more turn if she wants it, first winning in a 2005 special election to replace Virg Bernero, now the mayor of Lansing. Whitmer has been rumored to make a statewide run. She's an heir of Blue Cross/Blue Shield so she has the money and connections to make a run whether it be governor or AG, although her very left wing record will be an issue. Blue Cross isn't all that popular either. I wouldn't be surprised if she runs against Bill Schuette for AG however, and I think that would be a tough defense right now. I don't expect her to run for Congress after her term is up because of her kids. DC's a big move, and East Lansing is obviously commuting distance to Lansing.

When this opens up, there could be a long line of challengers. Barb Byrum might want her mom's old state senate seat. Mark Meadows is a termed out state rep and former East Lansing mayor. Joan Bauer is a state rep in Lansing with strong support of the social left base. It's been solidly Democrat for years. Whitmer, Bernero, Dianne Byrum, and Debbie Stabenow. This is Stabenow's old seat. It'll probably take a Dan Rostenkowski or Bill Jefferson situation to win here.

	McCain	Obama	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Ingham County			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Alaiedon Twp	991	906	1897	85	52.24%	47.76%	4.48%
Aurelius Twp	1050	960	2010	90	52.24%	47.76%	4.48%
Bunker Hill Twp	517	479	996	38	51.91%	48.09%	3.82%
Delhi Twp	5894	7856	13750	-1962	42.87%	57.13%	-14.27%
East Lansing	5376	17179	22555	-11803	23.84%	76.16%	-52.33%
Ingham Twp	690	598	1288	92	53.57%	46.43%	7.14%
Lansing	12180	38228	50408	-26048	24.16%	75.84%	-51.67%
Lansing Twp	1336	2805	4141	-1469	32.26%	67.74%	-35.47%
Leslie	357	435	792	-78	45.08%	54.92%	-9.85%
Leslie Twp	638	641	1279	-3	49.88%	50.12%	-0.23%
Mason	1802	2235	4037	-433	44.64%	55.36%	-10.73%
Meridian Twp	8080	14288	22368	-6208	36.12%	63.88%	-27.75%
Onondaga Twp	698	711	1409	-13	49.54%	50.46%	-0.92%
Stockbridge Twp	941	928	1869	13	50.35%	49.65%	0.70%
Vevay Twp	1075	927	2002	148	53.70%	46.30%	7.39%
White Oak Twp	327	282	609	45	53.69%	46.31%	7.39%
			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Total	41952	89458	131410	-47506	31.92%	68.08%	-36.15%
	Bush	Kerry	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Ingham County			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Alaiedon Twp	1088	838	1926	250	56.49%	43.51%	12.98%
Aurelius Twp	1222	771	1993	451	61.31%	38.69%	22.63%
Bunker Hill Twp	549	417	966	132	56.83%	43.17%	13.66%
Delhi Twp	6831	6105	12936	726	52.81%	47.19%	5.61%
East Lansing	5119	12647	17766	-7528	28.81%	71.19%	-42.37%
Ingham Twp	734	463	1197	271	61.32%	38.68%	22.64%
Lansing	16101	32102	48203	-16001	33.40%	66.60%	-33.20%
Lansing Twp	1707	2436	4143	-729	41.20%	58.80%	-17.60%
Leslie	403	363	766	40	52.61%	47.39%	5.22%
Leslie Twp	806	468	1274	338	63.27%	36.73%	26.53%
Mason	1989	1880	3869	109	51.41%	48.59%	2.82%
Meridian Twp	9589	12378	21967	-2789	43.65%	56.35%	-12.70%
Onondaga Twp	768	568	1336	200	57.49%	42.51%	14.97%
Stockbridge Twp	1000	708	1708	292	58.55%	41.45%	17.10%
Vevay Twp	1177	816	1993	361	59.06%	40.94%	18.11%
White Oak Twp	378	247	625	131	60.48%	39.52%	20.96%
			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Total	49461	73207	122668	-23746	40.32%	59.68%	-19.36%
Last State Senate	GOP	Dem	Total	Diff	GOP	DEM	Diff
Ingham County			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Alaiedon Twp	762	672	1434	90	53.14%	46.86%	6.28%
Aurelius Twp	836	699	1535	137	54.46%	45.54%	8.93%
Bunker Hill Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Delhi Twp	4352	5057	9409	-705	46.25%	53.75%	-7.49%
East Lansing	2244	6800	9044	-4556	24.81%	75.19%	-50.38%
Ingham Twp	553	393	946	160	58.46%	41.54%	16.91%
Lansing	8218	21056	29274	-12838	28.07%	71.93%	-43.85%
Lansing Twp	903	1732	2635	-829	34.27%	65.73%	-31.46%
Leslie			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Leslie Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Mason			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Meridian Twp	5839	9805	15644	-3966	37.32%	62.68%	-25.35%
Onondaga Twp	528	455	983	73	53.71%	46.29%	7.43%
Stockbridge Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Vevay Twp			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
White Oak Twp	217	179	396	38	54.80%	45.20%	9.60%
			0	0	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!	#DIV/0!
Total	24452	46848	71300	-22396	34.29%	65.71%	-31.41%

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance

I got an alarming excerpt from MIRS sent to my email today. While the GOP will have control in the next session, it doesn't mean we are safe from tax increases and anti-freedom measures. We need to still be vigilant.

Richardville-Whitmer On Same Page
The two new incoming Senate leaders are on the same page when it comes to considering a possible revenue increase next year to eradicate a $1.6 billion budget deficit.

"I don't think anything is off the table completely," incoming Senate Majority Leader Randy RICHARDVILLE (R-Monroe) told MIRS.

"Everything has got to be on the table," echoed incoming-Minority Leader Gretchen WHITMER (D-East Lansing).

Richardville made it clear that he is not endorsing the need for new revenue and he warned his caucus is "not going to lead" with the recommendation. Having said that, he talked candidly about the possibility.

Asked if he might have to look at "some new revenue piece" he said, "I think that's fair. Yeah. We have to look at everything."

For her part, Whitmer predicted the Republican Gov.-Elect Rick SNYDER could not get the votes to pass an all-cuts budget. Instead, he would solve the budget with a "mixture" cuts, reforms, and revenue, she said.

Whitmer is suggesting closing tax loopholes, which could raise millions of dollars. That dovetails into remarks made last week by House Fiscal Agency Mitch Bean, who suggested the option, too (See "Bean: Look At Tax Expenditures," 11/9/10).

Richardville said there is a way to reduce the deficit without new revenue by looking at "what government is supposed to be."

The new GOP leader has immediately established himself as not following in the footsteps of the current Majority Leader Mike BISHOP (R-Rochester), who was loathed to even use the words "revenue increase: during his tenure. Richardville began his first day on the job doing just that.

Whitmer is elated saying, "Randy will be more open" than Bishop and she said she looked forward to working with him.

Everything is on the table? No, it shouldn't be. Government needs to live within its means. If you want to see the GOP to lose Michigan statewide for most of the next 18 years, raise taxes and/or give us status quo government. We can not have democrat-lite budgets.

What we as citizens can do to make sure this doesn't happen is to keep the pressure on from go and stay involved. Richardville needs to know we are watching. Bolger in the house needs to know we are watching. Rick Snyder needs to know we are watching. So do all of our reps. Those that raise taxes need to be recalled or primaried out.

If tax increases are on the table, so are primary challenges and recalls. My tolerance for tax increases and Joe Schwarz and Bill Milliken style of Republicans are nill. They destroy the state as well as the party.

Livingston County Takes on Blue Cross

From the Argus.

Livingston County has hired an attorney firm to take legal action and recoup an estimated $500,000 to $1 million in alleged overcharges from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
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County Commissioner Dave Domas said the county board recently voted to take the step after it was unable to resolve the improper fee charges with its health insurance provider.

"The county had some discussions (with Blue Cross), and those discussions were fruitless," he said.

Domas said he's confident the county will prevail in getting a refund for the charges. If the county is successful, he said the insurer will likely provide credit for future services instead of actually paying back the money.

"It belongs to the people of Livingston County, and it's going to come back where it belongs," Domas said.

He said other counties have encountered a similar issue with Blue Cross, taken legal action and been "successful in getting a refund from Blue Cross for these overcharges."

The county has hired the Troy-based law firm of Giarmarco, Mullins and Collins to handle the issue. Under the agreement, the law firm will receive 25 percent of the amount recovered and will be reimbursed up to $60,000 for legal fees.

Why is this posted here? Because we have an attorney general's race in 2010. The democrat running is Gretchen Whitmer, a state senator from East Lansing. She's the daughter of former Blue Cross CEO Dick Whitmer. Whitmer is an heir of Blue Cross and owes much of her financial situation to them. Is she going to be tough on Blue Cross? I doubt it.