M-PACE Election Report—November 7, 2012
In addition to President Obama’s re-election, there was some good news at the state level. Of the seven candidates to whom M-PACE provided funding and other assistance during the General Election, SIX were victorious. Because Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright was successfully re-elected (with M-PACE’s endorsement, the Michigan House will have three social workers, with Theresa Abed and Terry Brown joining her. On the ballot proposals with which M-PACE and the Chapter were engaged, as you have probably heard by now, we were successful on Proposal 1, the repeal of the Emergency Manager legislation (PA4) as well as on Proposal 5, the “supermajority” on taxes issue. However, Proposal 2, the collective bargaining proposal, went down.
21st Seat (Canton): Dian Slavens (D) & Joe Barnabei (R)
The incumbent Dian Slavens defeated Barnabei to return to the House for a third and final term. M-PACE has been a supporter of Slavens, and her return to the House is a positive for future legislative goals.
25th House Seat (Sterling Heights): Henry Yanez (D) & Sean Clark (R)
Henry Yanez, a former firefighter, won this open seat over Clark in a tight race.
39th House Seat (Walled Lake): Pam Jackson (D) KlintKesto (R)
Pam Jackson lost to Kesto for this seat, the only M-PACE supported or endorsed candidate to lose their election in the General Election.
67th House Seat (Mason): Tom Cochran (D) & Jeff Oesterle (R)
Tom Cochran held on to this long time Democratic stronghold, defeating Oesterle. Like Yanez, Cochran is a former firefighter.
71st Seat (EatonCounty): Theresa Abed (D) & Deb Shaughnessy (R)
Theresa Abed successfully unseated Representative Shaughnessy in her second try at the 71st House seat. Abed has been a school social worker for 30 years and will certainly be a positive addition to the makeup of the House for M-PACE.
84th Seat (Thumb): Terry Brown (D) & Dan Grimshaw (R)
Terry Brown is back in office after defeating Grimshaw in this election. The former representative for the Thumb and social worker of 20 years will be a welcomed return for M-PACE to see in the House.
MichiganSupreme Court
Bridge Mary McCormack won one of the two open full-term seats on the state’s highest court. M-PACE felt she would be the best fit of those running, and she was able to pull out a victory that is positive for social workers and their clients.