yard signs in Maryland
 

Special Report

The 2022 Midterms

Democrat Gretchen Whitmer Remains Michigan Governor

By

November 9, 2022

Categories

Special Report: The 2022 Midterms

Tags

, , , ,

Share

(HIGHLAND, Mich.) — Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer has retained her position as Michigan’s governor against Republican challenger Tudor Dixon as voters turned out in higher-than-expected numbers. The Associated Press called the race for Whitmer at approximately 1:20 AM Wednesday morning.

Whitmer took the stage in Detroit in the early morning hours on Wednesday to celebrate her re-election. “We have come a long way, Michigan,” she said. “We are thrilled at the unexpected high turnout, we are thrilled that the three ballot initiatives got passed, and I never thought I’d be so happy about Fox News, but I’m glad they called this election, too!”

What started as a commanding lead for Whitmer began to shrink in the days leading up to the election, with Whitmer at 48.7% and Dixon not far behind at 43.6%, according to a recent poll from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.  The race was heavily influenced by the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the candidates’ differing views on abortion. Dixon spoke out in favor of a statewide ban on abortion, while Whitmer wants to codify abortion rights for all women. History was made in Michigan on this front, as voters came out in favor of Proposal 3, enshrining the right to an abortion in the state constitution.

Whitmer was born and raised in Michigan. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from Michigan State University. Prior to her election to the state legislature in 2001, she worked as an associate attorney for the law firm of Dickinson Wright PLCC. She briefly lectured at her alma mater in 2015.

Whitmer is known for her plan to “fix the damn roads” in Michigan, where the potholes and road infrastructure as a whole are some of the worst in the country. “Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will have invested 70% more in our roads than the previous four years to fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs,” Whitmer said in a recent press release.

Dixon grew up in Napierville, Ill., and graduated from the University of Kentucky. She moved to Norton Shores, Mich. in the early 2000s. For 15 years, Dixon worked in steel sales, and in 2017, she became a prominent voice in conservative media as an anchor for America’s Voice News. Dixon raised nearly $7 million in campaign contributions, compared to Whitmer’s near-$31 million at the time of this publication, according to Transparency USA’s data.

Dixon is also a breast cancer survivor and a former actress, endorsed by prominent political figures like former President Donald Trump and former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Dixon is an election denier and has stated that former President Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election.

Michigan is a swing state. The divide between the two parties intensified following the 2016 presidential election when the majority flipped in favor of Republican candidate Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton at a razor-thin 0.22% lead. In the 2020 presidential election, Democratic candidate Joe Biden took the state by only 2.78%. Last night’s midterm election was a historic one in Michigan, with Democrats taking control of the Michigan State Senate for the first time since 1984.

Special Report: The 2022 Midterms

A voter submitting their ballot.

November 20, 2022

Clean Elections USA Accused of Voter Intimidation

According to the suit filed last month, the founder of Clean Elections USA, allegedly had supporters gather at ballot boxes in Maricopa County, Arizona, with the intent to deter voters from submitting their absentee ballots.

Vote Yes for Worker's Rights yard sign

November 18, 2022

Illinois Approves Collective Bargaining Measure

Illinois voters approved constitutional Amendment 1, codifying the right to collective bargaining and prohibiting right-to-work laws in the state constitution, with more than 50 percent of voters in favor, according to The Associated Press. Known informally as the Worker’s Rights Amendment (WRA), the measure guarantees Illinois laborers the right to organize themselves, negotiate contracts, and advocate for desired wages and benefits. It further codifies the right to collective bargaining and prohibits right-to-work laws in the state constitution.

November 18, 2022

Karen Bass Wins LA Mayoral Race, Vows to Focus on Homelessness

(LOS ANGELES)  — Democratic Rep. Karen Bass has beat real estate developer Rick Caruso and is posed to become the […]

November 11, 2022

Colorado Legalizes and Decriminalizes Psychedelics

The passage of the bill is another example of Colorado voters supporting initiatives to legalize federally labeled Schedule 1 substances.

photo of democratic mayor elect Melanie Kebler

November 10, 2022

Democrat Elected Mayor of Bend, Oregon

While Oregon is a purple state, Democrats have held power as governors and city council members for years.

November 10, 2022

Michael Bennet Holds Colorado Senate Seat for Democrats

'This country is now in the position to lead the entire world in this transition we have to make over the next 25 years, and Colorado is positioned to lead the country,"  Bennet said in his victory speech.

Corner of an all glass building with a Planned Parenthood sign

November 9, 2022

California Voters Amend Constitution to Protect Right to Abortion

California amends its constitution to protect the right to choose abortion and to choose or refuse contraception.

Herschel Walker Campaign Sign

November 9, 2022

Heated Georgia Senate Race Ends in a Runoff

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker will face off again in December.

November 9, 2022

Democrat Reelected as County Judge Overseeing Houston

After a tight race, the Nov. 8 results for the Harris County, Texas judge race are in.

November 9, 2022

Republican Ted Budd Wins NC Senate Seat After Tight Race

Despite the lack of national media coverage, the race proved to be a crucial one for control of the Senate, as Democrats faced uphill battles across the country.

November 9, 2022

Dem Rep. Josh Gottheimer Keeps Seat in NJ 5th District

In the the second match-up for Gottheimer and Pallotta, the incumbent prevailed, winning a fourth term in Congress.

November 9, 2022

Democrat Jim Harrity Wins At-Large Seat on Philly City Council

Harrity easily defeated his Republican challenger in deep blue Philadelphia.

Ilhan For Congress Sign

November 9, 2022

Minnesota Dem Ilhan Omar Keeps Her Seat in the House

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for putting your faith in me, for standing with me through one of the most difficult times for our community and our country."

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

November 9, 2022

Nancy Pelosi Retains Her San Francisco Seat, Speakership Uncertain

Nancy Pelosi defeats John Dennis in California's 11th district

November 9, 2022

California Passes Prop 28, Funding Art and Music Education

Passage of Prop 28 will provide between $800 million to $1 billion annually for public school music and arts education in California.

Voting sign and stickers

November 9, 2022

Baltimore City to Approve Two-Term Limits for Mayor, Other Roles

The ballot measure means certain elected Baltimore officials, including the mayor, will be limited to two terms beginning in 2024.

November 9, 2022

Democrat-Turned-Republican Wins US House Race in New Jersey

Van Drew won a third, consecutive term over the Democratic candidate, Tim Alexander in New Jersey's 2nd District.

November 8, 2022

American Elections Not Top of Mind in Qatar

While Americans were casting their ballots, people in Qatar were more focused on the World Cup they will be hosting in a couple of weeks.

Mableton Street Sign

November 8, 2022

Atlanta Suburb Says Yes to Cityhood

The Atlanta suburb of Mableton has voted to incorporate as a town.

November 8, 2022

S.C. Sen. Tim Scott Wins a Second Full Term

South Carolina Sen.Tim Scott fended off a challenge from Krystal Matthews keeping the seat he has held since 2013.

November 8, 2022

NY Sen. Chuck Schumer Defeats Joe Pinion Winning 5th Term

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has retained his seat, defeating Republican opponent Joe Pinion by 76% to 23.6%, winning 451,526 votes with 9% of the votes counted according to The Associated Press.

Senator Marco Rubio poses for official photo.

November 8, 2022

Republican Marco Rubio Keeps His Senate Seat

Republican Senator Marco Rubio has defeated Rep. Val Demings for Florida’s Senate seat, The Click can report. Rubio has represented Florida in Congress since 2011. 

November 8, 2022

Taiwan Worries Midterms Will Affect Passage of a Crucial Security Bill

The election is especially important to Taiwan due to an expected vote on the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022, a measure proposed in September, months after a senior congressional delegation visited Taiwan in April.

Republican John Dennis in San Francisco

November 6, 2022

Meet the Republican Taking on Nancy Pelosi in Her Home Turf

You may not have heard of him, but he is running to unseat the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. He is John Dennis, Republican from San Francisco.

November 6, 2022

A Czech Journalist Shares Why He Loves Covering American Politics

Daniel Anyz, a reporter for the news site Aktualne.cz, will be keeping readers in the small European country informed from Pennsylvania — and he told the Click that this time, democracy is in peril.

November 5, 2022

New York Set to Vote on $4.2 Billion in Funding for Green Projects

New Yorkers will cast their votes during Tuesday’s midterm election for a $4.2 billion bond act,  Proposition 1, which will go toward investments in clean infrastructure and environmental conservation.

November 4, 2022

Blind Persons Sue State of Alabama for Right to Vote Privately

In Alabama, blind citizens cannot vote using paper ballots without help from a sighted person. The lawsuit contends that this violates their right to vote privately and independently.