Michigan Democrats have won back the state House this week and will have a majority in the chamber not seen in years.
One of the party members who flipped a district is Jan Maino. She beat two-term incumbent Republican Kathy Schmaltz in the 46th House District, representing parts of Jackson and Washtenaw counties.
Maino has experience leading nonprofits and has served for more than a decade on the East Jackson School Board, including as its president. She's also worked as a therapist and social worker.
She says those jobs have taught her to lean on people who have the expertise when making a decision that will impact constituents.
"We don't have to decide things alone, and actually, when we bring people to the table that it's going to affect, and we listen, we will have a better, more sustainable outcome, and hopefully, lasting change from that."
According to MLive, more than $2 million was collectively spent on the race.
Maino calls the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on her campaign an "investment" that was worth it, but she also has her reservations about the amount of money it took to win.
"Going forward, if we can do anything about spending less money, I'm all about that. I assured my friends that not every race looks like this," she said.
When she takes office, Maino plans to prioritize healthcare accessibility and housing affordability.
She says current lawmakers have already gotten the ball rolling on making progress with those issues.
"Removing red tape, for example, for builders to be able to come into communities, stopping big corporations from outside of our state from buying up property, and then, you know, affecting the cost of rent and and buying a home," she explained. "Stopping all of that and allowing builders to build more homes, to build more capacity, which will essentially bring down the cost."
She supports legislation that would cap the costs of prescriptions and medical supplies. Maino also says the current Medicaid system is "flawed" and needs work.
"Making sure that as a payer that there's less administrative burden and that the rates that they are reimbursed are competitive, so that no matter what your insurance is, you have access to good healthcare and good mental health care."
Maino will be sworn into office in the new year.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: Michigan Democrats have won back the state House this week and will have a majority in the chamber not seen in years.
One of the party members who flipped a district is Jan Maino. She beat two-term incumbent Republican Kathy Schmaltz in the 46thHouse District, representing parts of Jackson and Washtenaw counties.
Jan Maino: Thank you for having me. Nice to meet you.
Saliby: How are you feeling about your win this week?
Maino: Oh, I feel a lot of things. I'm very proud to be able to represent this district. I'm honored that the voters showed up in support of me.
I think it really demonstrates the hard field work that I have been doing for the last well, the campaign since nine months, but really out in the field for the last six months.
Saliby: Democrats around the state edged out Republicans in competitive districts like yours. How does it feel to be a part of this blue wave?
Maino: I don't know that I fully understand how it's going to feel until I get in the room with all these folks. The entire country sent a message this year, and I know that I'm a part of history, and I'm honored to be able to engage in that way and represent our district.
Saliby: I know a lot of money was spent on this race when it comes to a a state House race, something that you might not expect, you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars to come in on.
What does that say, both about the competitiveness of this district, but also maybe the fact that money has really come in at all levels of politics at this point?
Maino: There was a tremendous investment in me, and I saw that from those around me supporting me, and also those that supported me directly, in order to win the seat, we not only needed that field work, but we also had to match what my competitor was going to do, and they were definitely going to spend a lot of money trying to win this seat.
And so, there's strategy in everything, and I had to trust the process. I don't love that that much money had to be spent to win the seat, and we've learned a lot. I think my story, my commercials were very positive.
I had people walking up to me. I went to all kinds of voting precincts on Tuesday, and people saying, "I think I feel like I know you because your commercials," and also "your commercials were the best political ads I've ever seen." Because we stayed eye-level, we stayed positive, and we told my stories so that people that didn't know me could learn about me.
But going forward, if we can do anything about spending less money, I'm all about that. I assured my friends that not every race looks like this. I know that every time you turn on the TV, there's a commercial. Every time you get your mail, there's a mailer, and that is because the competitive nature of this seat and this race.
And I think the investment was worth it because I have succeeded, and I can't wait to get to work.
Saliby: In the past, you've served as a school board member and a nonprofit leader in Jackson. How do you plan to bring that experience to the Capitol?
Maino: As a nonprofit leader and as a school board president, and as an employee as well as a board member at nonprofits, one of the things that I always try to do when a decision needs to be made is do my homework and talk to stakeholders, and, you know, specifically at the school board level, there are many people that are affected.
We need to first keep our eye on what's happening at the end of the day. So, how is this affecting our students and our staff? And then, I will talk to parents if they're involved in the decision making. I will talk to staff. I actually am so grateful to have built up a network of other school board member colleagues across the county, so I can call them. And how does this work at your school? And if I need to sit down with a principal or administrator, you know, how is this going to affect everybody?
So, what I bring in that capacity, and I did it when I was CEO of the Community Foundation, and and all of the jobs that I've had is we don't have to decide things alone, and actually, when we bring people to the table that it's going to affect, and we listen, we will have a better, more sustainable outcome, and hopefully, lasting change from that. So, doing my homework, having the conversations, and then showing up even when it's hard to make a decision.
Saliby: In this last minute we have left, you've talked about healthcare accessibility and housing affordability as two priorities during your campaign. What needs to change at the state level, kind of big picture?
Maino: Luckily, I have colleagues already in the legislature that are moving legislation in both of those areas, removing red tape, for example, for builders to be able to come into communities, stopping big corporations from outside of our state from buying up property, and then, you know affecting the cost of rent and and buying a home.
So, stopping all of that and allowing builders to build more homes, to build more capacity, which will essentially bring down the cost. And affordability affects also people's utility bills. So, looking at how how is that affecting someone, and how is it impacting their ability to make their house payment or their rent payment in terms of access to healthcare?
We have a flawed Medicaid system, and so, you know, there's already legislation trying to cap the cost of prescriptions and supplies for people. So, getting on board and and supporting and sponsoring that legislation, making sure it moves forward, but also figuring out what is going on with Medicaid and making sure that as a payer that there's less administrative burden and that the rates that they are reimbursed are competitive, so that no matter what your insurance is, you have access to good healthcare and good mental health care.
Saliby: Jan Maino is representative elect for Michigan's 46th House District. Thank you for joining us.
Maino: Thank you.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
