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What Michigan's pink and blue wave means for future politics

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Reginald Hardwick
/
WKAR-MSU

Capital correspondent Cheyna Roth wrapped up the election results with Morning Edition host Emily Fox and explained what it means for state politics moving forward.

Michigan saw a “pink” and “blue” wave in the midterm election.

Female Democrats took the governor’s office, secretary of state and attorney general’s office. Democrats also picked up some seats in the House and Senate and two women won seats on the Michigan State Supreme Court.

Roth says while Republicans still control the House and Senate, the Democratic wins will create a balance between the two political powers in the state.

“Looking forward it’s also possible that we’re seeing the start of some momentum for Democratic candidates on a state level to continue to pick up more seats, especially if the redistricting proposal is smoothly implemented and the lines that were drawn by Republicans are thrown out,” Roth says.

Roth says this shift in state political leadership could impact politics at the national level.

“We are going to have an attorney general who has said that she’s ready and willing to sue the Trump administration. So it’s possible that we could see Michigan really getting involved in multi-state lawsuits or even just Michigan trying to take on the Trump administration,” Roth says.

Roth also talked about how aggressive Get Out The Vote campaigns contributed to the higest voter turnout Michigan has seen in a midterm election in 56 years.

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County.
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