Michigan flips state House red in rebuke of Gretchen Whitmer's leadership

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) has lost control of Michigan’s legislature. It’s a difficult position for a state chief executive who was used to steamrolling her opponents during the Covid pandemic with some of the most severe lockdowns in the United States. President-elect Donald Trump also took the state’s Electoral College votes.

With the Republicans winning the House on Nov. 5, Whitmer will be forced to bargain with the legislature as she works through her last two years as governor. The GOP had two fewer seats than the Democrats going into the 2024 election, with the House split 56-54, The New York Post reported.

“Our hard-fought victory reaffirms that the people of Michigan want leaders who put them first, uphold the rule of law, and advocate for accountability at every level of government,” House Republican Leader Matt Hall told The Post. Hall could be Michigan’s next House speaker.

“With a Republican majority, Michigan will have a stronger voice fighting for the values of hardworking families and addressing the issues that matter most — safe schools and neighborhoods, an affordable economy, and a government that provides value for dollars,” he added.

The “victory shows that Michiganders trust Republicans to lead our state toward a brighter future,” State Rep. Schuette, who was largely responsible for GOP election strategy, told The Post. “They want a government that listens, that acts with integrity and that is accountable to the people. We are ready to deliver on those promises and restore balance to Michigan’s government.”

In 2022, Democrats won the House and Senate after years of Republican control. The Democrats also took the attorney general’s office and the secretary of state. State Sen. Dayna Polehanki described it as saying Democrats held “ALL the gavels” in the 102nd Legislature, which began in January 2023.

But that was two years ago. Democrats no longer hold all the cards. Republicans needed to pick up at least two seats and they have at least three, perhaps more as ballots are still being counted.