Huge election night wins for Michigan Democrats are bringing the party back in full control of the Michigan Legislature and governor’s office.
The party grew its state Senate majority by at least two seats. It flipped at least eight Republican-held state House of Representatives seats to take back the chamber, according to the Associated Press.
State Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) said voters want to see action.
“We now have a mandate to deliver for the working families and have to do it aggressively and have got to be serious here, be bold in how we deliver,” Farhat said on election night.
Democrats last held a trifecta during the 2023-24 legislative term. Before that, it had been nearly 40 years.
Democratic lawmakers passed many marquee laws during their first year in complete power, like gun safety policies, clean energy standards, and repealing anti-union legislation. But many felt like they left too much on the table during a slow 2024.
Republicans retook the House of Representatives that year.
When asked what lessons to take from that last trifecta, House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) said each Legislature is different.
“We have a healthy number of returning members and we have a decent number of new members bringing new fresh energy and new blood to the table here. So, I look forward to packing that all together and making sure that we are an extremely productive Legislature meeting the needs of this moment,” Puri said after claiming victory at the election night watch party.
Unlike the last trifecta, Democrats will have more than a one-vote majority in the upcoming session. The extra wiggle room could help them tackle more ambitious policies. Especially with Gov.-elect Jocelyn Benson incoming.
Current Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) will serve as her lieutenant governor next term. Before that happened, Brinks declined to say which policies were still on the table during the remainder of the year.
“We’ll see what’s possible. Like with any legislature, you can only do what’s possible with the people that you have at the moment in history that you find yourself,” Brinks said Wednesday.
The House and Senate Democratic Caucuses could take another step toward making their next leadership picks official Thursday.
Puri is expected to continue leading House Democrats. The Senate will likely choose Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) as its next leader.
