The election is behind us, and the results are in.  After two years of a Democratic trifecta, the Michigan House has now shifted majority control to the Republicans, who hold 58 seats compared to the Democrats' 52. Key Democratic Representatives—Jamie Churches, Jim Haadsma, Jen Hill, and Nate Shannon—lost their seats, tipping the balance of power. Both parties will meet this Thursday when leadership elections are expected to take place. Notably, decisions will be made about whether Leader Matt Hall will become Speaker of the House, as Rep. Tom Kunse has also expressed interest in the position. On the Democratic side, Speaker Tate has chosen not to pursue the role of Democratic Leader, with Rep. Laurie Pohutsky and potentially Jason Morgan showing interest in the position.

In the Senate, while elections were not held this cycle, Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet won the 8th Congressional District, leaving her Senate seat vacant and narrowing the Democratic majority to just one seat. It remains to be seen when a special election will be called to fill this seat, though Rep. Bill G. Schuette is a likely candidate, presenting a strong challenge for any Democratic contender.

Federal Races

Federally, Elissa Slotkin appears to have narrowly defeated Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Senator Debbie Stabenow. Additionally, in a high-profile, high-spending race for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, former Senator Tom Barrett won against Curtis Hertel.
What to expect in the lame duck session remains uncertain, but upcoming leadership elections may clarify the legislative priorities and determine how aggressive Democrats will be in advancing key agenda items before year-end. Scheduled session dates for lame duck include November 12-14 and December 2-19. Discussions are ongoing about a supplemental spending bill, with major priorities yet to be defined. During this time, we are actively engaging legislators to emphasize the importance of increasing MACC funding and encourage support across a broad coalition.

Lame Duck Session Outlook

What to expect in the lame duck session remains uncertain, but upcoming leadership elections may clarify the legislative priorities and determine how aggressive Democrats will be in advancing key agenda items before year-end. Scheduled session dates for lame duck include November 12-14 and December 2-19. Discussions are ongoing about a supplemental spending bill, with major priorities yet to be defined. During this time, we are actively engaging legislators to emphasize the importance of increasing MACC funding and encourage support across a broad coalition.

Stay tuned for further updates as we track these developments and advocate for Michigan’s arts and culture funding priorities.