Michigan Republican Unseated After Losing to Democrat by 20 Points

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published May 08, 2024 at 4:36 AM EDT | Updated May 08, 2024 at 7:14 AM EDT


A Republican county commissioner has been unseated in Michigan after losing to her Democratic challenger by 20 percentage points.

Chris Kleinjans won an Ottawa County election on Tuesday with 60 percent of the vote share, while the Republican incumbent Lucy Ebel lost, having received 40 percent.

Michigan is a battleground state that will be key to November's presidential election. Donald Trump won the county with 61 percent of the vote in 2020.

Newsweek contacted the Michigan Republican Party by email outside of normal business hours to comment on this story and will update this story if there is a reply.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/michigan-republican-unseated-democrat-election-vote-lucy-ebel-chris-kleinjans-1898212

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Note that this is a red county. Quick search indicated there are 11 Commissioners and the breakdown has now gone from 10 (R) - 1 (D) to 9 (R) - 2 (D).

[Joe Cool]

1. The question needs to be asked

"How is this bad news for Biden?"

[getagrip_already]

4. it's obvious...

it vill energize ze republican voters to turn out in ze fall. they were zleepy, convident they would vin..

zee boobila it's not zo hard. git with ze programs.

[BaronChocula]

8. Answered in the voice of your Dana Bash/Andrea Mitchell types

We know that many people split their tickets. Is it possible that people are prematurely splitting their ticket voting for Democrats now in order to vote for trump and republicans in November? Here's a republican strategist to answer that question...

[James48]

2. That is a huge switch.

That's a real RED area. Amazing.

[mopinko]

3. votes outweigh polls ppl.

[ananda]

6. Republicans celebrate polls. Democrats celebrate victories!

Onward!

[GreenWave]

5. Seems good, so far!

[mwb970]

7. The funny thing is, the trump cult will never get the message.

He keeps losing everything, and they cling tighter. Who can explain it?

[durablend]

15. "THEY CHEATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[NanaCat]

17. I can explain it

They're that way because they're stupid and bigoted. Oh, they may be a savant at holding a job, but otherwise?

Stupid and bigoted.

[Kaleva]

9. This was a recall election with a very low turnout

[BumRushDaShow]

10. It still indicates which voters of which party are "more enthusiastic"

And ETA - Philly's turnout for the April 23 primary election was 19%.

[Kaleva]

11. I agree but I think the real test will be in November.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Of course

But since "the media" like to use a litmus test of "voter enthusiasm" as some kind of prognostication tool, it's notable that when Democrats show more "enthusiasm" to vote, it's *crickets*.

[Deminpenn]

21. She was part of a RW group

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ottawa-county-commissioner-lucy-ebel-024809822.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

This is another rejection of crazy conservatives as happened in many school board elections in 2023. I think voters are just generally fed up and tired of the rwnj s.

[Torchlight]

12. The scent of voters' eagerness is subtle, but it's in the air.

A red maga county witnessing its red councilman lose to a blue candidate by such a overwhelming margin is not entirely without consequence, regardless of editorials trivializing it; or as the Democratic winner, Kleinjans said, "a win in May for responsible government is a harbinger for August and November."

[The Grand Illuminist]

14. Now to find out

If this Democrat winner fights for the greater good or is a yellow striped blue dog.

[Elessar Zappa]

16. Even a blue dog is better than a fascist,

which most elected Republicans are nowadays.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. I have cousins who live in that county.

They're Republicans, but more in the Mitt Romney mode than drumpf. The cousins father, who died a few years ago, hated Dick DeVos with a passion. I'd love to know his take on this.

Never thought this would happen in that county.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. The county looks to be "on the wrong side" of Lake Michigan!

(at least if you don't like snow )

[greatauntoftriplets]

20. It is, though we get more than enough of it most years.

I hate snow.