Ananich Wins State Senate Seat
On Tuesday, State
Representative Jim Ananich easily won the special election in the 27th
Senate District. The seat was vacated when former Sen. John Gleason won the
Genesee County Clerk /Register of Deeds position in November. While the
election results have not been officially certified, it is likely that Mr.
Ananich will be sworn into the Michigan Senate on Tuesday. Ananich’s win has
left a vacancy in the 49th House District, meaning Gov. Snyder will
need to schedule a special election to fill that seat.
Rep. Rogers Endorsed for FBI Director
An
organization representing more than 12,000 active and retired FBI agents called
on President Obama to nominate Rep. Mike Rogers as director of the bureau. Rogers left the FBI in 1994 after serving more than five
years as a special agent in Chicago focusing on organized crime. He is in his
seventh term in Congress and is currently the Chair of the House Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence. In addition to this endorsement, Rep. Rogers
has been mentioned as a candidate to replace retiring US Sen. Carl Levin.
Gov. Snyder Declares
Flood-Related Disaster in 19 Counties and 2 Cities
Gov. Snyder
declared a flood-related disaster for 19 counties and two cities, including
Grand Rapids and Comstock Park. The affected counties include Baraga, Barry,
Benzie, Genesee, Gogebic, Gratiot, Houghton, Ionia, Kent, Keweenaw, Marquette,
Mecosta, Midland, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Ottawa and Saginaw.
The Governor also requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency assist
state officials in assessing the damages to homeowners and businesses. This
step will support ongoing recovery efforts and to ensure all avenues of
assistances are being pursued.
Mark Schauer
Receives Endorsements
Democratic momentum appears to be building for former Congressman
Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) to challenge Gov. Snyder next year. Former
Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) and State Board of Education President John
Austin both announced their support for Schauer last week. Schauer is currently
exploring a campaign for governor and is likely to make an announcement in the
near future. Both Mr. Stupak and Mr. Austin have been mentioned as possible
candidates. The field now appears to be clearing for a Snyder vs. Schauer race
in 2014.