BULLSEYE

A 2020 target for state Democrats, as well as Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) and House Minority Leader Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills), is to flip control of the state House of Representatives from Republican control to the Democrats. Currently, Republicans hold a 58-52 majority in the chamber. Looks like they might be getting a helping hand from a progressive political group called Swing Left, which was created after the election of President Donald Trump (R). Swing Left’s first goal, in 2018, to win a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, was achieved through a network of 300,000 volunteers and $13.2 million in donations. In Michigan they are focusing on seven targeted state House seats: flipping Novi-based 38th district, where Republican Kathy Crawford is term-limited; neighboring 39th District (Commerce Township/West Bloomfield), which has flipped back and forth, currently held by first-term Republican Ryan Berman; term-limited Michael Webber’s Rochester/Rochester Hills’ 45th District, long a Republican seat; suburban Kalamazoo 61st District, where Republican Brandt Iden is term-limited; Grand Traverse County 104th District, where troubled Rep. Larry Inman (R-Traverse City) is term-limited; as well as protecting the Democratic seats of first-termers Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) and Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township). Keep an eye out for how successful – or not – they are.