DAY OF RECKONING

With just about a month left before the final votes come in on the balance of power in the Michigan legislature, prognosticators are projecting that one or both chambers in Lansing could change hands. Republicans hold 22 of the seats in the Senate, while the Democrats have 16. Over in the House, the Republican party has a three-seat advantage over Democrats, 56-53, with one vacancy. The GOP has held the Senate majority since 1984 and the House since 2011. But all that could change with the 2022 balloting on a state-wide basis.  Some say that the recent redistricting by the first independent commission could foster change but that remains to be seen. In Oakland County, there seems to be agreement that Democrats won’t be making any inroads on the current office holders make-up in the county itself, but when it comes to Michigan as a whole, it’s a different story.  Most predict that the balance of power in the House will remain with the Republicans, with one predicting that it would take a “Blue bloodbath” to flip that chamber to control of the Democrats. Keep in mind  that it would only take the loss of one or more seats in the House on the part of Republicans to transfer power but, most are predicting no change there once state-wide votes are counted. In the Senate, collective opinion among a number of Republicans range from “questionable” to “definite” when it comes to Democrats taking over. Said one Republican consultant about the Senate chances: “Democrats have not been in a better position in 40 years.”