State Senator Kim LaSata will not return to the state Legislature in January. She lost her primary election to John Lindsey on Tuesday. Lindsey had the backing of former President Trump. LaSata served one term in the state House before being elected to the Senate in 2018. Lindsey won by 7,463 votes, The 17th District covers the southern half of Berrien County and extends east through Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch counties, also including part of Hillsdale, Jackson and Calhoun counties.
Senator Kim LaSata
Following Tuesday’s primaries, Republican State Senator Aric Nesbitt will head into November’s general election facing Democrat Kim Jorgensen Gane after defeating two challengers. Nesbitt says he’s “honored for the opportunity to work side-by-side with Tudor Dixon and Republican candidates up-and-down the ticket to earn big wins in November.
We now know who the candidates will be for Michigan House in the 38th District come November following Tuesday’s primaries. Facing off in the general election will be Democrat Joey Andrews and Republican Kevin Whiteford. Andrews edged out fellow Democrat Annie Brown, while Whiteford defeated George Lucas and Troy Rolling in their primaries. The 38th District covers the Lake Michigan coast all the way from New Buffalo to Saugatuck.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Republican primary in the 39th state House District was state Representative Pauline Wendzel, who edged out one challenger. The Democrat in November will be Jared Plonowski. The 39th District covers eastern parts of Berrien County on into Van Buren County.
Looking south in the 37th District, the Republican primary winner is state Representative Brad Paquette, while the Democrat in November will be Naomi Ludman. Finally, state Representative Steve Carra defeated three Republican challengers in the 36th District, covering Cass and St. Joseph counties. The Democrat in November will be Roger Williams.
BERRIEN COUNTY: OTHER RESULTS
Tuesday’s primaries included contested races for some Berrien County Board of Commissioners seats. Democrat Chokwe Pitchford defeated Joseph Taylor in the 3rd District Tuesday, meaning Pitchford will be on the ballot in November. In the 9th District, Republican Richard Ott defeated Republican Michael Davidson. In Berrien County’s 12th District, Republican Commissioner Michael Majerek beat challenger Charlton Duane McCully to appear on the general election ballot. There were also a wide range of ballot proposals decided. Among other things, Baroda Township approved a fire equipment millage, Berrien Township approved a fire equipment millage, Coloma approved a fire truck replacement millage, Watervliet approved a new police millage, and Baroda approved an increased public safety millage. A North Berrien Historical Society millage increase was also approved .Several townships also renewed millages.
VAN BUREN COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
Voters in Van Buren County had several ballot proposals to consider Tuesday. Countywide, they approved the public safety millage, the ambulance millage, and the Senior Services millage in several townships. Looking at a handful of township proposals, Columbia Township approved a police millage renewal and a road millage renewal but said no to a Headlee override millage increase, Hamilton Township approved a road millage, and South Haven Township approved a police millage and road millage. There were no contested primaries for county commissioner.
CASS COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
The votes have been counted, and Cass County voters have spoken.
With 100 percent of precincts fully reporting, unofficial results show longtime commission chair Dwight ‘Skip’ Dyes has been defeated by R.J. Lee in the 8th District County Commissioner Republican primary race. Lee earned 512 votes to Dyes’ 447. Dyes had been a commissioner since 2010.
In other contested Republican county commission races, Mary Howie defeated Michael Laylin in the 5th District 390-308, and Samuel Barrera defeated Betsy Carls in the 6th District 524-413.
All other nominees ran unopposed.
Ballot Proposals
The Cass County 911 Central Dispatch Proposal passed with 68.81% of the vote, while the Cass District Library Millage Proposal passed with 51.92% of the vote. The $60 million Edwardsburg Schools Bonding Proposal did not pass, earning 47.12% of the vote.
The Cassopolis Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal passed with 51.36% voting yes. The Decatur Schools Operating Millage Proposal passed, while the White Pigeon Community Schools Sinking Fund Millage Renewal Proposal was defeated. A road millage renewal in Volinia Township passed, while both ambulance millage renewals in Volinia Township also passed.
To see full Cass County results, visit electionreporting.com
