5 Ways Michiganders Made History In 2022 Midterm Elections

MICHIGAN — Michiganders set new milestones in what turned out to be a record setting midterm election in the state.

More than 4.3 million Michiganders voted in Tuesday's elections with more than 1.8 million voters casting an absentee ballot. But that wasn't the only milestone the state set.

Here's how Michiganders made political history Tuesday:

First Black Speaker of the House

Democrats captured the state legislature for the first time in nearly 40 years, allowing them to elect state Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit, as the new House speaker. He'll be the first Black man to lead the chamber when he officially takes over in January.

"I am proud to serve alongside my esteemed colleagues as Speaker of the House," said Tate. "Together, we will shape sound policy that positively impacts our state and generates opportunities for all Michiganders to reach their full potential. I am confident that we are destined to do great works in the days before us."

Tate was reelected Tuesday to represent State House District 10 and serves as the Democratic vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

First Female Majority Leader

While Tate leads the lower chamber, Michigan Democrats chose state Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, to lead the upper chamber, making her the first woman in Michigan's history to serve in the leadership role.

"I'm a very collaborative leader. I like to have a lot of high-quality voices in the room, I like to listen to them, I want to hear what people have to say. And I really value all the experiences our caucus members bring," Brinks said.

Brinks was first elected to the state House in 2012, before winning a seat in the state Senate in 2018. She became the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in the Senate since the 1920s after woman won the right to vote.

First Black Republican Elected to Congress

After losing two previous bids for U.S. Congress, Republican businessman John James narrowly edged out former Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga to represent Michigan's 10th Congressional District.

James will be the first Black Republican to represent Michigan in Congress and the first Black member from Michigan to represent a majority White suburban district, which includes portions of Oakland and Macomb counties.

"I am humbled and grateful for the support and the trust of the people of Macomb County, Rochester and Rochester Hills," James said. "We will lower prices, protect our jobs and make our communities safer. I will not let you down!"

First Indian American Elected to Congress

While Detroit will no longer have a Black representative in the U.S. Congress for the first time in nearly 70 years, they did elect Shri Thanedar, the state's first Indian American to the U.S. Congress.

"Growing up in abject poverty, I never would have thought I would have this opportunity to serve in the House of Representatives," Thanedar said. "I will stand up for working families and everyday Americans to fight for economic prosperity, racial justice, to protect our rights, and put our government to work for our neighborhoods and communities."

The 67-year-old businessman was born and raised in India and moved to the U.S. (where he has become a citizen) in his 20s to study. His election also means that Detroit, the largest majority-Black city in the U.S., will not have a Black member of Congress.

Repeal Of State's 1931 Abortion Ban

One of the most watched proposals across the country Tuesday was Michigan's Proposal 3, which Michiganders soundly voted in favor of to legalize abortion in the state.

The state's 1931 law, banning abortion in nearly every circumstance, was triggered in June when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade. Numerous lawsuits and challenges followed the ruling, confusing nearly everyone in the state whether abortion was legal or not.

By approving Proposal 3 or the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, Michiganders codified abortion into the state's constitution, taking the decision out of state lawmakers' hands.