2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan
Elections were held on November 2, 2010, to determine Michigan's 15 members of the United States House of Representatives. Representatives were elected for two-year terms to serve in the 112th United States Congress from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. Primary elections were held on August 3, 2010.
Of the 15 elections, the 1st, 7th and 9th districts were rated as competitive by Sabato's Crystal Ball, CQ Politics and The Rothenberg Political Report, while The Cook Political Report rated the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 9th districts as competitive.
Three of Michigan's fifteen incumbents did not seek re-election. Of the twelve who did, one was not renominated by her party, and one was unsuccessful in the general election.
In total, nine Republicans and six Democrats were elected. A total of 3,194,901 votes were cast, of which 1,671,707 were for Republicans, 1,415,212 were for Democrats, 43,279 were for Libertarian Party candidates, 27,273 were for U.S. Taxpayers Party candidates, 25,739 were for Green Party candidates, 11,238 were for independent candidates, 409 were for a Natural Law Party candidate and 44 were for write-in candidates.
Overview
Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan by district:District 1
In 2010, the 1st district included Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. The district's population was 93 percent white ; 88 percent were high school graduates and 18 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $40,243. In the 2008 presidential election the district gave 50 percent of its vote to Democratic nominee Barack Obama and 48 percent to Republican nominee John McCain.Democrat Bart Stupak, who took office in 1993, was the incumbent. Stupak was re-elected in 2008 with 65 percent of the vote. In 2010 Stupak retired rather than seeking re-election. The candidates in the general election were Democratic nominee Gary McDowell, a member of the Michigan House of Representatives; Republican nominee Dan Benishek, a physician; Green Party nominee Ellis Boal, a former Charlevoix County commissioner and prosecutor; U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Patrick Lambert, a shift supervisor at Kalitta Air; Libertarian Party nominee Keith Shelton, a sports reporter; and independent candidate Glenn Wilson, the owner of an Internet service provider. Lonnie Lee Snyder had intended to run as a Tea Party candidate, but was found ineligible to do so in August 2010.
McDowell ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, as Mike Prusi, a member of the Michigan Senate, announced in April 2010 that he would not run; and Matt Gillard, a former member of the state House of Representatives; Connie Saltonstall, a former county official; and Joel Sheltrown, a member of the state House of Representatives, ended their campaigns in May 2010. Jason Allen, a member of the state Senate; Patrick Donlon, a businessman; Don Hooper, the owner of a trucking business; and Tom Stillings, a steel industry sales representative, also sought the Republican nomination. Linda Goldthorpe, a lawyer, suspended her campaign in July 2010; however her name remained on the Republican primary ballot. Dennis Lennox, the Cheboygan County drain commissioner, ended his campaign for the Republican nomination in March 2010. Jim Barcia, a former U.S. Representative; and Kevin Elsenheimer, the leader of the Republican Party in the state House of Representatives, both said in April 2010 they would not run. A poll conducted by Practical Political Consulting and released in July 2010, with a sample size of 140, found Benishek leading with 21 percent followed by Allen with 19 percent; Donlon, Goldthorpe, Hooper and Stillings each had the support of less than 2 percent of respondents, while around 55 percent were undecided.
McDowell raised $838,208 and spent $838,160. Benishek raised $1,379,311 and spent $1,343,624. Wilson raised $127,237 and spent $118,276. Allen raised $379,899 and spent $379,979. Goldthorpe raised $9,244 and spent $5,410.
A poll of 1,016 registered voters, conducted in August 2010 by We Ask America, found Benishek leading with 45 percent to McDowell's 29 percent, while 27 percent chose "Other/Unsure". In a poll of 406 likely voters by TargetPoint Consulting, conducted for Benishek's campaign between August 31 and September 1, 2010, Benishek led McDowell by 39 percent to 25 percent when the names of Wilson and Snyder were also given, and by 54 percent to 31 percent when Benishek and McDowell were the only names offered. A poll of 400 likely voters conducted by Hill Research Associates for the National Republican Congressional Committee between September 19 and September 21, 2010, found Benishek leading with 40 percent to McDowell's 24 percent. In a poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for McDowell's campaign, conducted on September 21 and 22, 2010, with a sample size of 505 likely voters, Benishek led with 41 percent while McDowell received 38 percent, Wilson received 12 percent and 9 percent were undecided. A poll of 401 likely voters published by The Hill, conducted between October 2 and 7, 2010, 42 percent of respondents supported Benishek while 39 percent favored McDowell and 18 percent were undecided. In a poll of 400 likely voters by EPIC/MRA, conducted on October 17 and 18, 2010, Benishek led with 42 percent to McDowell's 40 percent. Though Benishek won the Republican primary by a margin of only 15 votes, Allen, who placed second, chose not to seek a recount.
Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Benishek an 88 percent chance of winning, and projected that he would receive 52 percent of the vote to McDowell's 45 percent. On election day Benishek was elected with 52 percent of the vote to McDowell's 41 percent. Benishek was re-elected in 2012, again against McDowell, and in 2014.
Republican primary results
Predictions
General election results
District 2
The 2nd district included Holland, Muskegon and Norton Shores. The district's population was 86 percent white and 6 percent Hispanic ; 88 percent were high school graduates and 21 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $47,736. In the 2008 presidential election, the district gave 51 percent of its vote to Republican nominee John McCain and 47 percent to Democratic nominee Barack Obama.Republican Pete Hoekstra, who took office in 1993, was the incumbent. Hoekstra was re-elected in 2008 with 62 percent of the vote. In 2010, Hoekstra ran for Governor of Michigan rather than seeking re-election. The candidates in the general election were Republican nominee Bill Huizenga, a member of the Michigan House of Representatives; Democratic nominee Fred Johnson, an associate professor of history at Hope College; Green Party nominee Lloyd Clarke, a former United Auto Workers representative; Libertarian Party nominee Joseph Gillotte, the founder and owner of Presort Services Inc.; and U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Ronald Graeser, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
Bill Cooper, a small business owner; Wayne Kuipers, a member of the Michigan Senate; Chris Larson, a member of the Ferrysburg city council; Field Reichardt, the president of the Organic Olive Oil Co., Jay Riemersma, a former American football player; and Ted Schendel, a retired police officer, also sought the Republican nomination. Jeff Wincel, the owner of a consulting firm, sought the Republican nomination but ended his campaign in April 2010. In a poll of 335 likely Republican voters, conducted between July 26 and 28, 2010, by The Grand Rapids Press, 25 percent of respondents favored Riemersma, while 15 percent favored Cooper, the same percentage favored Huizenga, 13 percent favored Kuipers, and 30 percent were undecided. After the primary Huizenga led Riemersma by less than 700 votes; however Riemersma released a statement saying he would not seek a recount. Nicolette McClure, a Lake County commissioner, also sought the Democratic nomination.
Huizenga raised $684,347 and spent $634,952. Johnson raised $125,474 and spent $119,305. Cooper raised $310,497 and spent the same amount. Kuipers raised $232,223 and spent the same amount. Reichardt raised $151,160 and spent $151,064. Riemersma raised $917,362 and spent $915,037. Schendel raised $6,451 and spent $6,651. Wincel raised $14,185 and spent $14,044. McClure raised $20,856 and spent $19,429.
Prior to the election, FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Huizenga a 100 percent chance of winning, and projected that he would receive 63 percent of the vote to Johnson's 34 percent. On election day Huizenga was elected with 65 percent of the vote to Johnson's 32 percent. Huizenga was re-elected in 2012 and 2014.
Republican primary results
Democratic primary results
Predictions
General election results
District 3
The 3rd district included Grand Rapids and Wyoming. The district's population was 80 percent white, 8 percent Hispanic and 8 percent black ; 88 percent were high school graduates and 28 percent had received a bachelor's degree or higher. Its median income was $51,386. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic nominee Barack Obama each received 49 percent of the vote in the district.Republican Vern Ehlers, who took office in 1993, was the incumbent. Ehlers was re-elected in 2008 with 61 percent of the vote. In 2010 Ehlers retired rather than seeking re-election. The candidates in the general election were Republican nominee Justin Amash, a member of the Michigan House of Representatives; Democratic nominee Patrick Miles Jr., a lawyer; U.S. Taxpayers Party nominee Ted Gerrard, an electrician; Libertarian Party nominee James Rogers, a technical consultant in the fields of renewable energy and HVAC; and Green Party nominee Charlie Shick, an employee in the field of warehouse inventory control.
Bill Hardiman, a member of the Michigan Senate; Steve Heacock, a former Kent County commissioner; Louise "Ellie" Johnson, an attorney; and Bob Overbeek, a United States Air Force veteran, also sought the Republican nomination. Terri Lynn Land, the Secretary of State of Michigan; and Dick Posthumus, a former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan; both said in February 2010 that they would not seek the Republican nomination. In a poll of 485 likely voters, conducted by The Grand Rapids Press between July 26 and 30, 2010, 28 percent of respondents favored Amash, while 23 percent supported Hardiman, 17 percent backed Heacock, and 26 percent were undecided. Paul Mayhue, a former Kent County commissioner, also sought the Democratic nomination.
Amash raised $1,103,513 and spent $1,093,007. Miles raised $990,599 and spent $988,091. Gerrard raised $1,405 and spent $2,082. Rogers raised $7,920 and spent $8,611. Hardiman raised $209,236 and spent $202,459. Heacock raised $393,212 and spent the same amount. Overbeek raised $9,213 and spent $6,789. Mayhue raised $11,636 and spent $9,773.
In a poll of 1,006 registered voters, conducted by We Ask America in August 2010, 51 percent of respondents supported Amash while 30 percent favored Miles and 19 percent chose "Other/Unsure". A poll of 400 likely voters, conducted by EPIC/MRA between October 16 and 19, 2010, found Amash leading with 46 percent to Miles's 37 percent, while 8 percent supported other candidates and 9 percent were undecided. A poll of 400 likely voters, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on October 19 and 20, 2010, found Amash leading with 49 percent to Miles's 30 percent.
Prior to the election FiveThirtyEight's forecast gave Amash a 99 percent chance of winning, and projected that he would receive 59 percent of the vote to Miles's 38 percent. On election day Amash was elected with 60 percent of the vote to Miles's 37 percent. In July 2012 Miles was confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Amash was re-elected in November of that year and in 2014.