2018 Michigan Attorney General election

The 2018 Michigan Attorney General election took place on November 6, 2018, alongside elections to elect Michigan's governor, Class I United States Senator, Secretary of State, as well elections for Michigan's 14 seats in the United States House of Representatives, all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate and all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives; to elect the Secretary of State of Michigan. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette was prohibited from seeking a third term due to term limits and unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Michigan instead. The Michigan GOP was unsuccessful in looking to win its 5th straight attorney general election. Along with the offices of Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, the nominees for attorney general were chosen by party delegates at their respective party conventions.

Nessel defeated Leonard by 115,000 votes, becoming the first Democratic attorney general of Michigan since 2003, when Jennifer Granholm left office to become governor.

Republican convention

Candidates

Nominee

• Tom Leonard, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives^[1]

Eliminated at convention

• Tonya Schuitmaker, state senator^[2]

Declined

• Mary Beth Kelly, former Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court (2011–2015)^[3]

Democratic convention

Candidates

Nominee

• Dana Nessel, civil rights attorney^[4]

Eliminated at convention

• Patrick Miles Jr., former United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan (2012–2017)^[2][5]
• William Noakes, former Wayne County Deputy Corporation Counsel^[6]

Declined

• Steve Bieda, state senator (running for Congress)^[7]
• Tim Greimel, state representative and former minority leader of the Michigan House of Representatives (running for Congress)^[8]
• Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor^[9]

General election

Polling

Fundraising

Results

By congressional district

Despite losing the state, Leonard won 9 of 14 congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.^[12]

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. Giola (L) with 3%; Van Sickle (UTP) with 1%; Graveline (I) with 1%
3. Giola (L) with 4%; "Other candidate" with 5%
4. "Someone else" with 6%; Giola (L) with 4%
5. Giola (L) with 4%; Graveline (I) with <1%
6. "Other party candidate" with 6%; Giola (L) with 5%

References

1. Oosting, Jonathan (October 5, 2017). "House speaker joins race for Michigan attorney general". The Detroit News. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
2. Gray, Kathleen (September 19, 2017). "2018 races getting crowded for attorney general, secretary of state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
3. Livengood, Chad (August 17, 2015). "Justice Kelly to leave Michigan Supreme Court". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
4. Brand-Williams, Oralandar (August 15, 2017). "Same-sex case lawyer to run for Mich. attorney general". The Detroit News. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
5. McVicar, Brian (September 27, 2017). "Former U.S. Attorney Pat Miles announces candidacy for Michigan attorney general". MLive.
6. Gray, Kathleen (December 18, 2017). "Who's running for Michigan Attorney General in 2018?". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
7. Spangler, Todd (December 6, 2017). "Michigan state Sen. Steve Bieda want Sander Levin's seat in Congress". Detroit Free.
8. Spangler, Todd (October 17, 2017). "State Rep. Tim Greimel joins crowded congressional field". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
9. Cook, Jameson (January 23, 2018). "Eric Smith turns down request to run for Attorney General". Macomb Daily. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
10. "Campaign finance data". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
11. "2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018".
12. https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::5a43a57b-ba16-4a6d-ad53-1fcfcd8a253b

External links

Official campaign websites

• Tom Leonard (R) for Attorney General
• Dana Nessel (D) for Attorney General