LANSING – Michigan Democrats have their best shot in decades to take control of the state Legislature after an independent commission voted in December on new political district boundaries that likely create many more competitive elections than in previous years.
Democrats have been in the minority in the state House since 2011 and the Senate since 1984. While there is no guarantee they will win control of either chamber, they stand a good shot at the state Senate, where the split now is 22-16; and at a tighter race in the state House, where the split now is 55-51.
The new state House and Senate maps approved by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission are the first in the state’s history created by an independent group of citizens. As Republicans have controlled both legislative chambers for years, districts previously created have continued to result in, at times, sizable GOP legislative advantages despite Democrats winning statewide elections.
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