1974 Michigan Senate election

none 1974 Michigan Senate election Michigan legislative no 1970 Michigan Senate election 1970 1978 Michigan Senate election 1978 All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate 20 1974 11 05 File:George S. Fitzgerald.png 150x150px George S. Fitzgerald(retired) Michigan Democratic Party 1st district 1970January 15, 1970 Senate Dems elect George Fitzgerald 27 Battle Creek Enquirer https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-senate-dems-elect/207044949/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 19 18 6 24 1,411,763 58.34% File:Milton Zaagman 1973.png Milton Zaagman(unseated) Michigan Republican Party 32nd district 1974January 23, 1974 Zaagman Faces Task of Healing Senate GOP 1 The Grand Rapids Press https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-rapids-press-zaagman-faces-tas/207045444/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 19 19 5 14 990,154 40.92% Majority Leader Milton Zaagman Republican Party (United States) William B. Fitzgerald Jr. Democratic Party (United States) An election was held on November 5, 1974, to elect all 38 members of the Michigan Senate for the 78th Michigan Legislature.https://mdoe.state.mi.us/legislators/Session/Details/13 Seventy-Eighth Legislature, 1975-1976 Library of Michigan September 30, 2026 In the election, the Democrats won a 24–14 majority from what had previously been a Republican controlled chamber. History The 1970 general election resulted in an even 19–19 split of Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate. While the Republicans did not have a majority in the chamber, they were able to control it, due to the Republican Lt. Governor James H. Brickley's tie-breaking vote.November 6, 1974 Demos to control state Senate 10 The Niles Daily Star https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-niles-daily-star-demos-to-control-st/207034835/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 The death of Republican Anthony Stamm in April 1974 temporarily created a slight Democratic majority, but the death of Democrat Michael J. O'Brien in June returned the chamber to Republican control.June 7, 1974 State Sen. Michael J. O'Brien Dies 6 Detroit Free Press https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-state-sen-michael-j/207047800/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 O'Brien's vacancy was not filled before the 1974 general election, resulting in a 19–18 Republican majority going into the general.October 31, 1974 Democrats Hope To Gain Majority In State Senate, House 27 The Ann Arbor News https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ann-arbor-news-democrats-hope-to-gai/207034807/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 The 1974 state primary was held on August 6. Three Democratic incumbents were unseated. Garland Lane, dean of the state Senate, was unseated by Dale Kildee. James Gray was unseated by Joseph Snyder. This was the first state Senate election following redistricting, which put two Democratic incumbents, John C. Hertel and Stanley F. Rozycki, into the same district. Hertel defeated Rozycki.August 7, 1974 Dean of State Senate Loses 33 The Herald-Palladium https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-palladium-dean-of-state-senat/207048314/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026August 7, 1974 3 Democratic Senators Unseated In Primary 51 Kalamazoo Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-3-democratic-senat/207048434/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 The general election was held on November 5. Five incumbent Republicans were unseated, resulting in a 24–14 Democratic majority in the chamber. Majority Leader Milton Zaagman, defeated by Democrat John Otterbacher, was one of the Republicans unseated. The others were Oscar E. Bouwsma, L. Harvey Lodge, Philip O. Pittenger, and Gordon Rockwell. They were defeated by Democrats Tony A. Derezinski, Kerry Kenneth Kammer, Earl E. Nelson, and Gary G. Corbin, respectively. After the election, William B. Fitzgerald Jr. was elected majority leader, succeeding Democratic leader George S. Fitzgerald.November 14, 1974 Democrats Pick Majority Leader 7 The Herald-Palladium https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-palladium-democrats-pick-majo/207049973/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026November 22, 1974 The Look of Leadership 4 The Ann Arbor News https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ann-arbor-news-the-look-of-leadershi/207044873/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 The Republicans chose Bob Davis to serve as minority leader.November 20, 1974 Senator Davis Is Minority Leader 12 The Monroe Evening News https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-monroe-evening-news-senator-davis-is/207045231/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 The state Senate was sworn in on January 8, 1975.January 9, 1975 '75 Legislators Sworn In 20 Lansing State Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-75-legislators-sw/207050468/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 Results The following are the official results as printed in the 1975–1976 Michigan Manual.1975 Michigan manual 1975/1976 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071179306 542, 576-584 English November 7, 1974 New Legislature: Young, Eager, Labor-Attuned 15 The Grand Rapids Press https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-rapids-press-new-legislature/207004800/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026November 10, 1974 Lame Duck State Legislators Already Scrambling for Jobs 16 The Bay City Times https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bay-city-times-lame-duck-state-legis/207004831/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 Statewide Party Candi-dates Votes Seats No. % No. +/– % Democratic Party 38 1,411,763 58.34% 24 6 63.15% Republican Party 36 990,154 40.92% 14 5 36.84% American Independent Party 10 8,994 0.37% 0 0.00% Human Rights Party 5 6,402 0.26% 0 0.00% U.S. Labor Party 10 1,568 0.06% 0 0.00% Socialist Workers Party 1 328 0.01% 0 0.00% Conservative Party 1 219 0.00% 0 0.00% Write-ins 50 0.00% 0 0.00%Total 101 2,419,478 100.00% 38 100.00% By district 1st District Democratic Party (US) William B. Fitzgerald Jr. 33230 69.85 Republican Party (US) Earl I. Heenan III 14230 29.91 U.S. Labor Party Jeffrey H. Forrest 110 0.23 47570 100.0 2nd District Democratic Party (US) John C. Hertel (incumbent) 52165 81.26 Republican Party (US) Raymond L. Gorney 12023 18.73 64188 100.0 3rd District Democratic Party (US) Basil W. Brown (incumbent) 36667 95.99 American Independent Party David Howard 1157 3.02 U.S. Labor Party Craig W. Hunt 372 0.97 38196 100.0 4th District Democratic Party (US) David S. Holmes Jr. (incumbent) 28643 85.09 Republican Party (US) Richard A. Golden 4208 12.50 American Independent Party John K. Daly 386 1.14 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Sandra Knoll 328 0.97 U.S. Labor Party Richard Shannon Magraw 94 0.27 33659 100.0 5th District Democratic Party (US) Arthur Cartwright (incumbent) 37692 91.93 Republican Party (US) Edward Mack 3187 7.77 U.S. Labor Party Kenneth J. Dalto 118 0.28 40997 100.0 6th District Democratic Party (US) Michael J. O'Brien Jr. 40199 81.85 Republican Party (US) Teresa A. Gillis 8804 17.92 U.S. Labor Party Gloria Jock 105 0.21 49108 100.0 7th District Democratic Party (US) Jack Faxon (incumbent) 46901 80.67 Republican Party (US) George C. Stone 11008 18.93 U.S. Labor Party Marsha G. Freeman 229 0.39 58138 100.0 8th District Republican Party (US) Donald E. Bishop (incumbent) 54483 68.14 Democratic Party (US) Donald C. Crawford 24430 30.55 Human Rights Party (United States) Sallie H. Eckert 816 1.02 Michigan Conservative Party Jerry Woodruff 219 0.27 79948 100.0 9th District Democratic Party (US) Thomas Guastello 37388 51.84 Republican Party (US) David M. Serotkin 33787 46.84 American Independent Party Arline Learst 941 1.30 2 0.00 72118 100.0 10th District Democratic Party (US) Patrick H. McCollough (incumbent) 52917 76.91 Republican Party (US) Joyce Hagelthorn 14968 21.75 American Independent Party Gladys F. Purcell 910 1.32 68795 100.0 11th District Democratic Party (US) John E. McCauley (incumbent) 35211 58.37 Republican Party (US) Audrey E. Perry 24991 41.43 U.S. Labor Party Jeffrey Woodward 113 0.18 1 0.00 60316 100.0 12th District Democratic Party (US) David Plawecki (incumbent) 43860 78.15 Republican Party (US) Robert J. Lundh 12260 21.84 56120 100.0 13th District Democratic Party (US) William Faust (incumbent) 39450 75.48 Republican Party (US) James D. Walaskay 12814 24.51 52264 100.0 14th District Republican Party (US) Carl Pursell (incumbent) 42893 62.29 Democratic Party (US) Michael K. O'Shea 25265 36.69 American Independent Party Hector M. McGregor 700 1.01 68858 100.0 15th District Democratic Party (US) Daniel S. Cooper (incumbent) 48782 63.78 Republican Party (US) Lee A. Coppock 27690 36.20 2 0.00 76474 100.0 16th District Democratic Party (US) Bill Huffman 36796 57.62 Republican Party (US) Robert Lincoln Dondero 27058 42.37 2 0.00 63856 100.0 17th District Democratic Party (US) Kerry Kenneth Kammer 36728 63.72 Republican Party (US) L. Harvey Lodge (incumbent) 20754 36.00 U.S. Labor Party Christopher L. Martinson 153 0.26 1 0.00 57636 100.0 18th District Republican Party (US) Gilbert E. Bursley (incumbent) 37959 52.33 Democratic Party (US) Peter Eckstein 32129 44.29 Human Rights Party (United States) Lisa R. North 2386 3.28 U.S. Labor Party Theodore D. Held 53 0.07 72527 100.0 19th District Republican Party (US) Hal Ziegler 31640 50.60 Democratic Party (US) Kirk L. Curtis 30873 49.38 8 0.01 62521 100.0 20th District Republican Party (US) Harry A. DeMaso (incumbent) 39484 62.09 Democratic Party (US) John D. Brattin 24098 37.89 5 0.00 63587 100.0 21st District Republican Party (US) John A. Welborn 35783 55.62 Democratic Party (US) Mary C. Brown 28220 43.86 Human Rights Party (United States) James E. Zerbi 328 0.50 64331 100.0 22nd District Republican Party (US) Charles Zollar (incumbent) 34067 55.32 Democratic Party (US) Richard Grabemeyer 26315 42.73 American Independent Party Karl Friske 1191 1.93 2 0.00 61575 100.0 23rd District Republican Party (US) Gary Byker (incumbent) 48758 64.57 Democratic Party (US) Bernard Allen 26744 35.42 1 0.00 75503 100.0 24th District Democratic Party (US) Earl E. Nelson 46189 58.56 Republican Party (US) Philip O. Pittenger (incumbent) 30219 38.31 Human Rights Party (United States) John B. Fishbeck 2463 3.12 2 0.00 78873 100.0 25th District Democratic Party (US) Gary G. Corbin 39200 62.47 Republican Party (US) Gordon Rockwell (incumbent) 23320 37.16 U.S. Labor Party Donald George Wirtanen 221 0.35 62741 100.0 26th District Democratic Party (US) Joseph M. Snyder 40161 68.63 Republican Party (US) Robert L. Schultz 17726 30.29 American Independent Party Faith A. Wolski 623 1.06 2 0.00 58512 100.0 27th District Democratic Party (US) John T. Bowman (incumbent) 39168 73.71 Republican Party (US) Thomas Dale Regal 13965 26.28 4 0.00 53137 100.0 28th District Republican Party (US) Alvin J. DeGrow (incumbent) 37421 56.04 Democratic Party (US) Harold L. Richards 28337 42.44 American Independent Party Carlton Werth 1007 1.50 66765 100.0 29th District Democratic Party (US) Dale Kildee 45542 74.67 Republican Party (US) James R. Johnson 15441 25.32 60983 100.0 30th District Republican Party (US) Richard J. Allen 35845 51.83 Democratic Party (US) Richard D. Warren 32894 47.56 Human Rights Party (United States) Edward W. Aho 409 0.59 4 0.00 69152 100.0 31st District Republican Party (US) Robert VanderLaan (incumbent) 53332 66.22 Democratic Party (US) Robert D. Fahey 26032 32.32 American Independent Party Daniel S. Blanding Jr. 1164 1.44 80528 100.0 32nd District Democratic Party (US) John Otterbacher 41137 61.19 Republican Party (US) Milton Zaagman (incumbent) 26085 38.80 67222 100.0 33rd District Democratic Party (US) Tony A. Derezinski 48033 63.77 Republican Party (US) Oscar E. Bouwsma (incumbent) 26357 34.99 American Independent Party Ronald E. Pesch 915 1.21 8 0.01 75313 100.0 34th District Democratic Party (US) Jerome T. Hart (incumbent) 47153 100.0 47153 100.0 35th District Republican Party (US) Robert D. Young 46457 60.53 Democratic Party (US) Dorothy J. Currie 30285 39.46 1 0.00 76743 100.0 36th District Republican Party (US) John Toepp (incumbent) 44233 59.32 Democratic Party (US) Mack Thomson 30325 40.67 74558 100.0 37th District Republican Party (US) Bob Davis (incumbent) 40937 50.78 Democratic Party (US) Prentiss M. Brown Jr. 39667 49.21 1 0.00 80605 100.0 38th District Democratic Party (US) Joseph Mack (incumbent) 52937 67.08 Republican Party (US) Mel Taylor 25967 32.90 4 0.00 78908 100.0 Special election There was a special election held alongside the general election on November 5, 1974. Democrat Michael J. O'Brien died on June 6, 1974. On July 29, Governor William Milliken called for a special election to fill the vacancy. The special primary was to be held on September 10, and the special general to be held on November 5.June 30, 1974 Special Elections Planned 2 The Daily Reporter https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-reporter-special-elections-pla/207052993/ Newspapers.com September 30, 2026 No special primary election was held. O'Brien's son, Michael J. O'Brien Jr., won the special election to serve the partial term. He also won a full term as state senator. He was sworn in on November 19.November 6, 1974 Victorious Dems charge into control of state Senate 6 Battle Creek Enquirer https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-victorious-dems-ch/185251358/ Newspapers.com November 19, 2025November 20, 1974 Two new legislators take oath of office 4 The Flint Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-flint-journal-two-new-legislators-ta/185251362/ Newspapers.com November 19, 2025 The following are the official results as printed in the 1975–1976 Michigan Manual. 8th District special election Democratic Party (US) Michael J. O'Brien Jr. 32213 80.97 Republican Party (US) Teresa A. Gillis 7568 19.02 39781 100.0 See also 1974 Michigan House of Representatives election References Senate Category:Michigan Senate elections Michigan Senate Category:November 1974 in the United States