1970 Michigan Senate election

none 1970 United States Senate election in Michigan 1970 Michigan Senate election Michigan legislative no 1966 Michigan Senate election 1966 1974 Michigan Senate election 1974 All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate 20 1970 11 03 File:Robert VanderLaan 1976.png 150x150px Robert VanderLaan Michigan Republican Party 31st district 1970 20 1 19 1,125,379 45.15% File:George S. Fitzgerald.png George S. Fitzgerald Michigan Democratic Party 1st district 1970 18 1 19 1,362,469 54.66% Majority Leader Robert VanderLaan Republican Party (United States) Robert VanderLaan Republican Party (United States) An election was held on November 3, 1970, to elect all 38 members of the Michigan Senate for the 76th Michigan Legislature.https://mdoe.state.mi.us/legislators/Session/Details/6 Seventy-Sixth Legislature, 1971-1972 Library of Michigan September 30, 2026 The election resulted in an even 19–19 split between Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans were able to hold on to control of the chamber due to the tie-breaking vote of the lieutenant governor. History In the 1966 general election, the Republicans won a 20–18 majority, from what had been a Democratic majority.November 9, 1966 Grab Senate 20-18; Tie In House 55-55 25 Kalamazoo Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-grab-senate-20-18/207163907/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 In January 1970, Sander Levin resigned as minority leader to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. The Democrats elected George S. Fitzgerald to succeed him.January 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 October 2, 2026 In June 1970, Emil Lockwood resigned as majority leader to seek the Republican nomination for Michigan Secretary of State. Robert VanderLaan was elected to succeed Lockwood.June 2, 1970 Republicans Name VanderLaan New Senate Majority Leader 4 The Flint Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-flint-journal-republicans-name-vande/207165130/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 The 1970 state primary was held on August 4. Nineteen incumbents faced contested primary elections, 11 Democrats and 8 Republicans. Three incumbents were unseated in the primary, all in the Detroit area. In the Democratic primary, Roger Craig was defeated by Patrick McCollough, and Raymond D. Dzendzel was defeated by Jack Faxon. Republican George Kuhn was defeated by Carl Pursell.August 5, 1970 Craig, Kuhn Beaten; Most Incumbents Win 1 The Ann Arbor News https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ann-arbor-news-craig-kuhn-beaten-m/207164172/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026August 6, 1970 Former State Senate Leader Ousted By Voters 2 The Times Herald https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-former-state-senate-lea/207164295/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 The general election was held on November 3. The election resulted in an even 19–19 split of Democrats and Republicans in the chamber. Republican N. Lorraine Beebe, the only woman in the state Senate, was the only incumbent ousted. She was defeated by David Plawecki. While the state Senate was evenly split, the Republicans still gained control. Governor William Milliken won re-election with his running mate, James H. Brickley. Brickley was to serve as lieutenant governor, and have a tie-breaking in the state Senate, giving Republicans the advantage.November 5, 1970 GOP Gains State Senate Control 35 Detroit Free Press https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-gop-gains-state-senat/207165851/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026November 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 On November 11, after the general election but before the next session of the legislature, the Republicans used their state Senate majority to pass a rule change which helped ensure their control of the chamber in the next session.November 12, 1970 GOP Moves for Full Senate Control, Rebuffs Democratic Plea to Share It 28 The Flint Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-flint-journal-gop-moves-for-full-sen/207166458/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 After the election, VanderLaan was re-elected majority leader, and Fitzgerald was re-elected minority leader. The state Senate was sworn in on January 13, 1971.January 14, 1971 Legislators' Big Day Ends 64 Lansing State Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-legislators-big-d/207166741/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 Results The following are the official results as printed in the 1971–1972 Michigan Manual. The official results purposefully excluded scattered write-in votes.1971 Michigan manual 1971/1972 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071179280 526-533 English November 5, 1970 State Senate, House Victors Are Listed 5 The Daily Reporter https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-reporter-state-senate-house-v/207113894/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026November 10, 1966 Final Results In State House And Senate Races 2 The Ann Arbor News https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ann-arbor-news-final-results-in-stat/207157940/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026 Statewide Party Candi-dates VotesCounty election results in Saginaw County in the 36th district and Baraga County in the 38th district were changed and corrected, but were not updated in the official state results. Seats No. % No. +/– % Republican Party 38 1,125,379 45.15% 19 1 50.00% Democratic Party 38 1,362,469 54.66% 19 1 50.00% American Independent Party 5 4,333 0.17% 0 0.00%Total 81 2,492,181 100.00% 38 100.00% By district 1st District Democratic Party (US) George S. Fitzgerald (incumbent) 34168 64.05 Republican Party (US) Keith P. Edwards 19171 35.94 53339 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 2nd District Democratic Party (US) Charles N. Youngblood Jr. (incumbent) 41862 60.60 Republican Party (US) Ross C. Christie Jr. 27208 39.39 69070 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 3rd District Democratic Party (US) Stanley F. Rozycki (incumbent) 43993 90.11 Republican Party (US) Dennis T. Wojnar 4826 9.88 48819 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 4th District Democratic Party (US) Coleman A. Young (incumbent) 29909 88.66 Republican Party (US) Mary Ann Johns 3823 11.33 33732 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 5th District Democratic Party (US) Arthur Cartwright (incumbent) 26077 83.94 Republican Party (US) Edward Joseph Mack 4986 16.05 31063 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 6th District Democratic Party (US) Basil W. Brown (incumbent) 41580 85.35 Republican Party (US) Mary L. Dyell 7132 14.64 48712 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 7th District Democratic Party (US) Jack Faxon 45937 72.14 Republican Party (US) William A. Allgeyer 17739 27.85 63676 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 8th District Democratic Party (US) Michael J. O'Brien (incumbent) 42500 74.27 Republican Party (US) Ralph E. Judd 14717 25.72 57217 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 9th District Democratic Party (US) Stanley Novak (incumbent) 42766 90.98 Republican Party (US) Herman L. Keppner 4236 9.01 47002 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 10th District Democratic Party (US) Patrick McCollough 45541 75.53 Republican Party (US) Kenneth O. Evans 14753 24.46 60294 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 11th District Democratic Party (US) John E. McCauley (incumbent) 38003 64.18 Republican Party (US) William Nichols 21205 35.81 59208 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 12th District Democratic Party (US) David Plawecki 39689 52.65 Republican Party (US) N. Lorraine Beebe (incumbent) 35001 46.43 American Independent Party Peter Bill 680 0.90 75370 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) 13th District Democratic Party (US) William Faust (incumbent) 44633 76.12 Republican Party (US) Anthony A. Bielecki Jr. 13995 23.87 58628 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 14th District Republican Party (US) Carl Pursell 55082 59.05 Democratic Party (US) Paul Kadish 38192 40.94 93274 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 15th District Democratic Party (US) Daniel S. Cooper 52090 69.59 Republican Party (US) Donald Black 22757 30.40 74847 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 16th District Republican Party (US) Donald E. Bishop 60644 68.36 Democratic Party (US) Sallie H. Eckert 28060 31.63 88704 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 17th District Republican Party (US) L. Harvey Lodge (incumbent) 31268 51.07 Democratic Party (US) Carl W. O'Brien 29950 48.92 61218 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 18th District Republican Party (US) Gilbert E. Bursley (incumbent) 42130 59.97 Democratic Party (US) George Wahr Sallade 28113 40.02 70243 100.0 Republican Party (United States) District Republican Party (US) James G. Fleming (incumbent) 36865 60.35 Democratic Party (US) Dale A. Haught 24215 39.64 61080 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 20th District Republican Party (US) Harry A. DeMaso (incumbent) 33677 55.23 Democratic Party (US) Roger Johnson 27294 44.76 60971 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 21st District Republican Party (US) Anthony Stamm (incumbent) 40080 58.84 Democratic Party (US) William L. Furniss 28031 41.15 68111 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 22nd District Republican Party (US) Charles Zollar (incumbent) 36658 60.82 Democratic Party (US) Paul C. Clark 23145 38.40 American Independent Party Shelton M. Carr 469 0.77 60272 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 23rd District Republican Party (US) Gary Byker (incumbent) 49410 64.99 Democratic Party (US) Chester J. Harmsen 26609 35.00 76019 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 24th District Republican Party (US) Philip O. PittengerJanuary 28, 1971 Pittenger Firmly in Senate As Stuttman Halts Recount 12 Lansing State Journal https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-pittenger-firmly-i/207162901/ Newspapers.com October 2, 2026Official state results show Philip Pittenger winning the 24th district's election over Leonard Stuttman by 583 votes. A recount, requested by Stuttman, began in January 1971. It was concluded early. The recount had affirmed Pittenger's victory, and shown he had won by 601 votes. 37085 49.98 Democratic Party (US) Leonard Milton Stuttman 36502 49.20 American Independent Party Leo J. Miller 599 0.80 74186 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 25th District Republican Party (US) Gordon Rockwell (incumbent) 45165 52.09 Democratic Party (US) James N. Callahan 41527 47.90 86692 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 26th District Democratic Party (US) John T. Bowman (incumbent) 47758 74.35 Republican Party (US) Walter Hallman 16473 25.64 64231 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 27th District Democratic Party (US) James D. Gray (incumbent) 68954 69.57 Republican Party (US) Ronald McDowell 30160 30.42 99114 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 28th District Republican Party (US) Alvin J. DeGrow (incumbent) 40173 62.17 Democratic Party (US) Alexander Wnuk 24437 37.82 64610 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 29th District Democratic Party (US) Garland Lane (incumbent) 38770 70.77 Republican Party (US) Harvey Gerdes 13969 25.49 American Independent Party Dan Elvin Griffin 2044 3.73 54783 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 30th District Republican Party (US) Bill Ballenger 44733 61.78 Democratic Party (US) Cedric Root 27670 38.21 72403 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 31st District Republican Party (US) Robert VanderLaan (incumbent) 52387 65.85 Democratic Party (US) Charles B. Reintges 27162 34.14 79549 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 32nd District Republican Party (US) Milton Zaagman (incumbent) 34475 55.90 Democratic Party (US) Stephen V. Monsma 26654 43.22 American Independent Party Harold Tilma 541 0.87 61670 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 33rd District Republican Party (US) Oscar E. Bouwsma (incumbent) 35329 53.31 Democratic Party (US) Walter Abbott Jr. 30932 46.68 66261 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 34th District Democratic Party (US) Jerome T. Hart (incumbent) 39438 65.81 Republican Party (US) Carl J. Wright 20483 34.18 59921 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) 35th District Republican Party (US) Robert Richardson (incumbent) 46006 59.69 Democratic Party (US) John D. Prior 31064 40.30 77070 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 36th District Republican Party (US) John Toepp (incumbent) 47796 65.84 Democratic Party (US) Erika Belmoor 24789 34.15 72585 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 37th District Republican Party (US) Bob Davis 38287 55.65 Democratic Party (US) Russel M. Lee 30506 44.34 68793 100.0 Republican Party (United States) 38th District Democratic Party (US) Joseph Mack (incumbent) 43949 63.28 Republican Party (US) Miodrag Georgevich 25495 36.71 69444 100.0 Democratic Party (United States) Notes References Senate Category:Michigan Senate elections Michigan Senate Category:November 1970 in the United States