While the governor's race is a tight contest between Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Snyder and Democratic challenger Mark Schauer, in heavily Democratic southern Oakland County, the winners in some races were pretty well known after the August primary election.
That was the case in the 27th and 35th state House District races, where Robert Wittenberg (27th) and Jeremy Moss (35th) spent some time between the August primary and today's general election by campaigning for other Democrats.
"The election is kind of wrapped up," Moss said Monday. Acknowledging the Democratic edge in his district, Moss said that "there are only nine House seats out of 110 that are more Democratic than mine."
What that means is Moss didn't have to spend a lot of time campaigning in his own district, but he still campaigned, just elsewhere to help out other Democrats in what Moss said were 50-50 partisan split areas.
"We traveled the state," he said. That included a trip to the Benzie County/Manistee area, where Moss and Wittenberg walked door-to-door in the rain. Moss added that is how much he feels the Democrats have a chance to take control of the House of Representatives.
Locally, Moss said they have been working on behalf of Sandra Colvin who is running in West Bloomfield, and for Mary Kerwin who is running in Troy.
While he thinks his election is "secure," Moss said that the Democratic team is targeting those voters who cast ballots in 2008 and 2012, but not in the 2010 mid-term election, which is what today's election is called. A mid-term election is one that is midway between the presidential elections held every four years.
Moss believes the effort will be worth it, once all the ballots are tabulated tonight. "All we have to do is flip five seats," he explained.
Issues like taxation of pensions and "a lot of giveaways" to business will ensure a Democratic victory, Moss said. He said that the public is "frustrated by a tax shift" that has hurt the middle class.
Also looking ahead
Another Democrat expecting success in an equally heavy 11th state Senate District is Vincent Gregory, who is seeking re-election after having briefly considered running in the 14th Congressional race.
"My race is a pretty Democratic area," Gregory said on Monday. He said that he had helped coordinate campaigns and had walked the districts of other candidates, though he does not expect Democrats to take control of the Senate.
But Gregory also has his eye on leadership in the state Senate.
"(Senate Democrats) are meeting on Thursday after the election," he said. "We're going to be voting on the leadership we will have for the next four years (in the Senate).
"My goal is to be minority chair of the appropriations committee. My chances are pretty good, very good," he said.
Even though in the minority, that position is a key one for the powerful appropriations committee, which is responsible for funding programs.
Road bond chances
Meanwhile, Moss expects that the road bond proposal also on the ballot in Southfield will pass.
"That was the number one issue voters talked about," he said, adding that was what the city council kept in mind when the measure was placed on the ballot.
While he "didn't want to increase the hardship" on taxpayers, Moss said that the road proposal will produce "tangible results," if approved, and that voters will be willing to pay for it, if they get their roads repaired.
The council also considered the public's willingness to pay for things they value, he said, noting that 83 percent of the voters approved the 2011 police and fire millage that he said has resulted in a decrease in major crime in the city.
