Post Election analysis: Voters pass Prop 2, ending utility corporation campaign finance influence, but corporate contributions still a major problem in Michigan politics

Prop 2 won by an overwhelming margin in last Tuesday’s election. On the ballot the language for Prop 2 read as – A Proposed Initiated Law to Prohibit Campaign Contributions for Certain Regulated Utilites and Government Contractors and Apply Campaign Finance Laws and Regulations to Additional Types of Political Communications.

In Kent County 82.44% of voters said yes to Prop 2. In fact, there were 242,505 people in Kent County who voted for Prop 2, but only 51,641 voted against it, according to the Kent County Clerk’s office.

In addition, Prop 2 will do the following three things:

• Prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to those who run for or hold offices that impact them.
• Expand laws regulating spending on political communications, including those requiring disclosing donor information, to apply to communications clearly identifying candidates or ballot questions, even if they do not expressly advocate voting for/against them.
• Expressly apply the law requiring disclosure of who paid for political communications to internet political communications.

However, the campaign for Prop 2 said Money Out of Politics, which is why there have been lots of people who thought all corporate money or PAC money would be banned from future elections in Michigan. Prop 2 is a good start, but corporate and PAC money will still wield tremendous influence in Michigan electoral politics.

For example, let’s look at the state races that were on the ballot in Kent County and how many candidates took money from members of the local oligarchy, corporate funds and PACs. I am listing just a few of the largest.

State Senator – 18th District

Anthony Pennock (D): MEA PAC $3,000, MI Rural PAC $500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/committee-to-elect-anthony-pennock-state-senator-0606448

Thomas A. Albert (R): Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $5,500, Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $3,600, Family Business Owners of MI PAC $3,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/thomas-albert-for-state-senate-520305-can

State Senator – 20th District

Dale Murney (D): McCann for Michigan Fund $2,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/committee-to-elect-dale-murney-0612975

Chris Moraitis (R): Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $5,500, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $5,000, TGIF Victory Fund $5,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/chris-moraitis-for-state-senate-0608612

State Senator – 29th District

Abbie Groff-Blaszak (D): Grand Rapids Firefighters Union PAC $2,500, Lee – Texas PAC $2,450, Michigan League for Conservation Voters PAC $2,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/abbie-groff-blaszak-for-state-senate-0611665

Brady A. Middleton (R): No PAC or corporate money

State Senator – 30th District

Carol Glanville (D): International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC $25,250, The PAC for America’s Future Michigan $24,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/friends-of-carol-glanville-0610967

Mark E. Huizenga (R): Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $24,500, MI Assoc of Community Bankers of Michigan PAC $8,500, Small Business Association of Michigan $8,500, Moving Michigan Forward Fund $7,350 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/mark-huizenga-can

State Senator – 33rd District

Stan Opal (D): Local 324 PAC $10,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/committee-to-elect-stan-opal-to-state-senate-0613125

Gina Johnsen (R): Michigan Families First PAC $24,000, Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $7,400, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $6,500, Family Business Owners of MI PAC $3,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/gina-johnsen-can

State Representative – 78th District

Rachel Gross (D): Michigan Nurses Association PAC $1,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/rachel-gross

Brandon Strong (R): Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $1,750, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $1,500, Michigan Electric Cooperatives PAC $1,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/brandon-strong

State Representative – 79th District

Zach Abbott (D): Michigan Rural PAC $500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/committee-to-elect-zach-abbott-0610444

Angela Rigas (R): Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $4,000, Family Business Owners of MI PAC $1,500, Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $1,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/angela-rigas

State Representative – 80th District

Lily Cheng-Schulting (D): Michigan League for Conservation Voters PAC $1,000, MEA PAC $500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/lily-cheng-schulting

Doug Lee (R): No PAC or corporate money

State Representative – 81st District

Stephen Wooden (D): Elevate Michigan $12,250, Puri PAC $12,250, Meijer PAC $9,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/stephen-wooden

Holly DeBoer (R): No PAC or corporate money

State Representative – 82nd District

Kristian Grant (D): Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $12,500, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $7,000, Michigan League for Conservation Voters PAC $7,000, Meijer PAC $6,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/kristian-grant

Ryan Malinoski (R): No PAC or corporate money

State Representative – 83rd District

John Fitzgerald (D): Comcast Corporation and NbcUniversal PAC $6,500, Automobile Club of Michigan PAC $6,000, Health Care Association of Michigan PAC $5,000, Dte Energy Company PAC $3,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/john-fitzgerald

Cindy Ramirez (R): TGIF Victory Fund $5,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/the-committee-to-elect-cindy-ramirez-0612434

State Representative – 84th District

Khristian Silvis (D): Emilys List Michigan $12,250, Building Bridges PAC $5,000, Grand Rapids Firefighters Union PAC $3,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/khristian-silvis

Drew Jake Robbins (R): TGIF Victory Fund $12,250, Grand Rapids Police Officers Assoc PAC $5,000, Michigan Realtors SuperPAC $1,500

State Representative – 89th District

Meegan Zickus (D): No PAC or corporate money

Joe Moss (R): TGIF Victory Fund $5,000, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $1,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/joe-moss

State Representative – 90th District

Rachel Crowther (D): No PAC or corporate money

Lynn Afendoulis (R): Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists PAC $10,000, Family Business Owners of MI PAC $3,500, Cms Energy Corp Employees for Better Government $2,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/committee/lynn-afendoulis-for-state-representative-0612849

State Representative – 91st District

Frank Lafata (D): Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters PAC $5,000 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/frank-lafata

Pat Outman (R): Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Assoc PAC $7,500, Comcast Corporation and NbcUniversal PAC $5,000, Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers State PAC $4,500 https://www.transparencyusa.org/mi/candidate/patrick-outman-can

In looking at the state races that were specific to Kent County you can see that nearly $200,000 in PAC money was contributed for the ones that I listed. As I stated earlier, Prop 2 was a good start, but we need to eliminate PAC money, corporate contributions and significantly limit the amount that those with deep pockets can contribute to candidates. This is why electoral politics, particularly at the federal and state level looks less like a democracy and more like an oligarchy.