Voters in Lenawee County choose candidates for Michigan House of Representatives

LENAWEE COUNTY — Contests for candidates seeking election to the Michigan House of Representatives were among the many ballot items included in the Nov. 5 election.

Voters in Lenawee County, depending on their region in the county, saw state office races for the 30th House District, 31st House District, 34th House District and 35th House District. Some of the incumbent candidates claimed victory, while others saw newcomers win their election bids.

30th House District

Voters in this district — Deerfield and Ridgeway townships and part of Blissfield Township — retained their current state representative in William Bruck, a Republican. Bruck notched 1,355 votes in Lenawee County adding to his cumulative representative total of 33,274.

In defeat, Democrat Rick Kull secured 498 Lenawee County votes adding to his cumulative total of 18,278.

Bruck, a lifelong Monroe County resident, was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2022. His coverage area also includes parts of Monroe County: the cities of Luna Pier and Petersburg, part of the city of Monroe, the townships of Bedford, Erie, Ida, La Salle, Monroe, Summerfield and Whiteford, and part of Frenchtown Township.

31st House District

Incumbent Democrat Representative Reggie Miller outpolled Dale Biniecki, a Republican, by a total of 22,103-21,413. In Lenawee County, however, Biniecki secured more votes than Miller, 626-233.

The representative in the state’s 31st House District serves Macon Township in Lenawee County, along with constituents in Romulus, Belleville, Van Buren Township, Sumpter Township, Exeter Township, Raisinville Township, Dundee Township, London Township, Milan Township, Milan City, Augusta Township and York Township.

Election Coverage: Lenawee County election results: Find out who won in the Nov. 5 general election

34th House District

Even though there will be a new state representative for this area, the member-elect is no stranger to Lenawee County.

Nancy Jenkins-Arno will succeed Dale Zorn as state representative for the 34th District after notching 31,080 votes to John Dahlgren’s 17,432. Jenkins-Arno is a Republican and Dahlgren, who challenged Zorn for this seat in the State House two years ago, was on the Democratic ticket.

The 34th House District represents all of Lenawee County except for Deerfield, Macon and Ridgeway townships and the city of Hudson.

Jenkins-Arno, a resident of Clayton, assumes office on Jan. 1, 2025. She is currently on the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners as the District 3 representative (Rollin Township, Hudson Township, Medina Township, the city of Hudson and the city of Morenci). David Aungst, with 4,139 votes, will succeed Jenkins-Arno on the county commission.

Jenkins-Arno formerly served three terms in the State House from 2011-16, the length allowed under term limits at the time. Now, following changes to term limits, she returns to serve the people of Lenawee County in the 34th House District.

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35th House District

Republican newcomer Jennifer Wortz easily won the 35th District House of Representative seat against Democrat Don Hicks, 33,644 to 11,772.

In Lenawee County, the representative in this district covers the city of Hudson. Wortz earned 682 votes in Lenawee County, while Hicks received 282 votes. The district encompasses all of Branch and Hillsdale counties.

Wortz is a Hillsdale County native, and she will succeed Andrew Fink as State Representative after he decided to run for the Michigan Supreme Court.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at [email protected] or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County voters choose candidates for state House of Representatives