Michigan Attorney General election, 2018

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2022
2014
Michigan Attorney General
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Election details
Filing deadline: April 24, 2018
Primary: N/A
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Bill Schuette (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Michigan
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Michigan
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
State board of education
State board of regents

Dana Nessel (D) defeated Tom Leonard (R) and three other candidates for Michigan attorney general on November 6, 2018.

Heading into the election, Michigan had been a Republican trifecta since 2011, when Gov. Rick Snyder (R) took office and Republicans gained a majority in the Michigan House of Representatives. During the 2018 election, Michigan was a Republican triplex.

Incumbent Bill Schuette (R), who was first elected in 2010, was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election. Michigan's Republican Party looked to win its fifth straight attorney general election in 2018. This contrasts with the state's trend in choosing a presidential nominee; in the five presidential elections leading up to 2018, Michigan was won by the Democratic candidate in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012 and by the Republican candidate in 2016.

Third party and independent candidates included Lisa Lane Gioia (L), Gerald T. Van Sickle, (U.S. Taxpayers) and Chris Graveline (I).

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Attorney General of Michigan

Dana Nessel defeated Tom Leonard, Lisa Lane Gioia, Chris Graveline, and Gerald T. Van Sickle in the general election for Attorney General of Michigan on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Dana-Nessel.jpg
Dana Nessel (D)
 
49.0
 
2,031,117
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Tom_Leonard.jpg
Tom Leonard (R)
 
46.3
 
1,916,117
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/lisalanegioia.jpg
Lisa Lane Gioia (L)
 
2.1
 
86,807
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Chris_Graveline_Photo.jpg
Chris Graveline (Independent)
 
1.7
 
69,889
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/GeraldTVanSickle.jpeg
Gerald T. Van Sickle (U.S. Taxpayers Party)
 
0.9
 
38,114

Total votes: 4,142,044
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Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Tom Leonard, State Representative
Tom Leonard.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: Michigan House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2013)

Biography: Leonard received his bachelor's in history and Spanish and his J.D. from the University of Michigan. He was a prosecutor for Genesee County from 2007 to 2010 and served as an assistant attorney general in Lansing from 2010 to 2012.[1] He was first elected to represent District 93 in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2012.

Key messages
  • Leonard emphasized his experience as a prosecutor in his campaign messaging. He said he "prosecuted murders, drug charges, elder abuse, and violent assaults to help the families of Flint find justice in the most difficult times."[2]
  • Leonard said he is "the only candidate with experience working in the attorney general’s office, and he has the experience necessary to hit the ground running on Day One."[2]
  • His campaign priorities included increased penalties for elder abuse, helping the mentally ill, and addressing opioid abuse.[3]



Dana Nessel, attorney
Dana Nessel.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Nessel graduated from the University of Michigan and received her J.D. from Wayne State University. After graduating, she was an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. In 2005, she opened a legal firm. She founded the Fair Michigan Foundation, which "investigates and prosecutes hate crimes committed against the LGBTQ community."[4]

Key messages
  • Nessel campaigned on her experience as a prosecutor. She stated she had become known as a "staunch defender of constitutional rights" and "one of the premier litigators of LGBTQ issues in Michigan."[4]
  • Her campaign priorities included establishing greater inclusion in civil rights laws, protecting the environment, legalizing and regulating cannabis, and defending workers and labor unions.[5]



Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Michigan Attorney General election, 2018
Poll Dana Nessel Tom LeonardUndecidedMargin of ErrorSample Size
The Detroit News/WDIV-TV
September 5-7, 2018
42%29%24%+/-4.0600
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Campaign finance

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Noteworthy general election endorsements
Endorsement Nessel (D) Leonard (R)
Individuals
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Republican Party Tom Leonard

Support

"Tom has a passion for police work that’s rare to an attorney." - Tom Leonard for Attorney General campaign ad, released July 24, 2018
"Tom wanted to ensure we brought the best case possible to ensure justice for victims." - Tom Leonard for Attorney General campaign ad, released June 19, 2018
"Sheriffs Statewide Support Leonard for AG" - Tom Leonard for Attorney General campaign ad, released June 4, 2018

Democratic Party Dana Nessel

Support

"For the People
"#HangersR4Clothes - Dana Nessel for MI Attorney General Vows to Protect Women's Right to Choose" - Dana Nessel for Attorney General campaign ad, released July 6, 2018
"Dana Nessel for Michigan Attorney General" - Dana Nessel for Attorney General campaign ad, released April 10, 2018

Campaign themes

The themes below were taken from the candidates' 2018 campaign websites.

Tom Leonard

Elder Abuse

Michigan’s seniors are being ripped off every day, and it is well past time we put a stop to it. They are being scammed and preyed upon, all too often by those who are closest to them. My first bill when I became a state representative increased penalties for people who abused our seniors. As your next attorney general, I will continue to lead on this issue and protect our most vulnerable Michiganders.

Mental Health

Too many Michiganders have been left behind during the mental health crisis plaguing our state right now. If we can get these people the help they need, we can help them lead better lives and prevent many crimes before they ever happen. As Speaker of the House, I created the House C.A.R.E.S. task force to look into how we can better solve this crisis. This task force is a good first step, but we still have a long way to go. As your next attorney general, I will use my experience working in the state’s first ever mental health court in Genesee County to work hard every day on finding comprehensive solutions for those struggling with mental illness and those closest to them.

Sexual Abuse

From domestic relationships to doctors abusing their positions, too many Michiganders have been victims of sexual abuse. During one of the worst sexual abuse scandals in the history of the United States, Michigan was thrown into the spotlight in how we would prosecute Larry Nassar. I called for the resignation of Michigan State University president Lou Anna Simon when no one else would and helped pass legislation to reform MSU’s outdated procedures to make sure this never happens again. As your next attorney general, I will fight every day to punish the offenders and anyone who enabled them.

Opioid Crisis

The opioid epidemic has devastated far too many Michigan families, and it is impacting communities all across our state. The simple truth is criminalizing opioid addiction is not always the right answer. For real healing to occur, we need to treat those suffering from addiction with compassion and care, but there can be no leniency for criminals who are responsible for this suffering. I will hold those responsible for this crisis accountable as the next top law enforcement officer in Michigan.

Civil Asset Forfeiture

One of the most important doctrines in the American legal system is innocent until proven guilty. For too long, law enforcement agencies in Michigan have been able to confiscate property from those they simply thought were guilty. It is time we put an end to this injustice, and require a conviction before the government can seize your property.[3]

Dana Nessel

Stand up for Civil Rights

Michigan needs an Attorney General who advocates for greater inclusion in civil rights laws. As Attorney General I will aggressively prosecute hate crimes and all cases of discrimination, protect women's rights to access healthcare, and defend immigrants from Federal overreach.

Protect our Environment

I will be a tireless advocate for our environment. I will fight to shut down Enbridge Line 5, and any other pipeline that threatens the Great Lakes. I will enforce environmental laws, prosecuting polluters who harm our environment and threaten the health and safety of Michiganders

Defend Workers and Labor Unions

For years elected officials have attacked laws that protect workplaces and workers rights. As Attorney General, I will make certain that Michiganders have safe workplaces, free from discrimination, sexual harassment, and environmental hazards.

Legalize and Regulate Cannabis

Michigan needs common-sense licensing and regulation of cannabis manufacturing and distribution. When elected, I will work with the legislature and local law enforcement to ensure a safe market that keeps cannabis out of kids hands, and off the roads.

Protect Consumers and Students

As Attorney General, I will go after bad actors, predatory lenders, and shady corporations that target Michigan residents. I will create an Auto Insurance Fraud Division to address our sky-high insurance rates, and I'll work to protect student borrowers from aggressive debt collection tactics.

Safeguard Senior Citizens

Michigan Seniors need help too. As AG, I will increase resources to defend seniors from neglect, abuse, and exploitation. I'll ensure that unsafe assisted living facilities and in-home care providers are stripped of their licenses, issue scam notifications for public awareness, and vigorously prosecute cases of Medicaid fraud.[5]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Republican Party Tom Leonard Facebook

Democratic Party Dana Nessel Facebook

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Twelve of 83 Michigan counties—14 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Bay County, Michigan 12.55% 5.56% 15.31%
Calhoun County, Michigan 12.46% 1.60% 9.36%
Eaton County, Michigan 4.72% 3.13% 8.40%
Gogebic County, Michigan 14.80% 8.10% 17.27%
Isabella County, Michigan 3.66% 9.28% 19.26%
Lake County, Michigan 22.77% 5.01% 12.28%
Macomb County, Michigan 11.53% 3.99% 8.62%
Manistee County, Michigan 15.29% 5.93% 13.26%
Monroe County, Michigan 21.97% 0.98% 4.35%
Saginaw County, Michigan 1.13% 11.89% 17.34%
Shiawassee County, Michigan 19.59% 3.67% 8.59%
Van Buren County, Michigan 13.92% 0.45% 8.78%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Michigan with 47.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.3 percent. In presidential elections between 1836 and 2016, Michigan voted Republican 60.8 percent of the time and Democratic 34.7 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Michigan voted Democratic four out of the five elections.[6]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Michigan. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[7][8]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 53 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 37.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 43 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 39.3 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 57 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 12.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 67 out of 110 state House districts in Michigan with an average margin of victory of 21.2 points. Trump won eight districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


Seat election history

2014

Attorney General of Michigan, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngBill Schuette Incumbent 52.1% 1,603,471
     Democratic Mark Totten 44.2% 1,359,839
     Libertarian Justin Altman 1.9% 57,345
     U.S. Taxpayers Gerald T. Van Sickle 1% 30,762
     Green John Anthony La Pietra 0.8% 25,747
Total Votes 3,077,164
Election results via Michigan Department of State

2010

2010 Race for Attorney General - General Election[9]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Approveda Bill Schuette 52.3%
     Democratic Party David Leyton 43.5%
     Libertarian Party Daniel W. Grow 2.3%
     U.S. Taxpayers Gerald T. Van Sickle 1.9%
Total Votes 3,136,224

2006

2006 Race for Attorney General - General Election[10]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Approveda Mike Cox 53.8%
     Democratic Party Amos Williams 43.6%
     Libertarian Party Bill Hall 1.6%
     U.S. Taxpayers Charles Conces 1.0%
Total Votes 3,690,415

2002

2002 Race for Attorney General - General Election[11]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Approveda Mike Cox 48.9%
     Democratic Party Gary Peters 48.7%
     Green Party Jerry Kaufmann 1.5%
     U.S. Taxpayers Gerald T. Van Sickle 0.9%
Total Votes 3,068,012

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Michigan heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Michigan State Legislature. They had a 63-46 majority in the state House and a 27-10 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

2018 elections

See also: Michigan elections, 2018

Michigan held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Michigan
 MichiganU.S.
Total population:9,917,715316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):56,5393,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:79%73.6%
Black/African American:14%12.6%
Asian:2.7%5.1%
Native American:0.5%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.6%3%
Hispanic/Latino:4.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:89.6%86.7%
College graduation rate:26.9%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$49,576$53,889
Persons below poverty level:20%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Michigan.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Michigan's three largest cities were Detroit (pop. est. 673,000), Grand Rapids (pop. est. 199,000), and Warren (pop. est. 135,000).[12]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Michigan from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Michigan Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Michigan every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Michigan 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 47.5% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 47.3% 0.2%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 54.2% Republican Party Mitt Romney 44.7% 9.5%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 57.4% Republican Party John McCain 41.0% 16.4%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 51.2% Republican Party George W. Bush 47.8% 3.4%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 51.3% Republican Party George W. Bush 46.2% 5.1%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Michigan from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Michigan 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Democratic Party Gary Peters 54.6% Republican Party Terri Lynn Land 41.3% 13.3%
2012 Democratic Party Debbie Stabenow 58.8% Republican Party Pete Hoekstra 38.0% 20.8%
2008 Democratic Party Carl Levin 62.7% Republican Party Jack Hoogendyk, Jr. 33.9% 28.8%
2006 Democratic Party Debbie Stabenow 56.9% Republican Party Michael Bouchard 41.3% 15.6%
2002 Democratic Party Carl Levin 60.6% Republican Party Rocky Raczkowski 37.9% 22.7%
2000 Democratic Party Debbie Stabenow 49.5% Republican Party Spence Abraham 47.9% 1.6%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Michigan.

Election results (Governor), Michigan 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Rick Snyder 50.9% Democratic Party Mark Schauer 46.9% 4.0%
2010 Republican Party Rick Snyder 58.1% Democratic Party Virg Bernero 39.9% 18.2%
2006 Democratic Party Jennifer Granholm 56.4% Republican Party Dick DeVos 42.3% 14.1%
2002 Democratic Party Jennifer Granholm 51.4% Republican Party Dick Posthumus 47.4% 4.0%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Michigan in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Michigan 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 9 64.3% Democratic Party 5 35.7% R+4
2014 Republican Party 9 64.3% Democratic Party 5 35.7% R+4
2012 Republican Party 9 64.3% Democratic Party 5 35.7% R+4
2010 Republican Party 9 60.0% Democratic Party 6 40.0% R+3
2008 Republican Party 7 46.7% Democratic Party 8 53.3% D+1
2006 Republican Party 8 53.3% Democratic Party 7 46.7% R+1
2004 Republican Party 9 60.0% Democratic Party 6 40.0% R+3
2002 Republican Party 9 60.0% Democratic Party 6 40.0% R+3
2000 Republican Party 7 43.75% Democratic Party 9 56.25% D+2

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Michigan Party Control: 1992-2024
Two years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D
Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D
House D S S R R D D R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D


Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Michigan attorney general election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

Michigan government:

Elections:

Ballotpedia exclusives:

External links

Footnotes