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Legislature's lame duck session could be difficult for Michigan Democrats

Interior of the state Capitol's rotunda.
Lester Graham
/
Michigan Radio

The Legislature returns this week to the state Capitol and the post-election “lame duck” session.

Democrats have a short window to cross items off their to-do list before the 2023-24 session wraps up and Republicans take control of the Michigan House in January.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer would like to see the existing Democratic majorities deal with some of her priorities before January.

“Our job remains the same no matter who is in the White House or the state House,” said Whitmer Communications Director Bobby Leddy. “Michiganders expect their elected officials to work with Governor Whitmer to continue lowering costs in the face of inflation, bring good-paying jobs to our state to grow the economy, build more affordable housing to drive down prices, and protect our rights and freedoms.”

Leddy said some of those priorities could also win bipartisan support in the new session with Republicans in charge of the House while Democrats maintain their slim hold over the Senate.

It is still not clear exactly how big the House Republican majority will be in the coming term as an apparent computer glitch resulted in some absentee ballots going uncounted in Battle Creek.

Republican challenger Steve Frisbie was holding the lead over Representative Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek). But an attorney for Haadsma said Friday that the process of fixing the error is still ongoing.

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Rick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He has been covering Michigan’s Capitol, government, and politics since 1987.