After losing by under a hundred votes in 2024, Democrat Jim Haadsma defeated incumbent Republican Steve Frisbie in the race for Calhoun County’s 44th state House District.
In 2024, just 79 votes cost the then-incumbent Haadsma his seat as the 44th District’s representative.
But according to complete unofficial results, Haadsma won this year by just over 2300 votes.
Haadsma said he and his team worked hard to win, but added that voter anger at President Donald Trump surely played a big role in their success.
“People were frustrated with tariffs, high prices, an unnecessary war, and not knowing what kind of premium they were going to have to pay for what kind of health coverage. And consequently, they voted Democratic.”
Haadsma said his Republican opponent Steve Frisbie called him Wednesday morning to concede the election, where Haadsma relayed this sentiment.
"I told him this isn't about how hard or little either one of us worked. It's an issue that's out of our control. It's a variable that, in this case, is a blue tsunami or I've heard it depicted as even an earthquake in context of someplace like Texas."
He added that his priority as the district’s representative will be addressing cost-of-living issues.
"Pocketbook issues. That's how we became elected. How we can make life more affordable. What we can do to ensure that health coverage, especially in the time when Medicaid coverages are going to be interrupted at the first of the year, what we can do to help as many Michiganders as we can in terms of their health needs," Haadsma said.
"Extend earning income tax credit opportunities to more working families in Michigan. And trying to get a state family medical leave act passed which would insulate more Michiganders from interruptions in their employment in the event of some variable like a death in the family or a non-work related disability."
