Battleground 109: Democratic Domination and the Godfather
We are weeks away from another critical election — some say the most important in our lifetime in this wild year of 2024. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are barnstorming the country to collect electoral votes, including Michigan’s prized 16, which could decide who controls 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the next four years.
Also, on the ballot in Michigan, residents will choose local representation from city council to school boards and all 110 seats in the state House of Representatives. Political observers are watching the state house seat in the central Upper Peninsula, anchored in Marquette County, as one of the critical in the entire state.
The Rise of the Godfather
Since 1954, when Dominic Jacobetti rose from the pits of an iron ore mine in western Marquette County to a seat in the legislature, the 109th state house district (at the time numbered the 108th), the area voted Democratic for over half a century. The Democratic-leaning comes from the mining interests in the western part of Marquette County, Northern Michigan University employees and students, and other district interests are, paper mill employees in Alger County, and state prisons in Marquette, Munising, and Baraga.
Jacobetti, also known as the “Godfather” of the U.P., used his seniority and influence over the years to significantly increase state funding for the region, which comprises 30% of the state’s land mass but just 3% of the population.Many employees are unionized, which makes the area reliant on government funding and projects. The whole U.P. supported Jacobetti and his allies to reap the benefits of his influence. The area also has a very activist environmental movement that is very defensive on extraction projects and businesses.
The End of an Era
The prosperity ended in 1994 when two events occurred. First, Jacobetti died at age 74, and second, voter-approved term limits were approved in 1992, allowing an individual to serve only six years in the House. This caused the region to lose its influence, as it could get lost in the shuffle to legislators from more urban areas causing Northern Michigan, and the U.P. to lose influence.
The Red Wave
Since the turn of the century, the U.P. as a whole started to change their voting patterns in voting patterns away from the Democratic Party, which had controlled local offices for the previous 50 years. The first change occurred in 2010 when Republican Businessman Rick Snyder’s economic-centered campaign messaging led to a landslide victory in the gubernatorial campaign, which provided significant coattails. Tom Casperson became the first Republican since the 1950s to represent the central and western U.P. in the state senate (taking the seat of term-limited Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi). Also victorious on the U.P. were Frank Foster (107th District), Matt Huuki (110th District), and Ed McBroom (108th District); each of these seats were previously held by the Democrats but voted Republican in the Red Wave of 2010.
While the GOP was victorious throughout the region, Democratic 109 State Rep Steve Lindberg won his final term in the statehouse with 57% of the vote. Even though he withstood the Republican wave, a deeper look at the numbers showed a significant change from his previous races. Lindberg lost Alger, Luce, and Schoolcraft counties. His victory was tied to running up large margins in Marquette County, where more than 60% of the district resides. Years later, state GOP leaders stated they could have won had they recruited a better candidate and put some money in the seat.
Percentage of Population of 109 District 2000–2020 by County
Marquette County 74%
Alger, Luce and Schoolcraft Counties combined 26%
Battleground 109? Not Yet.
In 2012, the seat was set to open because Lindberg was term-limited. The GOP invested heavily in the seat for the first time in half a century, recruiting Burt Township (Alger County) supervisor and Marquette native Jack Hubbard to run. He proved his value as a candidate, raising significant money and working harder than anyone previously. However, Marquette Mayor John Kivela, the Democratic Nominee, followed Lindberg’s mold in running up large margins in his native Marquette county, where he spent most of his adult life as a local businessman while losing in the other three counties to win 58–42%.
In 2014, using the advantage of incumbency, Kivela increased his winning margins, including winning back Alger and Schoolcraft counties and securing a 66%-34%
2014 State Rep Race by County
2014 State Rep Race by Cities and Townships
Next week, we will examine Donald Trump’s effect on the 109th district and the intense Special Election of 2017.
