77th House District

Vice President Kamala Harris is running for president and has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as her vice president. Between them, Harris and Walz have a wealth of executive and legislative experience, and both have demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting our freedoms and fighting for a brighter future for all Americans.

Before serving as vice president, Kamala Harris was California’s Attorney General and served in the U.S. Senate. Tim Walz spent 24 years in the US Military before his professional career as a teacher and coach, before serving six terms in Congress and one full term as governor of Minnesota.

Harris and Walz’s vision for America centers on protecting the rights and freedoms of people across the country and fighting back against the attacks MAGA Republicans have launched on abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality, voting rights, and racial justice. They also aim to foster an economic environment where everyone can thrive, not just corporations and the wealthy, protect our environment from corporate polluters, and enact common-sense gun violence prevention laws to make us all safer.

Harris and Walz have been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: Clean Water Action, Emgage Action, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Sierra Club - Michigan.

Vice President Harris’s opponent in this race is former president Donald Trump, a con man whose time in the White House was characterized by chaos, bigotry, and a focus on taking care of himself and his wealthy friends. Trump has selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate. Vance has limited experience in governing and has followed Trump’s lead in spreading harmful racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most progressive choices in this race

Vice President Kamala Harris is running for president and has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as her vice president. Between them, Harris and Walz have a wealth of executive and legislative experience, and both have demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting our freedoms and fighting for a brighter future for all Americans.

Before serving as vice president, Kamala Harris was California’s Attorney General and served in the U.S. Senate. Tim Walz spent 24 years in the US Military before his professional career as a teacher and coach, before serving six terms in Congress and one full term as governor of Minnesota.

Harris and Walz’s vision for America centers on protecting the rights and freedoms of people across the country and fighting back against the attacks MAGA Republicans have launched on abortion access, LGBTQ+ equality, voting rights, and racial justice. They also aim to foster an economic environment where everyone can thrive, not just corporations and the wealthy, protect our environment from corporate polluters, and enact common-sense gun violence prevention laws to make us all safer.

Harris and Walz have been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: Clean Water Action, Emgage Action, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Sierra Club - Michigan.

Vice President Harris’s opponent in this race is former president Donald Trump, a con man whose time in the White House was characterized by chaos, bigotry, and a focus on taking care of himself and his wealthy friends. Trump has selected Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate. Vance has limited experience in governing and has followed Trump’s lead in spreading harmful racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda.

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most progressive choices in this race

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who has represented Michigan for three terms in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives, is running this year for her first term representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Slotkin spent much of her career working on national security issues for the federal government. After losing her mother to cancer and witnessing firsthand the way families dealing with a serious illness must also navigate tremendous financial stress, she decided to run for Congress and work toward a more just healthcare system.

In addition to taking on big pharma and insurance companies, Rep. Slotkin’s policy priorities include creating safer communities via gun violence prevention laws, protecting abortion rights, reducing inequality and ensuring all families have what they need to thrive, and defending our democracy and voting rights.

Rep. Slotkin has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Education Association, Michigan United Action, MI Poder, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Sierra Club - Michigan.

Rep. Slotkin’s opponent is Mike Rogers, a Trump-endorsed candidate who shares many of the former president’s priorities, including harsh, authoritarian immigration and policing policies, criminalizing abortion, and supporting corporations over everyday Americans. Mike Rogers recently moved back to Michigan after living in Florida for years in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the most progressive choice in this race.

Curtis Hertel is a former state legislator, currently working for Governor Whitmer, who is running for his first term in Congress to represent the 7th District.

Throughout his career, Hertel has striven to find workable solutions to the problems facing Michiganders and ensure everyone in our state can thrive. In the Senate, Hertel was known for his fiery support of abortion rights, the labor movement and public education.

As a member of Gov. Whitmer’s team after he left the state senate, he helped work to pass major gun violence prevention legislation after the tragic shooting at Michigan State University. His policy platform for Congress includes protecting our freedom to vote, making sure everyone can get the reproductive healthcare they need, combating climate change, and passing common sense gun violence prevention laws to make our communities safer.

Hertel has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Education Association, Service Employees International Union - Michigan, Sierra Club - Michigan, MI Poder, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Hertel’s opponent in this race is Tom Barrett, a MAGA Republican who believes in criminalizing abortion and participated in the Trump-led far right campaign to overturn legitimate election results in 2020. Barrett is also endorsed by the anti-reproductive freedom organization Right to Life Michigan.

Curtis Hertel is the most progressive choice in this race.

Emily Dievendorf is an incumbent Democrat running for their second term in the Michigan House of Representatives in the 77th District. They are the current representative for the 77th District and serves as majority vice chair of the Economic Development and Small Business subcommittee on housing, and is a member of the committees on Agriculture, Criminal Justice, and the Judiciary.

​​Dievendorf served in a historic legislative session with a Democratic majority that took major strides forward on key issues. The Democratic majority passed the Reproductive Health Act, ensuring all Michiganders can make their own decisions about how and when to start a family, gave Michigan's kids free school breakfast and lunch and additional funds to support our students, and passed common sense gun violence prevention measures. Putting hard-working Michiganders' first, they also quintupled the Working Families Tax Credit, got rid of the retirement tax, and got rid of so-called "right to work" anti-worker legislation to ensure workers have bargaining power to stand up to greedy corporations. Dievendorf also helped expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and codify parts of the Affordable Care Act into law that protect LGBTQ+ Michiganders from discrimination in healthcare, housing, and the workplace.

Emily Dievendorf’s policy priorities focus on building a community where everyone is safe, heard, and valued. They are dedicated to ending violence, supporting public education, and advancing racial equity and justice. Dievendorf advocates for a living wage, affordable housing, and reproductive rights while also promoting urban and rural agriculture, environmental sustainability, and immigrant rights. They emphasize voter protection, LGBTQIA+ rights, and investment in mental health services. Committed to ensuring that policies are made with community input, Dievendorf believes that true progress comes from inclusivity and collaboration. Their approach is grounded in the belief that a thriving community is built together, with every voice contributing to the solutions.

Dievendorf has been endorsed by the following organizations: American Federation of Teachers - Michigan, Clean Water Action, Detroit Action, Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Education Association, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Service Employees International Union - Michigan, Sierra Club - Michigan, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan, and We the People - Michigan.

Dievendorf is running against Republican Cady Ness-Smith.

Emily Dievendorf is the best choice in this race.

Diana Bosworth is a Republican running for re-election as Eaton County Clerk, unopposed. While she has served in this role, the lack of competition in the race means that voters do not have an alternative choice, and therefore, we are unable to make a recommendation for this position.

Terrance Augustine is a Democrat running for his first term as Eaton County Treasurer. He currently serves as chair of the Eaton County Board of Commissioners. Augustine has extensive experience in public service and been an active leader in the county, making headlines for his decisive call for accountability during social justice issues, such as urging the resignation of the Grand Ledge Public Schools Superintendent following an insensitive remark related to George Floyd's death.

Augustine is running against Republican Darius Raynnet, who has been endorsed by the anti-reproductive freedom organization Right to Life Michigan.

Terrance Augustine is the best choice in this race.

Will Pitylak is a Democrat running for the Jackson County Board of Commissioners.

Pitylak is running against Republican Richard Wagner.

Given the limited information we have about both candidates, we are unable to determine whether either candidate could be considered progressive to any degree, but at this time we are recommending voters to consider Will Pitylak over Richard Wagner based on the information we were able to find.

Shauna Dunnings is running for re-election as Ingham County probate judge. Dunnings was elected as probate court judge in 2018. She also served as Ingham County chief circuit and probate judge pro tempore from 2019 to 2021. Previously she has served as a court administrator, a law clerk, and worked in private practice.

Dunnings is running unopposed.

Shauna Dunnings is the best choice in this race. Her name will appear on the nonpartisan section of the ballot.

John Dewane is a Democrat running for Ingham County prosecutor. Formerly the Ingham County deputy chief assistant prosecutor, he was appointed by judges of the 30th Circuit Court in 2022 to replace the former Ingham County prosecutor who retired. DeWane has worked in the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office since 2001 and before that he was in private practice. He is focused on addressing gun-related crime, advancing human and civil rights with equal justice and safety for all, and investing in youth development programs to continue building a safer future for our children.

Dewane is running against Republican Norm Shinkle. Shinkle was formerly a member of the Board of State Canvassers and sought to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

John Dewane is the best choice in this race.

Scott A. Wriggelsworth is a Democrat running for his third term as Ingham County sheriff. A graduate of Holt High School, Michigan State University, and Lansing Community College, Wriggelsworth worked for the East Lansing Police Department from 1994 to 2016, when he was elected as Ingham County sheriff. Wriggelsworth considers himself a leader in implementation of extreme risk protection orders to combat gun violence, and aims to invest in incarcerated individuals, providing resources to help them stay on the right path rather than just warehousing them in jail.

Wriggelsworth is running against Republican Steve Fox.

Scott A. Wriggelsworth is the best choice in this race.

Barb Byrum is a Democrat running for her fourth term as Ingham County Clerk. She has been credentialed since 2016 as a certified elections and registration administrator by the Election Center, a national continuing professional education group specializing in elections and voter registration. Byrum also currently serves on the Secretary of State’s Michigan’s Election Security Commission. Before becoming county clerk, she served three terms as a Michigan state representative. Byrum is a fierce advocate for voting rights and ensuring everyone has access to the ballot.

Byrum has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: Michigan Education Association.

Byrum is running against Republican Joseph Werner.

Barb Byrum is the best choice in this race.

Derrick Quinney is running for re-election to serve as Ingham County register of deeds. He was previously the Lansing City Council president and health and safety director for the MI state AFL-CIO before being appointed as register of deeds in 2015. He was then elected to the position in 2020. Quinney grew up in Lansing and has experienced firsthand the lasting effects of systemic racism and segregation, which is why—as the only African-American register of deeds in the state—he was a key voice in shaping a new state law in 2023 that allowed homeowners to remove language from their property documents originally intended to keep minorities from owning property.

Quinney is running against Republican Karla Skoczylas.

Derrick Quinney is the best choice in this race.

Alan Fox is a Democrat running for re-election to serve as Ingham County treasurer. He previously served as chief deputy treasurer, was appointed to serve as treasurer in 2022, and then elected to the position of treasurer in the 2022 election. Previously he served for 24 years on the Ingham County Board of Canvassers, managed a small business, various nonprofits, and worked for various Michigan lawmakers. Fox is working to address the lasting impacts of systemic racism on housing ownership in Ingham County, looking at how climate change will affect communities across the county, and helping reduce tax foreclosures by focusing on the root causes.

Fox is running against Republican Bruce A. Little.

Alan Fox is the best choice in this race.

Evelyn Quiroga-Klein is running for his first term for Clinton County's 2nd District Commissioner. She’s a retired division director in the Secretary of State’s office, small business owner and substitute teacher. She’s lived in Clinton County for 35 years. We cannot speak to the progressive bonafides of Quiroga-Klein due to limited available information.

However, Quiroga-Klein is running against Zach Rudat, the current advocacy director for the far-right, Devos-backed Michigan Freedom Fund. Rudat has also been endorsed by the anti-reproductive freedom organization Right to Life Michigan.

Because her opponent is so decidedly anti-progressive, we believe Evelyn Quiroga-Klein is the best choice in this race.

Matthew Boak, a lifelong resident of Riley Township and graduate of St. Johns Public Schools, is running for Clinton County Commissioner in District 3. With a background in political science from Central Michigan University and experience in the Michigan Senate and Department of Corrections, Boak currently serves as a policy advisor focusing on education and finance. He is pursuing a Master of Public Administration and aims to bring transparency, civility, and accessibility to local government. His priorities include holding evening commission meetings, expanding broadband access, and increasing citizen engagement through improved online outreach and services.

Boak is running against Republican Brian Hurtekant.

Given the limited information we have about both candidates, we are unable to determine whether either candidate could be considered progressive to any degree, but at this time we are recommending voters consider Matthew Boak over Brian Hurtekant based on the information we were able to find.

Rachel R. Willis is a Democrat running for election to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners to represent the 6th District. She served for over a decade on the Lansing School District Board of Education and is running for commissioner to make Ingham County a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Willis will work for vibrant neighborhoods with clean parks for kids and as a public health and child welfare expert, she will fight for impactful decisions that lead to thriving children and families. She is dedicated to putting the welfare of people over politics.

Willis has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: Michigan Education Association.

Willis is running against Republican Courtney Brogan.

Rachel Willis is the better choice in this race.

Thomas Morgan is a Democrat running for re-election to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners representing the 7th District. Morgan was the first in his family to graduate college. A former government watchdog journalist, Morgan’s priorities include standing up for working people and fighting for government transparency. As an Ingham County commissioner, Morgan authored the county’s new ethics policy to improve transparency, authored the resolution to declare a climate emergency, and worked to declare racism as a public health crisis in the county. He helped fight the spread of COVID-19 and expanded the county’s health services to include mental health.

Morgan has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: Michigan Education Association.

Morgan is running against Republican Michael Wiggins.

Morgan is the best choice in this race.

Robert Orlando Peña is a Democrat running for re-election to the Ingham County Board of Commission. He works as a civil engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation and has advocated for improved bike transportation and food security countywide. He is a known progressive activist in his community. His personal interests include urban farming, being active in his church, and mission work.

Peña is running against Republican Evelyn Davis.

Robert Orlando Peña is the best choice in this race.

Ryan Sebolt is a Democrat running for re-election to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. Sebolt has served as a staff member in the Michigan Legislature and for the AFL-CIO and has a strong track record of standing up for progressive values. Sebolt advocated for American Rescue Plan funds to go towards public health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is working to expand access to broadband internet. He will work to address climate change and fight for racial equity in Ingham County.

Sebolt is running against Republican Robert J. Macomber.

Ryan Sebolt is the best choice in this race.

Gabrielle Lawrence is a Democrat running for her second term on the Ingham County Commission. She is a lawyer and also served as president of the Lansing School Board of Education. During her time on the Board of Education, she waived all library fees for students after an audit found students had limited access to books as a result of these fees, which was unanimously supported by the board.

Lawrence has been endorsed by the following progressive partner organization: Michigan Education Association.

Lawrence is running against Republican Scott Greenlee. Greenlee is a Republican political consultant and served as president of the organization that opposed the statewide marijuana legalization ballot initiative in 2018. Therefore, we cannot recommend Greenlee.

Gabrielle Lawrence is the best choice in this race.