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2018 Michigan Attorney General election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2018 Michigan Attorney General Election

| country = Michigan

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2014 Michigan Attorney General election

| previous_year = 2014

| next_election = 2022 Michigan Attorney General election

| next_year = 2022

| election_date = {{Start date|2018|11|6}}

| nominee1 = Dana Nessel

| image1 = File:Dana Nessel 20190202 110126 (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 2,031,117

| percentage1 = 49.04%

| nominee2 = Tom Leonard

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 1,916,117

| percentage2 = 46.26%

| map_image = {{switcher |300px |County results |300px |Congressional district results |300px |Precinct results |default=1}}

| map_caption = Nessel: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Leonard: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#d2b1d9|40–50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No data}}

| title = Attorney General

| before_election = Bill Schuette

| before_party = Republican Party (United States)

| after_election = Dana Nessel

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{ElectionsMI}}

The 2018 Michigan Attorney General election took place on November 6, 2018, alongside elections to elect Michigan's governor, Class I United States Senator, Secretary of State, Michigan's 14 seats in the United States House of Representatives, all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate, and all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette was prohibited from seeking a third term due to term limits, and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Michigan instead. The Michigan GOP was unsuccessful in winning its 5th straight attorney general election. Along with the offices of lieutenant governor and secretary of sftate, the nominees for attorney general were chosen by party delegates at their respective party conventions.

Nessel defeated Leonard by 115,000 votes, becoming the first Democratic attorney general of Michigan since 2003, when Jennifer Granholm left office to become governor.

Republican Party

=Candidates=

==Nominee==

  • Tom Leonard, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives{{cite news |url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/05/tom-leonard-runs-michigan-attorney-general/106314668/ |title=House speaker joins race for Michigan attorney general |first=Jonathan |last= Oosting |date=October 5, 2017 |access-date=October 17, 2017 |work=The Detroit News}}

==Eliminated at convention==

  • Tonya Schuitmaker, state senator{{cite news |url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/19/election-michigan-attorney-general-secretary-state/682421001/ |title=2018 races getting crowded for attorney general, secretary of state |first=Kathleen |last= Gray |work=Detroit Free Press |date=September 19, 2017 |access-date=September 20, 2017}}

==Declined==

  • Mary Beth Kelly, former associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court (2011–2015){{cite news |url = http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/08/17/justice-kelly-leave-michigan-supreme-court/31844409/ |title = Justice Kelly to leave Michigan Supreme Court |first = Chad |last = Livengood |work = The Detroit News |date = August 17, 2015 |access-date = November 19, 2017 }}

Democratic Party

=Candidates=

==Nominee==

  • Dana Nessel, civil rights attorney{{cite news|url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/15/dana-nessel-michigan-attorney-general/104615126 |title=Same-sex case lawyer to run for Mich. attorney general |access-date=October 18, 2017 |work=The Detroit News|date=August 15, 2017 |first=Oralandar |last= Brand-Williams}}

==Eliminated at convention==

  • Patrick Miles Jr., former United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan (2012–2017){{cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/09/former_us_attorney_pat_miles_a.html#incart_river_home |title=Former U.S. Attorney Pat Miles announces candidacy for Michigan attorney general |work=MLive |first=Brian|last= McVicar |date=September 27, 2017}}
  • William Noakes, former Wayne County Deputy Corporation Counsel{{cite web |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/18/michigan-attorney-general-2018-candidates/956120001/ |title=Who's running for Michigan Attorney General in 2018? |first=Kathleen |last= Gray |work=Detroit Free Press |date=December 18, 2017 |access-date=February 12, 2018}}

==Declined==

  • Steve Bieda, state senator (running for Congress){{cite web |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/12/06/sander-levin-congress-steve-bieda/928040001/ |title=Michigan state Sen. Steve Bieda want Sander Levin's seat in Congress |first=Todd |last= Spangler |work=Detroit Free |date=December 6, 2017}}
  • Tim Greimel, state representative and former minority leader of the Michigan House of Representatives (running for Congress){{cite web |url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/10/17/michigan-tim-greimel-district-congress/772585001/ |title=State Rep. Tim Greimel joins crowded congressional field |first=Todd |last= Spangler |work=Detroit Free Press |date=October 17, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017}}
  • Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor{{cite web |url=http://www.macombdaily.com/government-and-politics/20180123/eric-smith-turns-down-request-to-run-for-attorney-general |title=Eric Smith turns down request to run for Attorney General |work=Macomb Daily |first=Jameson |last= Cook |date=January 23, 2018 |access-date=February 12, 2018}}

General election

=Polling=

{{Graph:Chart

| width=700

| height=400

| xAxisTitle=

| yAxisTitle=%support

| xAxisAngle = -40

| legend=Candidate

| interpolate = bundle

| size = 77

| xType = date

| y1Title=Tom Leonard

| y2Title=Dana Nessel

| y3Title=Lisa Lane Giola

| y4Title=Other/Undecided

| type=line

|xGrid=

| x= 2018/09/07, 2018/09/25, 2018/10/02, 2018/10/18, 2018/10/22, 2018/10/23, 2018/10/27

| y1= 29, 32, 32, 34, 40, 39, 34

| y2= 42, 38, 39, 39, 37, 39, 45

| y3= , 5, 4, 4, , 4, 3

| y4= 29, 19, 25, 22, , 18, 19

| colors = #E81B23, #3333FF, gold, #DCDCDC

| showSymbols = 1

| yGrid = true

| linewidth = 2.0

}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|name="Key"|Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear}}

! Margin
of error

! style="width:100px;"| Tom
Leonard (R)

! style="width:100px;"| Dana
Nessel (D)

! Other

! Undecided

style="text-align:left;"|Glengariff Group[https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/10/30/poll-attorney-general-secretary-state-michigan/1806949002/ Glengariff Group]

| October 25–27, 2018

| 600 (LV)

| ± 4.0%

| 34%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}| 45%

| 5%{{efn|Giola (L) with 3%; Van Sickle (UTP) with 1%; Graveline (I) with 1%}}

| 17%

style="text-align:left;"|EPIC-MRA[https://ssl2002.webhosting.comcast.net/epic-mra/press/Stwd_Survey_Oct2018_Media_Freq.pdf EPIC-MRA]

| October 18–23, 2018

| 600 (LV)

|± 4.0%

| 39%

| 39%

| 9%{{efn|Giola (L) with 4%; "Other candidate" with 5%}}

| 13%

style="text-align:left;"|Michigan State University[http://ippsr.msu.edu/news/new-soss-three-props-winning-top-ticket-dems-narrow-races Michigan State University]

| October 13–22, 2018

| 169 (RV)

| –

| {{party shading/Republican}}| 40%

| 37%

| –

| –

style="text-align:left;"|Marketing Resource Group[https://web.archive.org/web/20181024232207/https://www.mrgmi.com/2018/10/democrat-candidates-maintain-lead-in-u-s-senate-secretary-of-state-and-attorney-general-races/ Marketing Resource Group]

| October 14–18, 2018

| 600 (LV)

| ± 4.0%

| 34%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}| 39%

| 10%{{efn|"Someone else" with 6%; Giola (L) with 4%}}

| 16%

style="text-align:left;"|Glengariff Group[https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/10/04/poll-whitmer-beating-schuette-issues/1514211002/ Glengariff Group]

| September 30 – October 2, 2018

| 600 (LV)

| ± 4.0%

| 32%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}| 39%

| 6%{{efn|Giola (L) with 4%; Graveline (I) with <1%}}

| 24%

style="text-align:left;"|EPIC-MRA[https://ssl2002.webhosting.comcast.net/epic-mra/press/Stwd_Survey_Sept2018_Media_Freq.pdf EPIC-MRA]

| September 21–25, 2018

| 600 (LV)

| ± 4.0%

| 32%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}| 38%

| 11%{{efn|"Other party candidate" with 6%; Giola (L) with 5%}}

| 19%

style="text-align:left;"|Glengariff Group[https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/09/11/democrat-attorney-general-sos-lead-republicans-poll/1268211002/ Glengariff Group]

| September 5–7, 2018

| 600 (LV)

| ± 4.0%

| 29%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}| 42%

| 5%

| 24%

= Fundraising =

class="wikitable sortable"
colspan=4 |Campaign finance reports as of October 21, 2018
style="text-align:center;"

!Candidate (party)

!Total receipts

!Total disbursements

!Cash on hand

{{party shading/Republican}}|Tom Leonard (R)

|align="right" |$1,988,558.29

|align="right" |$1,900,406.09

|align="right" |$88,152.20

{{party shading/Democratic}}|Dana Nessel (D)

|align="right" |$1,573,966.91

|align="right" |$1,329,134.98

|align="right" |$244,831.93

colspan="4" |Source: Michigan Department of State{{cite web|url=https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_8723---,00.html|title=Campaign finance data|access-date=September 27, 2018}}

=Results=

{{Election box begin | title= Michigan Attorney General election, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html|title=2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018|website=mielections.us}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party= Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate= Dana Nessel

|votes= 2,031,117

|percentage=49.04%

|change= +4.85%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party= Republican Party (United States)

|candidate= Tom Leonard

|votes= 1,916,117

|percentage= 46.26%

|change= -5.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party= Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate= Lisa Lane Giola

|votes= 86,807

|percentage= 2.10%

|change= +0.24%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party= Independent (United States)

|candidate= Chris Graveline

|votes= 69,889

|percentage= 1.69%

|change= N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party= US Taxpayers Party

|candidate= Gerald Van Sickle

|votes= 38,114

|percentage= 0.92%

|change= -0.08%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes= 4,142,044

|percentage=100.0%

|change= N/A

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

| loser = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

==By congressional district==

Despite losing the state, Leonard won 9 of 14 congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats.{{Cite web|url=https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::5a43a57b-ba16-4a6d-ad53-1fcfcd8a253b|title=DRA 2020|website=Daves Redistricting}}

class=wikitable
District

! Leonard

! Nessel

! Representative

align=center
align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|1|1st}}

| 56%

| 39%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Jack Bergman

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|2|2nd}}

| 56%

| 39%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Bill Huizenga

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|3|3rd}}

| 52%

| 43%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Justin Amash

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|4|4th}}

| 58%

| 36%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|John Moolenaar

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Michigan|5|5th}}

| 44%

| 51%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Dan Kildee

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|6|6th}}

| 51%

| 44%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Fred Upton

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|7|7th}}

| 53%

| 42%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Tim Walberg

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|8|8th}}

| rowspan=2|49%

| rowspan=2|46%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Mike Bishop

align=center

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Elissa Slotkin

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Michigan|9|9th}}

| rowspan=2|40%

| rowspan=2|55%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Sander Levin

align=center

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Andy Levin

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|10|10th}}

| rowspan=2|60%

| rowspan=2|36%

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Paul Mitchell

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Michigan|11|11th}}

| rowspan=2|48.3%

| rowspan=2|48.0%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Dave Trott

align=center

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Haley Stevens

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Michigan|12|12th}}

| 32%

| 64%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Debbie Dingell

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Michigan|13|13th}}

| rowspan=2|17%

| rowspan=2|79%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Brenda Jones

align=center

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Rashida Tlaib

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Michigan|14|14th}}

| 19%

| 78%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Brenda Lawrence

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

Official campaign websites

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20181010010116/https://leonardforag.com/ Tom Leonard (R) for Attorney General]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20181030162436/https://dana2018.com/ Dana Nessel (D) for Attorney General]

{{2018 United States elections}}

Attorney General

Category:Michigan Attorney General elections

Michigan Attorney General election

Michigan