LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrats won back a majority in the Michigan House and restored their party’s full control of state government Tuesday thanks to victories in two special elections.
Mai Xiong won the special election in the 13th District, which covers Warren and part of Detroit, while Peter Herzberg won in the 25th District, which contains the cities of Wayne and Westland. Both candidates were favorites in the heavily Democratic districts.
The lower chamber has been tied 54-54 between Democratic and Republican lawmakers since November, when two Democratic representatives vacated their seats after winning mayoral races in their hometowns.
Democrats flipped both chambers in the 2022 midterms while maintaining control of the governor’s office to win a trifecta for the first time in 40 years. They moved quickly to roll back decades of Republican measures and implement the party’s agenda in their first year, including overhauling the state’s gun laws.
Since the House deadlocked, Republicans have pushed to pass legislation they say is bipartisan, such as a government transparency package, which would open the Legislature and governor’s office up to public record requests.
With each Democratic candidate winning Tuesday, the party will regain control through the end of the year, with every seat in the House up for reelection in November.
Xiong is a Macomb County commissioner who was endorsed in the primary by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Herzberg is a Westland City Council member who defeated a Whitmer-endorsed candidate in the primary earlier this year.
Lawmakers are now expected to turn their focus to a state budget with a self-imposed July 1 deadline. Whitmer in her annual State of the State speech in January called on lawmakers to pass a $80 billion budget that would provide free community college for all high school graduates and free preschool for 4-year-olds.
In recent months, Democrats have also deliberated on expanding the state’s hate crime law and enacting a comprehensive school safety package of bills in the wake of the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School.
Lawmakers will be working against the clock. They are set to take a summer break at the end of June and representatives will soon begin campaigning in their districts.
FILE - The Michigan Capitol is seen, May 24, 2023, in Lansing, Mich. Democrats are hoping to win back a majority in the deadlocked Michigan House and regain full control of state government in two special elections on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points, Evan Mobley blocked Franz Wagner's layup in the final seconds and the Cleveland Cavaliers survived a scare from Orlando, holding off Paolo Banchero and the Magic 104-103 in Game 5 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference series.
The Cavs, who were embarrassed by the Magic while dropping two games in Orlando last week, regrouped inside roaring Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
It took everything they had.
After Mitchell missed a jumper with 15.7 seconds left, Wagner drove the left side for a potential game-tying layup but was denied at the rim with 6 seconds left by Mobley, who smacked the ball off the backboard.
Mitchell was fouled and made two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining to make 104-100. There wasn't enough time for the Magic, who got a 3-pointer in the final second from Banchero, giving him 39 points.
Playing in just his fifth postseason game, the 21-year-old Banchero looked like a savvy veteran. He scored 16 points in the fourth and finished 14 of 24 from the field (4 of 7 on 3s) and added eight rebounds.
Missing starting center Jarrett Allen with a bruised rib, Cleveland got a big lift from Max Strus, who scored 16 in his best game in the back-and-forth series. Mobley added 14 points and 13 rebounds and reserve Marcus Morris Sr. gave Cleveland toughness and 12 points.
The Cavs, who spent the season trying put last year’s first-round flameout against New York behind them, can advance with a win in Game 6 on Friday in Orlando.
The Magic need a win to salvage their breakthrough season and force a Game 7 in Cleveland on Sunday. Orlando went 29-12 in the regular season at home and are coming off decisive wins at Kia Center.
Mitchell, who has been slowed by a left knee injury, scored 14 in the fourth — going 9 of 10 at the line.
With Banchero leading the way, the Magic, who trailed 2-0 before twice winning big at home, stared down the Cavs and a hostile, towel-waving Cleveland crowd and were poised to pull off their first playoff road win since 2019 at Toronto.
But Mitchell, Garland and Mobley wouldn’t be denied and the Cavs, who are 16-0 when leading 2-0 in a series, took care of business at home for the third time.
The Cavaliers were short-handed as Allen, who has arguably been their best player in this back-and-forth series, sat out with what the team said was a bruised rib.
Allen, who is averaging 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds, took an elbow to the ribs in the second half of Game 4 on Saturday. He practiced Monday but was added to the injury report before being ruled out.
With Allen out, coach J.B. Bickerstaff went with a smaller first five and started Isaac Okoro.
Bickerstaff has been criticized for a lack of adjustments. But he also went deeper into his bench right away, bringing in guard Sam Merrill and both Tristan Thompson and Morris, who had only played garbage time in the Orlando blowouts.
Garland played with more aggression and erupted for 17 points in the first quarter — more than he scored in any game in the series. He made two 3-pointers and Caris LeVert added another as the Cavs scored nine points in the final 1:04 to take a 10-point lead after one.
But the Magic outscored the Cavs 24-15 in the second quarter to pull within one at half.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley blocks a shot by Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) passes against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell celebrates after making a three point basket against the Orlando Magic during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots against Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots against Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner (21) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley dunks against the Orlando Magic during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) rebounds against Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) plays against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) controls a rebound against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) shoots against Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots against Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots against the Orlando Magic during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
