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)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ryan Pepiot and three relievers combined on a three-hit shutout and the Tampa Bay Rays withstood a ninth-inning comeback attempt to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 on Monday night.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy was ejected in the ninth inning after arguing a call that prevented Milwaukee from scoring the apparent tying run.
The Brewers had runners on second and third with one out when a potential third strike to Jake Bauers got past catcher René Pinto for a wild pitch, enabling Bauers to reach first while Sal Frelick came home. But plate umpire Ryan Additon ruled Bauers had hit Pinto on the backswing, resulting in Bauers getting called out while Frelick had to stay at third.
“I believe they got it wrong, but there was no question in their mind that they got it right,” Murphy said.
After Jason Adam hit Rhys Hoskins with a pitch to load the bases, he struck out Blake Perkins to end the game and earn his first save in two opportunities.
It was the second day in a row a controversial ruling went against the Brewers in a game they lost. After the Brewers fell 15-5 to the New York Yankees on Sunday, crew chief Andy Fletcher acknowledged Aaron Judge should have been called for interference for his slide on a botched double-play attempt that sparked New York’s seven-run tiebreaking rally in the sixth inning.
Pepiot (3-2) continued his recent surge and outdueled Bryse Wilson (2-1) to help Tampa Bay win for just the second time in its last eight games. The Rays staggered into Milwaukee after losing three consecutive games to the Chicago White Sox, who had entered that series with a 3-22 record.
“That was a big win for the team," Adam said. “That’s what we do when we’re playing good ball. We win blowouts and we win close games. I’m hopeful and optimistic that it’s a sign of things to come for this team.”
The Brewers lost their third straight and fell a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central standings. Milwaukee dropped to 5-7 at home, though it has an MLB-best 12-4 road record.
Over his last three appearances, Pepiot has allowed only two runs in 18 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander came to Tampa Bay in the offseason trade that sent Tyler Glasnow to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tampa Bay scored the game's only run in the first by taking advantage of Wilson’s early control problems.
The Rays loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit as Wilson opened the game by hitting Yandy Díaz and walking Richie Palacios and Randy Arozarena. Isaac Paredes grounded into a double play that scored Díaz from third before Wilson struck out Austin Shenton to end the threat.
Wilson settled down from there and didn’t allow any other runners to advance beyond first base the rest of his 91-pitch outing. He threw his highest pitch total since July 7, 2022, and lasted six innings for the first time since Sept. 28, 2022.
“The first inning, he wasn’t very good, and he showed tremendous resiliency and came back and gave us six innings,” Murphy said. “Real credit to him, man.”
All 53 of Wilson’s appearances for the Brewers last season came in relief after he worked primarily as a starter with the Atlanta Braves (2018-21) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2021-22).
TRAINERS' ROOM
Rays: RHP Chris Devenski went on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to last Friday, with tendinitis in his right knee. The Rays recalled LHP Jacob Lopez from Triple-A Durham.
Brewers: Murphy said LHP Wade Miley will have Tommy John surgery on May 7 in Cincinnati.
UP NEXT
LHP Tyler Alexander (1-0, 4.74 ERA) starts for the Rays and RHP Freddy Peralta (2-0, 3.18) pitches for the Brewers on Tuesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz hits a double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Tampa Bay Rays' Isaac Paredes hits a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Bryse Wilson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Bryse Wilson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, April 29, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
