Posted on 05/20/2003 9:20:33 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Candidates face off in special state House election
The Associated Press
5/20/03 10:30 PM
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Voters in parts of Lenawee, Jackson and Eaton counties went to the polls Tuesday to fill the 65th House District seat opened by the sudden death of Rep. Jerry Kratz earlier this year.
With all precincts reporting, former Republican state Rep. Mickey Mortimer of Horton appeared to be leading Democrat Kent Kratz of Grass Lake, son of the late Rep. Jerry Kratz; and Green Party candidate Richard Wunsch of Hillsdale.
According to preliminary results, Mortimer had 3,302 votes, Kratz had 3,060 and Wunsch had 82.
Rep. Jerry Kratz, of Grass Hill, suffered a fatal heart attack on Jan. 28 while on a treadmill. He first won election to the House in November and had been in office for less than a month.
Although the late representative was a Republican, his son ran as a Democrat.
In April's special Republican primary, Mortimer received 58 percent of the vote, or 1,673 votes, to beat three GOP candidates.
Mortimer was a county clerk and spent four years in the House before running unsuccessfully for state Senate last fall
(snip)
The 65th District seat became vacant Jan. 28 when Republican Jerry Kratz, 69, died. He was elected November.
With all precincts reporting, Mortimer of Horton appeared to be leading Kratz's son, Kent Kratz of Grass Lake who ran as a Democrat; and Green Party candidate Richard Wunsch of Hillsdale.
According to preliminary results, Mortimer had 3,302 votes, Kent Kratz had 3,060 and Wunsch had 82.
Mortimer, 43, held the 65th district seat from 1999 to 2002.
It's probably 99% sure. 300 is too much to overcome a few technical errors.
The Associated Press
5/21/03 1:10 AM
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- In a special election to fill a vacant House seat, preliminary results show former Republican Rep. Mickey Mortimer received 3,302 votes, to 3,060 for Democrat Kent Kratz.
Voters in parts of Lenawee, Jackson and Eaton counties went to the polls Tuesday to fill the 65th House District seat opened by the sudden death of Rep. Jerry Kratz, R-Grass Hill, on Jan. 28.
With all precincts reporting, Mortimer, of Horton, had 51.2 percent of the vote to 47.5 percent for Kent Kratz, of Grass Lake, the preliminary results said. Green Party candidate Richard Wunsch of Hillsdale had 82 votes, or 1.3 percent.
"I think it came down to who people know," Mortimer, 43, told The Jackson Citizen Patriot. "I said all along that it was going to be a close election."
The newspaper said Mortimer expects to take the oath of office in a few days. It said he has been promised an assignment to the House Appropriations Committee, where he served before.
"I think I can step back and make a difference from day one," Mortimer said.
Kent Kratz, a 39-year-old special education teacher at Tomlinson School in Jackson and son of Jerry Kratz, said he was finished with politics.
"I will be back teaching in two days," he said.
Jerry Kratz first won election to the House in November and had been in office for less than a month when he died.
Although the late representative was a Republican, his son ran as a Democrat.
In April's special Republican primary, Mortimer received 58 percent of the vote, or 1,673 votes, to beat three GOP candidates.
Mortimer was a county clerk and spent four years in the House before running unsuccessfully for state Senate last fall.
Yeah. Without the Green Party candidate, would've been a tad closer. We should definitely encourage their entry into close contests. :-)
Mortimer 3302
Kratz - 3060
???? what's up with that ????
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