Democrats like pick-up state House seat with redistricting

Who was a winner in the 2021 Michigan legislative redistricting sweepstakes? We can start with Lansing area Democrats.

As part of the new commission's drive to draw maps that basically give both Republicans and Democrats a puncher's chance of winning a majority every two years, urban areas like Lansing, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor were carved up like a pie instead of packed together like a can of pumpkin.

This means Greater Lansing has five state House districts that are winnable for Democrats as opposed to the current four.

Here's what we know about these five House districts and the candidates most likely to run in them:

73rd House District — Rep. Julie Brixie gets a lot of new territory in a district that starts in Okemos and runs south along Grand River Avenue to Williamston. In terms of land mass, Brixie's district is the largest in the region, making up most of rural Ingham County.

The Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has this district as 55% Democratic. And while Brixie is fairly progressive, she has an agriculture background that earned her the Michigan Farm Bureau endorsement as a first-time legislative candidate in 2018. If the farmers in Stockbridge want to talk soil, Brixie can nerd out with them.

74th House District — Delhi Township and the city of Lansing south of the Grand and Red Cedar rivers are put in a district with a 68% Democratic base. Rep. Kara Hope shouldn't have many sleepless nights running for reelection in this district unless she has a one-on-one primary challenge from a prominent South Lansing figure.

Could a former Lansing mayoral candidate be interested? Or will she wait a couple years when Hope is term-limited?

75th House District — Half of East Lansing, Haslett and Okemos north of Grand River were put in a district with Bath, Laingsburg and St. Johns in a district that runs along the Clinton-Shiawassee county line. Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, would be seem to be a natural fit here and he tells me that he's considering it.

If he were not to run, Meridian County Trustee Dan Opsommer is also a possibility. The district has a 59% Democratic base, which takes any realistic hope from a Republican off the table. One Democrat, Graham David Diedrich, a Haslett High School graduate and master’s student at Michigan State University, has already announced for the district.

76th House District — Delta Township and much of Eaton County make up this new district that Rep. Angela Witwer likely will run for reelection in. Unlike past years, she won't have Grand Ledge in this district and some other rural areas like Mulliken or Sunfield. The district is slightly Democratic — 51.7% to 48.3% — creating the Republicans’ best chance of the five Lansing seats. No Republican has announced, but that'll change.

77th House District — The city of Lansing north of the Grand River was put into a new district with DeWitt and southwestern Clinton County up to Westphalia. Rep. Sarah Anthony likely would run here, but she's going for the Senate.

Rep. Graham , R-DeWitt, would run here except the Democratic base number is 61.5% and he likely wouldn't win. The chances are better that Filler will move closer to where he grew up in Ovid and run in a sprawling, five-county district north of Lansing that butts up against Saginaw.

Former professional basketball player Jon Horford told me he's planning to file for this seat as soon as this week, so he's in. The Grand Ledge native just bought a house downtown with his wife. He's excited around the prospects of his first political race.

He won't be alone. DeWitt attorney Logan Byrne, who clerked for Judge Rosemarie , is an announced candidate and has to like how this district shaped up with much of Clinton County likely to be represented by a Democrat.

With no incumbent serving here, expect the field to grow as we all get used to these new districts.

(Email Kyle Melinn of the Capitol news service MIRS at melinnky@gmail.com.)