Michigan, the new blue

On November 4, Michigan's 17 electoral votes went to winner Barack Obama, as expected.  57.4% of the vote, or 2,867,680 votes, went to Obama and 40.9% of the vote, or 2,044,405 votes, went to McCain.  1.7% of the vote, or 81,414 votes, went to other candidates.  Michigan saw record voter turnout, topping 5 million for the first time in state history.  This was an increase to 68% eligible voter turnout, from 64.7% n 2004.  Higher turnout was actually predicted.  Michigan's most populous counties saw the highest turnout - Wayne, Oakland, Genesee, and Kalamazoo.

There are speculations that Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm might hold a position in Obama's administration.  Governor Granholm is currently sitting on Obama's advisory committee on the economy, ensuring Michigan's hard-hit state economy substantial attention.  Granholm and the Los Angeles mayor are the only elected officials on the committee.

Substantial Democratic gains were made at the state level.  However, the state Senate was not up for election this year and remains in Republican control.  Even with a Democratic governor, the Senate can still block unfavorable legislation.  Michigan also got its first female Muslim legislator.

Michigan Democrats tightened their grip Tuesday on the state House, defeated two incumbent Republican congressmen, ousted a conservative Supreme Court chief justice...

In Oakland County, a northern Detroit suburb, Democrats broke a weak GOP hold on the area.

Democrats helped give Sen. Barack Obama a 16-percentage point win in the county more known for its wealthy lakefront estates than liberal leanings and picked up a historically Republican Congressional seat and two county-wide seats, and nearly bumped off two well-entrenched Oakland County politicians.

Much of the Democrat's success in Oakland County is attributed to straight ticket voters.  Local Republican leaders also say that people "froze" after McCain pulled his campaign from the state, "it was a mess."  Democrats also secured overwhelming victories in Macomb County, part of the Detroit metropolitan are, winning 22 of 26 seats on a Charter Commission to create a city government.

As speculated, the economy dominated the election this year, favoring Barack Obama.  Obama's message of change and hope also resonated well, many voters reported that they were tired of partisan politics and embraced Obama's promises of putting the people before partisanship.

One day to go - Mich. will vote Obama

Tomorrow Michigan will vote for Obama.  It has become a blue state, no longer a battleground or even a state colored light blue on the electoral prediction maps.  On November 2, the Detroit Free Press reported that Obama's lead over McCain in Michigan has actually increased.  The Detroit Free Press/Local 4 Michigan Poll found that Obama leads with 53% support to McCain's 37%.

The number one issue of the economy has made this election in Michigan, and Obama's message of change has resonated well.  Michigan has a lot of moderate conservatives who voted for Bush on social value issues, and now they are more concerned about the economy and more persuaded by Barack Obama.  Michigan voters also perceive Obama as more likely to reform health care.  McCain's pull from Michigan on October 2 certainly didn't send a favorable message from him to supporters and potential supporters in the state, either.

Michigan's new status

The Detroit Free Press laments Michigan's new and seemingly less important status as a blue state.  The publication comments that that Michigan's votes have previously been a valuable and much-sought-after prize, but not so this election ever since McCain's pull from the state on October 2.  Could resentment be building for Obama in the last days of the election?  Not likely.  Entities like newspapers and opinion leaders surely notice the difference, and probably many voters as well, but the trend is a direct result of voters' views so the backlash against Obama should be minimal.

Tensions run high in Michigan

Tensions are certainly high in Michigan... In Grosse Pointe Farms, a woman refused Halloween candy to children who would not proclaim support for the McCain/Palin ticket or who had parents who support Obama.  Grosse Pointe Farms is an upscale, suburban community about 12 miles West of Detroit.  It is an area that fits the description or suburban areas that are turning increasing conservative.  A fellow Republican across the street denounced the woman's candy discrimination.