First time out of the election gate is a mixed bag

BRIGHTON – Following his first time on the ballot for elective office, State House Candidate Mike McGonegal is taking the results for the 66th District race as both good news and bad news.

McGonegal, 57, said he appreciates the 3,320 votes he received and the many people he has met by going door-to-door every night and actually talking and listing to voters, but the bad news is his opponent outpolled him, despite doing very little campaigning, primarily meeting and greeting only lobbyists and special interest groups and only holding fundraisers.

Tuesday’s primary in Livingston County saw voter turnout at a low 21 percent, and all but one of the contested races were on the Republicans side, meaning not as many people were inclined to vote on the Democratic side. In November, voters are allowed to split their ticket, and McGonegal said he has gotten that very commitment from many voters on his evening door-knocking sessions who are fed up with the state Legislature in Lansing who refuse to address the real problems facing our state.

“I really just consider this a start,” McGonegal said. “In fact, instead of going to an election night party, I went out last night campaigning door-to-door giving my views face-to-face instead of putting them out in a slick, expensively-produced flier like my opponent.”

McGonegal said many people he talks to say they are not happy with the direction of the state, and they blame the Legislature in Lansing where his opponent holds a leadership position.

“I look forward to an issue oriented campaign where ideas matter rather than platitudes,” McGonegal said. “Education dollar imbalance, huge job losses, land giveaways and huge tax breaks for not-yet-built ‘Downtowns’ are things I plan to explore in the days and months leading up to Nov. 7.”