Republican incumbents lead race for Michigan’s State Board of Education

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Two Republican incumbents led elections Wednesday morning for the State Board of Education, potentially securing their seats on the Democratic-dominated board for another eight years.

The results could still shift, as results on the Michigan Secretary of State’s website show votes from 78 of 83 counties. Wayne County, the state’s most populous county that leans Democratic, was among the counties missing from the state data.

Republican Nikki Snyder of Dexter led with 1,971,253 votes, while Tom McMillin of Oakland Township was in second place with 1,946,129. If their leaders hold, their reelections will mean two of state Superintendent Michael Rice’s most vocal critics will remain.

Both McMillin and Snyder in recent months received support from some parents for demanding action and responsibility from the Michigan Department of Education after a federal investigation found it has violated the rights of children with disabilities during COVID-era school closures.

Theodore Rhett Jones, one of two Democrats challenging the incumbent, had 1,692,513 votes. The other Democrat, Adam Zemke, had 1,622,962 votes. Jones, who lives in Detroit, is senior director of talent initiatives for Global Detroit. Zemke is a former state representative and small business owner from Ann Arbor.

Both Democrats too expressed concern about the lack of communication from the Michigan Department of Education with the board about the investigation.

McMillin served as a representative in the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2014. He is the owner of a public accounting firm and the father of three children.

Snyder is a mother of three children in public schools and has experience as a disability advocate and nursing teacher.

Snyder and McMillin won their first terms in 2016 when Michigan went red for Republican President Donald Trump.

Ttwo members of the American Taxpayers’ Party, one Libertarian and one member of the Working Class Party also ran.

The role of the board is to make policy recommendations to lawmakers. It has the power to hire and fire the state inspector. It has no power over some key areas, such as school financing.

Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at [email protected].