The 2014 election is a little more than six weeks away, and Inside Michigan Politics has released what the political newsletter is calling the “definitive rankings of the Most Liberal and Most Conservative members of the House of Representatives.”
In the IMP rankings, two Democrats tied for Most Liberal in 2014: Reps. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) and Sarah Roberts (R-St. Clair Shores). They both had 92.86 percent liberal voting records.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) had the second-most liberal voting record with 89.29 percent. Rep. Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills) came in third with 85.71 percent.
The Ann Arbor Independent has looked at Ann Arbor’s legislators’ success in getting their legislation out of committee and signed by Gov. Snyder. It’s a record long on ambition and short on success. In 2013, Rep. Jeff Irwin introduced 16 bills, five resolutions and seven amendments. Irwin, like other Ann Arbor legislators, has had the most success getting his resolutions passed while his legislation has languished in committee. Rep. Irwin got two House Resolutions passed on voice votes in 2013. The first, House Resolution 94, declared April 19, 2013, as a Day of Silence in the state of Michigan. House Resolution 69 declared April 7-13, 2013, as Barbershop Harmony Week in the state of Michigan.
It should come as no surprise that, in large part, Irwin’s liberal views have made it difficult for him to find support for his legislation. In 2013, he proposed the following:
- House Bill 4900: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking.” To prohibit the extraction of natural gas using “hydraulic fracturing” unless a driller discloses extensive details on the particular well and the chemicals used in the process, applies for permission, is granted a permit by state environmental regulators.
- House Bill 4909: Repeal ban on same-sex marriage. To eliminate the state ban on same-sex marriage. Enactment of the bill would require adoption of House Joint Resolution V or another constitutional amendment repealing this ban.
- House Bill 4623: Repeal criminal penalties for marijuana possession. To repeal criminal sanctions on possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and instead authorize a civil penalty of $25, and $50 to $100 for subsequent violations.
According to the IMP rankings, three Republicans hold the title of Most Conservative this year: Reps. Tom McMillin (R-Auburn Hills), Ray Franz (R-Onekama) and Pete Lund (R-Shelby Twp.). They each posted a 7.14 percent liberal voting record.
Rep. Greg MacMaster (R-Kewadin) had the second-most conservative voting record with 7.69 percent. There was a six-way tie for third place (10.71 percent) between Reps. Frank Foster (R-Petoskey), Tom Hooker (R-Byron Center), Bob Genetski (R-Saugatuck),Ken Goike (R-Ray Twp), Joel Johnson (R-Clare) and Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton).
According to Susan J. Demas, owner and publisher of IMP, “Foster was the lone member of the Legislature to lose in the August primary, where even having the third-most conservative voting record wasn’t enough to save him from a challenge from the right.”
Inside Michigan Politics has been compiling the list for more than 25 years. The rankings are based on 28 litmus test roll-call votes in the state House of Representatives this year.
For the IMP rankings, 100 percent is the gold standard for a representative who voted the liberal position on roll calls for an array of social, economic, taxation, environmental, civil rights, and public health/safety issues. If a roll call was missed, it was simply thrown out.
IMP has ranked all 110 members of the state House in 2014. That list is available to subscribers in the Sept. 22, 2014, edition.
A list of the top three Most Liberal and Most Conservative House members from 2009 to 2013, is available at insidemichiganpolitics.com.
Dog bites man. 😉 Congratulations Jeff.