A comment by a staffer from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office has renewed calls to declare a special election for the 35th district state Senate seat in the Tri-Cities. The exchange happened at a constituent’s meeting held by Representative Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw) held on February 28th.
The staffer and the resident got into a testy exchange over why an election has still not been called to replace former Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City). Rivet resigned on January 3 to take her seat in the U.S. House. The gap between her resignation and the designation of a special election is one of the longest in Whitmer’s tenure.
The resident asked the Whitmer staffer when the election would be called and asked him "why we don't matter to the governor?"
“This is currently taxation without representation,” she said.
What a bad look.
— Bill G. Schuette (@schuette_bill) March 5, 2025
Your excellency, please stop playing politics with the lives of 270,000+ who deserve a voice. https://t.co/Y6NcAhgH6X
In response, the staffer said, "there are legal hurdles that you need to jump to, and what you're speaking to, ma'am, is more of an issue with, the party, with the Michigan Democratic Party.”
He added: “It's all about timing, and so, because there's not been one does not mean there will not be one."
“It's more of a political 'capital P' conversation rather than the issue that we're here for today. I've heard you, we've heard you, we will take that concern back to the governor.”
The comment sparked criticism from Republican state legislators.
In response to the exchange, Republican State Representative Bill G. Schuette accused the Governor of playing politics with the people of the Tri-Cities. “Your excellency, please stop playing politics with the lives of 270,000+ who deserve a voice,” he said on social media.
O’Neal’s office did not have any comment.
The Michigan Democratic Party and Gov. Whitmer's office did not respond to requests for comment.
