By Corey Williams
Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) -- Former state Appeals Court judge Bill Schuette and Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson helped pull off a Republican sweep for the top state offices by winning election to Michigan attorney general and secretary of state.
Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder easily defeated Democratic Lansing mayor Virg Bernero for governor in Tuesday's general election, and Republican-nominated Wayne County Judge Mary Beth Kelly and incumbent Justice Robert Young Jr. beat three other candidates for two open seats on the state Supreme Court.
With 85 percent of precincts reporting just after midnight Wednesday, Schuette had 54 percent of the vote to Democratic Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton's 42 percent. Schuette succeeds two-term Republican Mike Cox, who couldn't run again because of Michigan's term limits law.
Johnson moves into the secretary of state post being vacated by Republican Terri Lynn Land, who also ran up against term limits. Johnson received 51 percent of the vote to Democratic Detroit law professor Jocelyn Benson's 45 percent, also with 85 percent of precincts reporting.
Johnson and Schuette return to Lansing where each has served earlier in their political careers.
Schuette, 57, was director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and was in the Michigan Senate from 1995 to 2002 before being elected to the Court of Appeals.
He didn't seek re-election to the bench in 2008 so he could run for attorney general.
The race was bitter, with Schuette accusing his opponent of using plea deals too often. Leyton countered, claiming Schuette handled no cases as a prosecutor.
Schuette, of Midland, told The Associated Press that he would keep his promise to voters to make public safety his priority.
"We cannot have a complete economic recovery in Michigan unless we have safety on our streets, in our neighborhoods and in our schools," he said. "We need to stop this process of closing prisons and releasing dangerous criminals early and reducing the numbers of cops on the street."
The 55-year-old Johnson of Groveland Township spent the past six years as Oakland County's clerk and register of deeds, and also was a state representative for six years. She was Dick DeVos' running mate in the 2006 governor's race.
"I'll build on the successes of Candice Miller and Terri Lynn Land with more technology," Johnson told supporters in Detroit Tuesday night. Miller, now a congresswoman, held the post for two terms prior to Land's eight years in office.
Three third-party candidates also ran for secretary of state: Green Party candidate John Anthony La Pietra, U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate Robert Gale and Libertarian Scotty Boman.
Libertarian Daniel Grow and Gerald Van Sickle of the U.S. Taxpayers Party were also on the ballot for attorney general.
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Associated Press writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.
Published: Thu, Nov 4, 2010
