State Senate at stake

The Democrats are going to be making an effort to take control of the Michigan State Senate in 2006. An article on Mlive provides the details:

"(AP) -- For Democrats to take control of the Michigan Legislature in November, they will need to pick up seats. Here are some key Senate races:

_13th District: Oakland County is trending more Democratic, but this open district -- now represented by term-limited Republican Shirley Johnson -- still leans Republican. Andy Levin, son of U.S. Rep. Sander Levin and nephew of U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, has name recognition, but GOP state Rep. Shelley Taub and former Rep. John Pappageorge have legislative experience.

_17th District: This battleground area covering Monroe County and parts of Washtenaw and Jackson counties is open by departure of term-limited Republican Bev Hammerstrom. Township clerk Bob Schockman, a Democrat, likely will face former GOP state Rep. Randy Richardville.

_32rd District: Term-limited Republican Mike Goschka can't run again in area of Saginaw and Gratiot counties that's seen as a toss-up. Republican state Rep. Roger Kahn will face winner of three-way Democratic primary.

_6th District: GOP incumbent Laura Toy will be challenged by term-limited Democratic state Rep. Glenn Anderson in this Wayne County district that has a slightly bigger Democratic base.

_34th District: GOP incumbent Gerald Van Woerkom will face former Democratic state Rep. Julie Dennis or Dave Tibergien."

Thanks to Republican Michigander for this article. Check out his site for profiles af all 38 State Senate districts. (Scroll down and look on the column on the right.) He provides his analysis of the races.

Right now, I think that only the 32nd district is a true toss-up. The others all lean Republican. The Democrats might win some of them if the Republican candidates mess up or the Democrats have a good year.

RM also thinks that districts 20 (Kalamazoo County) and 29 (Grand Rapids) are vulnerable. I don't think that either are that vulnerable and I suspect that the Democrats will focus their resources on the five districts above.