Kerry Bentivolio to Assume Congressional Office Today

113th Congress to swear in today in Washington, D.C.

Congressman-elect Kerry Bentivolio (R-Milford) will assume office today, beginning a two-year term representing Michigan's newly realigned 11th Congressional District. Bentivolio is among 84 freshmen representatives taking part in today's swearing-in ceremonies. Bentivolio, who defeated Syed Taj (D-Canton) in the Nov. 6 election, will succeed U.S. Rep. David Curson (D-Belleville), who won a special election on Nov. 6 to fill the remaining weeks of former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's (R-Livonia) term. McCotter resigned his office in July amid a petition-fraud scandal and leak of a television script to Detroit media. According to C-SPAN, the House of Representatives will open the 113th Congress today with elections for House Speaker, …

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Curson Wins Partial Term for 11th Congressional District

David Curson beat out Kerry Bentivolio to serve the rest of Thaddeus McCotter's term.

Republican Kerry Bentivolio may have won the general election Tuesday to represent Michigan's 11th District in Congress, but he lost the special election to fill the remainder of Thaddeus McCotter's term. Democrat David Curson beat Bentivolio and will serve the rest of McCotter's term, which ends Dec. 31. Bentivolio will take over in January for a two-year term. The vote to fill a partial term was added to the ballot when McCotter resigned from the position in July after it was discovered that his campaign failed to turn in the requisite number of signatures to run for re-election this past Tuesday. His seat has been vacant for the past four months. Curson received 159,267 votes, or 51 percent of the vote, and Bentivolio received 151,740 …

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How Did Obama, Romney do in Plymouth and Canton?

A local breakdown of key races, according to municipality.

President Barack Obama received a majority of voters' support Tuesday in Plymouth and Canton en route to winning Michigan and, ultimately, the electoral college.  In the City of Plymouth, Obama's 2,689 votes held the edge over opponent Mitt Romney's 2,506. In Canton Township, Obama's 25,017 topped Romney's 19,907. Plymouth Township voters favored Romney, however, with 9,557 for the former Massachusetts governor and 7,364 votes for the president.  Canton Township supported its outgoing trustee, Democrat Dr. Syed Taj, in his unsuccessful bid for Michigan's 11th Congressional District. Taj earned 23,255 votes in his hometown, to Republican Kerry Bentivolio's 17,804. Taj also polled well in the City of Plymouth, with 2,456 to Bentivolio's 2,…

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Bruce

7:38 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

IMO, the only winner in the presidential election is the status quo.   more ›

As Campaigns Wind Down, 11th District Race Charges Heat Up

Even relatives are drawn into the mix of odd stories coming out of the district.

 In the final days before the Nov. 6 general election, the 11th District Congressional race has taken more twists and turns than a Six Flags roller coaster.  The race started out in strange territory, when a review of re-election petitions for former 11th District Congressman Thaddeus McCotter showed he hadn't gathered sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot. McCotter aides are facing trials in connection with the campaign scandal.  Politico.com reported Nov. 1 that the brother of Republican candidate Kerry Bentivolio told Michigan Information and Research Service (MIRS), a subscription-based news service, that his brother is "mentally unbalanced". Phillip Bentivolio also claims his brother owes him $20,000; Politico.com quotes …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Westland Voter Opposes Bentivolio

Westland resident Michael Short resides in old 11th Congressional District.

Hello, I'm Mike Short. I live in the old 11th Congressional District of Michigan. I've posted a video to YouTube which may interest you.  I'm writing you as a individual opposed to the election of Kerry Bentivolio and I created this video with that thought in mind.  If elected, Mr. Bentivolio would be my representative for the lame-duck session of the current congress.  The prospect of having a Tea Party advocate as my representative makes me unhappy. Unhappy enough to oppose Mr. Bentivolio's bid for the next full session of congress as well. I have friends in the new 11th who should not have to put up with Mr. Bentivolio's politics!  Thanks for your attention, Michael E. Short Westland, MI 

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Kerry Bentivolio: From Santa Claus to Congressional Front-Runner

Milford candidate's resume includes teacher, veteran, Santa Claus.

11th District Congressional Candidates Tackle Jobs at Forum

Democrats, third-party candidates in races for 11th Congressional District participate in League of Women Voters forum in Plymouth.

Candidates in the simultaneous races for full and partial terms representing Michigan's 11th Congressional District tackled jobs, among a host of hot-button issues Monday at a candidate forum at Plymouth District Library. Noticeably absent was Republican nominee Kerry Bentivolio of Milford, who is a candidate in both the partial and full-term races and will appear twice on many voters' Nov. 6 ballots.  Democratic nominee Dr. Syed Taj of Canton, Green Party candidate Steven Paul Duke of Livonia and Libertarian John Tatar of Livonia, all candidates for a two-year term representing Michigan's newly realigned 11th Congressional District, appeared at the forum, moderated by League of Women Voters member Susan Rowe. Natural Law Party candidate …

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League of Women Voters to Host Congressional Candidate Forum Tonight

Candidates in 11th Congressional District races to participate in candidate forum tonight at Plymouth District Library.

Michigan voters in both the old and new 11th Congressional District will have a chance to learn more about candidates tonight in the partial and full-term races for U.S. Congress. A candidate forum will be held for both races at 7 p.m. tonight at the Plymouth District Library. The race includes Dr. Syed Taj (D-Canton) and Kerry Bentivolio (R-Milford) in the full-term race representing the realigned new 11th District, and Bentivolio and David Curson (D-Belleville) will square off to fill out the rest of former Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's (R-Livonia) term, which ends Jan. 2, to represent the existing 11th District.  Paula Bowman of the Northwest Wayne County chapter of the League of Women Voters said last week Bentivolio indicated he will not …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Congressional Candidate Explains Nov. 6 Ballot

David Curson, a Democratic candidate for a partial term representing Michigan's 11th Congressional District, explains what voters will see when they vote on Nov. 6.

To the Editor, My name is David Curson and I am a candidate for U.S. Congress in the 11th District, undoubtedly Michigan’s most confusing election. I am writing this letter to try and untangle the confusion. Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-Livonia) has represented the 11th District since 2003. His current term of office expires on January 2, 2013. In May of this year in a stunning surprise, the election commission determined that McCotter’s petitions to validate his candidacy for the 113th Congress contained illegal and forged signatures rendering him ineligible to run for re-election.  Then in yet another surprise move, on July 6, 2012, Congressman McCotter announced his resignation from the 112th Congress effective immediately leaving …

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