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Some results are still trickling in, but Democrat Syed Taj conceded the race for Michigan's 11th Congressional District to Republican Kerry Bentivolio Wednesday morning.
"It goes without saying that I am disappointed in last night's results. However, I am not disappointed in the campaign that we have ran in the 11th. We faced a tough map and in spite of this disadvantage worked our district hard and left nothing on the table," Taj said in a statement.
Bentivolio spoke to a group of supporters just before midnight Tuesday at his election party at the Sheraton in Novi, thanking them for their support.
"We're going to go to Washington, and we're going to represent the 11th District like it's never been represented before," he said.
As of Wednesday morning, Bentivolio had the lead with 166,226 votes to Taj's 146,128 votes with 100 percent of Oakland County and 88 percent of Wayne County precincts reporting the unofficial results.
Bentivolio greeted supporters with hugs and handshakes when he entered the banquet hall Tuesday night. He also lifted up his grandchildren into his arms.
"This is the reason I did this -- for our grandchildren," he said.
Taj also had an election night party in Novi at the Baronette Renaissance Hotel. In his statement issued Wednesday morning, Taj thanked his supporters and said he will remain an active member of the community.
"We started this effort a year ago with a mind towards giving the voters of the 11th a real choice," he said. "I am satisfied that we accomplished this goal and unfortunately the voters choose differently than we had hoped and worked towards. I will remain a tireless advocate for job growth, health care access and affordability, Social Security and Medicare, and college affordability."
Michigan was re-districted this year, so now the 11th District serves Novi, Northville, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Farmington, Rochester Hills, Troy, White Lake, Plymouth, Canton, Livonia, Wixom, Milford, Commerce, Waterford, Auburn Hills and more.
Bentivolio also was on the ballot to serve a partial term for the former 11th District, finishing out Thaddeus McCotter's term until the end of the year. McCotter resigned in July after his campaign failed to turn in the requisite 1,000 petitions needed to get on the GOP primary ballot in August.
The former 11th District serves Novi, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, White Lake, Livonia, Garden City, Westland, Wayne, Belleville, Milford, Highland, Commerce and more.
Preliminary results as of Wednesday morning show Democratic opponent David Curson leading the race to fill the partial term. Curson has 140,402 votes to Bentivolio's 131,959 with 100 percent of Oakland County precincts reporting and 91 percent of Wayne County precincts reporting.
Bentivolio said his most important message of the night was this:
"It's a congressman's job to protect your rights, not take them away," he said.
Bentivolio also thanked everyone for their prayers and said he hopes to continue to be blessed in Washington.
"We're going to do the right thing, we're going to set the right example, because we're Michigan tough," he said.
In This article
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Sheraton Detroit Novi
21111 Haggerty Rd, Novi, MI -
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The Baronette Renaissance Detroit-Novi Hotel
27790 Novi Rd, Novi, MI -
Interested Citizen
6:38 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
This story needs serious editing. Just saying.
Brad Jensen
8:43 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
"We're going to go to Washington, and we're going to represent the 11th District like it's never been represented before," **shiver**
Well, Jon Stewart will be happy about that.
Herb Helzer
4:53 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
To be fair, ANY amount of constituent service would be an improvement on Thaddeus McCotter's weeks-late word-salad responses to the most mundane requests.
If Bentivolio concentrates on that rather than Tea Party/pseudo-Libertarian posturing, the next two years might not be an embarrassment to the District.
ConcernedParent
10:31 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
This is the man representing the 11th district in Congress? Heaven help us all.
MsMaidstone
4:32 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
We don't need heaven we have Bentiviolo. Congrats on his victory and I wish you well representing our district.
Don
1:06 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Sad - just the fact he was a Republican, and not a Muslime, like a more-qualified Syed Taj, was enough to get this bozo in office as OUR representative in federal government.
Will this district ever vote for the more qualified candidate?
Wiley Coyote
2:53 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
This guy is why I, an independent, always seem to be voting for Democrat candidates these days.
For Republicans to support this man blindly and unconditionally is just pathetic. Another seat to lose down the road when voters wake up and find out what he's like.
Herb Helzer
5:05 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Mark my words: Kerry Bentivolio will be a one-termer.
Not saying he'll lose to a Democrat: 2012 was probably the only chance the Dems had to take the redrawn 11th District, and we likely won't get another until after the 2020 Census (so, mark your calendars for 2022!).
No, I'm talking about a PRIMARY challenge in 2014 from a candidate palatable to L. Brooks Patterson and the rest of the GOP establishment.
Most likely Republican challengers to Bentivolio:
1. David Trott, an attorney who made his money enforcing foreclosures on struggling Michigan familes.
2. Marty Knollenberg, who just lost to Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner (and son of ex-Rep. Joe Knollenberg).
3. Mike Bishop, former state Senator who lost to Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper.
Of course, if Bentivolio is challenged, expect the out-of-state Super PACs who supported him in 2012 to step up again...which could make the 11th District primary battle particularly vicious in 2014. But in the end, Kerry Bentivolio will lose.
cookiepro2
4:08 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I want my old 9th district back!
MsMaidstone
4:33 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It's just down the road.....go for it.
cookiepro2
4:38 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Of course, MsMaidstone, I wish Kerry Bentivolio the best of luck, after all he is representing BOTH me and I presume, you, now.
cookiepro2
4:34 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thank you, Dr. Taj, for running. You had a good platform, IMO, and did surprisingly well in a district gerrymandered for Republican advantage.
Herb Helzer
5:13 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It was an uphill battle against the aggressive Republican gerrymander, but Thaddeus McCotter's implosion and Kerry Bentivolio's...quirks made it far closer than anyone would have thought this time last year.
If Rep. Gary Peters had taken the risk of challenging Thaddeus in a District including towns he was already representing in Congress -- making Peters as much an "incumbent" as McCotter would have been -- he'd be our Congressman today (and Rep. Hansen Clarke would be representing the new 14th).
But since that didn't happen, we had Dr. Taj, who ran an ethical, competent, well-organized campaign against Bentivolio, who hid from public scrutiny for MONTHS and let out-of-state Super PACs carry all his water.
MsMaidstone
4:51 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Every political party in power, Gerrymanders, I don't like the practice either.......but don't lay the blame on the Republicans ...the Dems are equally guilty when they have the power mantel. No one likes to have their ox gored......but what goes around unfortunately comes around.
Herb Helzer
5:21 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
It doesn't have to be this way, and it is NOT the practice everywhere. In states where non-partisan commissions or judicial panels redraw the lines, the results tend to be legislators NOT recruited from the wingnut right or moonbat left.
Chris P.
8:05 pm on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
I can't believe voters put this guy in. I can't believe Republicans endorsed him. Tragic.
FHVoice
2:18 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Yes, Chris, it is a wonder. KB left a teaching job after being accused of harassing students. His own brother says he is mentally unstable. He now raises Reindeer and impersonates Santa Claus. He has 0 viable experience to be qualified for public office. Unfortunately, this choice reveals so much about the new 11th and the people in it.
ConcernedParent
2:33 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
It's worth stating that Dr Taj did extraordinarily well considering the demographic of the district and the fliers that were mailed claiming his affiliation with Marxists. Crazy.