The County Press

Daley wins 31st Senate District seat




Kevin Daley

Kevin Daley

LAPEER — As term-limited Tuscola County resident Mike Green exits the District 31 (comprised of Lapeer, Tuscola and Bay counties) Michigan Senate seat, a Lapeer County native very familiar with the State Capitol will take his place.

Republican Kevin Daley of Arcadia Township on Tuesday defeated Democrat Cynthia Luczak to become Lapeer County’s next state senator to head to Lansing, earning 60.2-percent of the votes throughout the three counties, 63,397 to 41,832. In Lapeer County, Daley carried the vote, earning 26,150 votes over Luczak’s 11,854.

In Tuscola County, Daley earned 14,545 votes to Luczak’s 7,059 — while in Luczak’s home county of Bay Luczak topped Daley by a count of 39,078- 20,111.

Daley, 61, is a fifth-generation farm owner and represented Lapeer County in the state House of Representatives for six years (2009-2015). Daley did not seek re-election in 2014. During his time as a 82nd House District state representative, he served as the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. Daley has also served Arcadia Township as supervisor, treasurer, trustee and on its planning commission and was the former chair of the Lapeer County EMS Board of Directors.

“I am so thankful and humbled by all of the support I received from the people of the 31st Senate District,” said Daley of his victory. “I am honored to be able to serve as your next State Senator and am eager to get to work.” Daley said he’ll be visible to his constituents of each of the three counties. “I plan on making sure that I am accessible and available to the people of Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties,” he said. “I want to make sure my office is able to provide the services my constituents need. I look forward to working with the people of my district and on the issues that matter most to them.”

Despite the three counties containing a variety of issues important to voters, Daley said the key is simply to listen. “The only way I can effectively represent my district is listen to my constituents and talk with them directly,” he said. “I plan on holding regular office hours throughout Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties so that my constituents are able to come directly to me and voice their opinions on issues.”

Of his opponent Luczak, Daley said during her time as Clerk in Bay County, she’s done “wonderful things” for the residents. Cynthia Luczak ran a respectable campaign,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to work with her and send good wishes to her and her family.”

Luczak will continue in her role as Bay County Clerk for the remainder of her current two-year term. She said she’s only missed one day, to pick up election signs, and has since resumed her duties. She said her campaign experience was “a wonderful one” and included a year of forums, fundraisers, county fairs, sign placement and door to door, during which she “met the most concerned and knowledgeable people in the state,” she continued. “I was fortunate to have met many business people who rolled out the red carpet for me (and) the Lapeer residents were engaged in the political arena and took great lengths to study the differences between both candidates in this race.”

Luczak said she intends to run for state office again in the future, and she’ll be watching to see if Daley will follow through on campaign promises made leading up to the election. “I hope Mr. Daley will deliver what he had committed to the residents who voted for him,” she said. “I would be concerned of the picture which was painted for them.”