Incumbent State Rep. Dave Pagel (R) has won re-election over his opponent, Democrat Dean Hill.
Pagel defeated Hill on Tuesday night 26,036 votes to 12,529 and keeps his seat at the state house, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“I’m humbled by the support by the community once again,” Pagel said. “I’m going to do my best to serve with integrity for two more years. It’s an honor to represent; I love our corner of the state and I think we have something really special going on.”
For his part, Pagel, who serves District 78, appreciated the integrity of the race between himself and Hill.
“I appreciate a race where there wasn’t anything ugly, or name calling,” he said. “I didn’t see any signs getting stolen or anything like that, and we were civil in our debates. I wish him [Hill] the best.”
Pagel and Hill faced off in debates in October of this year over issues such as education and the creation of a new public defense system for impoverished defendants called the Michigan Indignant Defense Commission.
The pair agreed on recently enacted education legislation that would give the state the right to hold a student back if it felt the student hadn’t reached an adequate reading level third grade. Both men agreed that was a decision best kept out of the state’s hands.
The two were at odds over the Michigan Defense Commission, however. Pagel sees the office as an overreach of government power, while Hill believes it would create an additional safety net for people who need the help.
Pagel will be serving in his third and final term in the state house.