Metro
Ready To Serve
Congressman-elect Peters lays out early agenda.
Robert Sklar
Editor
F
ollowing his election as a con-
gressman from Oakland County,
Gary Peters reached out to one
of the Ninth Congressional District's key
constituent groups.
"I am deeply honored by the sup-
port and confidence of the Jewish com-
munity here in Oakland County," said
the Democrat from
Bloomfield Hills.
Peters, 49, is a former
Michigan State Lottery
commissioner and state
senator. He defeated U.S.
Rep. Joe Knollenberg,
74. The Republican from
Bloomfield Hills was
Gary Peters
first elected in 1993 and
was seeking a ninth two-year term. Peters
got 51 percent of the vote; Knollenberg
drew 43 percent. Independent Jack
Kevorkian, 80, a retired pathologist from
Royal Oak, got 2 percent.
Both Peters and Knollenberg had strong
backing in the Jewish community; the JN
received letters of support for each. Over
the years, thanks to demographic shifts
in southeast Michigan, the district turned
more Democratic than when Knollenberg
took office. Knollenberg
entered Congress as
Bill Clinton entered
the White House.
Knollenberg's margins
of re-election have tight-
ened in recent years.
Peters' first priority
Joe
after taking office in
Knollenberg
January will be to get
Michigan's economy
moving again. He'll help do that, he says,
"by stabilizing our financial system, pro-
tecting our automakers, and cutting taxes
for middle-class families and small busi-
nesses!'
One in 10 jobs in this country is tied to
the auto industry, he said.
Peters supports congressional approval
for $25 billion in low-interest loans to help
Detroit automakers retool plants so more
fuel-efficient vehicles, like the Chevrolet
Volt, can be built.
"The auto industry is not just important
for us here in Michigan:' Peters said. "It is
a strategic industry for the whole country."
Peters will have a chance to weigh in on
that: Automakers are seeking up to $50 bil-
lion more in loans to keep operations going
and meet healthcare obligations for retirees.
Peters promised that Israel, embroiled
in an eight-year-long struggle with
Winners' Circle
State House:
Democratic incumbent
Carl Levin was re-elected
against Republican chal-
lenger Jack Hoogendyk Jr.
10th Distict:
Incumbent Democrat
Gabe Leland defeated U.S.
Taxpayers Party challenger
Mark Sosnowski.
U.S. Congress:
11th District
Republican incumbent
Thaddeus McCotter defeat-
ed Democratic challenger
Joseph Larkin.
12th District
Democratic incumbent
Sander Levin defeated
Republican challenger Bert
Copple.
A26
November 13 • 2008
accountable for their actions!'
Last week, Peters also addressed the
turmoil generated by other Middle East
nations.
"As we work to stabilize the Middle
East and begin withdrawing our troops
from Iraq," he said, "I will also support
an aggressive, active diplomatic effort to
guarantee that Iran does not develop or
obtain nuclear weapons."
The wide-ranging Ninth is one of
Michigan's most important and influential
congressional districts, given its Oakland
County makeup:
• Cities of Auburn Hills, Berkley,
Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson,
Farmington Hills, Farmington, Keego
Harbor, Lake Angelus, Orchard Lake
Village, Pontiac, Rochester Hills, Rochester,
Royal Oak, Sylvan Lake and Troy.
• Townships of Bloomfield, Oakland,
Orion, Royal Oak and Wet Bloomfield.
The annual pay for members of
Congress is $169,300.
Republicans attributed Knollenberg's
loss to a perfect political storm: President
Bush's unpopularity, Republican presi-
dential candidate John McCain's pullout
from active campaigning in Michigan,
the nation's struggling economy and
President-elect Barack Obama's long coat-
tails. El
Selected victors in the Nov. 4 general election.
U.S. Senate:
9th District
Democratic challenger Gary
Peters defeated Republican
incumbent Joe Knollenberg.
Palestinian-led terrorists, will always be
on his radar. Knollenberg commanded
Jewish allegiance because of his strong
and unswerving support not only of the
Jewish state, but also local Jewish agencies.
Jews who support Peters believe he will be
equally strong on Israel.
"I look forward to working with leaders
like Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman
Schultz of Florida to ensure that America's
commitment to Israel remains strong:'
Peters told the IN.
Peters visited Israel while serving in the
Michigan Senate from 1995 to 2002. That
visit reinforced his belief that a strong,
vibrant, democratic Israel is vital to
American national security interests.
He hopes to go back to Israel as a con-
gressman.
"We have incredible opportunities
for bi-national cooperation between the
United States and Israel;' he said. "I intend
to work closely with the Jewish commu-
nity in southeast Michigan to help foster
economic development in both countries."
Before Election Day, Peter had told the
JN relative to Israel: "In Congress, I will
be a strong voice in support of foreign
aid — both security and economic. I will
unequivocally support Israel's efforts for
peace, stability and security, and I will
vote to hold the Palestinian leadership
12th District:
Democrat Rashida Tlaib
defeated Republican Darrin
Daigle to replace term-
limited Steve Tobocman, a
Democrat.
27th Distict
Democrat Ellen Cogen
Lipton defeated Republican
David Micola to replace
term-limited Rep. Andy
Meisner, a Democrat.
30th District
Democrat Lisa Brown
defeated Republican Amy
Peterman to replace
term-limited David Law, a
Republican.
37th District
Democrat Vicki Barnett
defeated Republican Paul
Welday to replace term-
limited Ado Vagnozzi, a
Democrat.
State Board of
Education
Democrats Kathleen Straus
and John Austin
Oakland County:
County Executive
Republican incumbent L.
Brooks Patterson defeated
Democrat Brenda Lawrence.
Prosecuting Attorney
Democrat Jessica Cooper
defeated Republican David
Law to replace David
Gorcyca, a Republican, who
chose not seek re-election.
Sheriff
Republican incumbent
Michael Bouchard defeated
Democrat Jane Boudreau.
Clerk/Register of Deeds
Republican incumbent
Ruth Johnson defeated
Democrat Sheila Smith.
Treasurer
Democrat Andy Meisner
defeated Republican incum-
bent Pat Dohaney.
Drain Commissioner
Republican incumbent
John McCulloch defeated
Democrat Brett Nicholson.
County Commission
14th District
Democrat Steven Schwartz
defeated Republican incum-
bent Mike Rogers.
Circuit Court
Incumbents James
Alexander, Martha
Anderson, Nancy Grant,
Shalina Kuma, Rudy
Nichols and newcomers
Lisa Gorcyca and Mary
Ellen Brennan.
Probate Court
Daniel O'Brien defeated
17th District
Democratic incumbent
Marcia Gershenson defeated
Republican Jeanne Blake.
22nd District
Democratic incumbent
Helaine Zack defeated
Republican Kimberly Fidler.
Mark Frankel.
District Court
45A, Jamie Wittenberg
defeated Denise Brainard;
45B, Incumbents Michelle
Friedman Appel and David
Gubow defeated Angela
Diggs Jackson;
48, Kimberly Small was re-
elected.