2014 Michigan Attorney General election explained

The 2014 Michigan Attorney General election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Attorney General of Michigan. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette was re-elected to a second term in office with 52.11% of the vote.

Republican Party

Candidates

Nominee

• Bill Schuette, incumbent Attorney General^[1]

Democratic Party

Candidates

Nominee

• Mark Totten, law professor at Michigan State University and candidate for the State Senate in 2010^[2]

Withdrew

• Godfrey Dillard, attorney and candidate for Michigan's 15th congressional district in 1996 (running for Secretary of State)^{[3] [4]}

Minor parties

Libertarian Party

• Justin Altman, attorney^[5]

Green Party

• John Anthony La Pietra, attorney, nominee for Secretary of State in 2010 and nominee for Calhoun County Clerk and Register of Deeds in 2008 and 2012^{[5] [6]}

Taxpayers Party

• Gerald Van Sickle, nominee for attorney general in 2002 and 2010^[5]

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	class=small	Margin of error	Bill Schuette (R)	Mark Totten (D)	Other	Undecided
Mitchell Research[7]	November 2, 2014	1,224	± 2.8%	align=center	49%	41%	4%	6%
Public Policy Polling[8]	November 1–2, 2014	914	± 3.2%	align=center	47%	37%	6%[9]	10%
EPIC-MRA[10]	October 26–28, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	47%	35%	4%	14%
Glengariff Group[11]	October 22–24, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	37.8%	33.5%	6.2%	22.5%
Clarity Campaign Labs[12]	October 19–20, 2014	1,032	± 3.05%	38%	38%	—	24%
EPIC-MRA[13]	October 17–19, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	43%	33%	4%	20%
Lake Research Partners[14]	October 13–19, 2014	1,032	± 4%	38%	38%	—	24%
Clarity Campaign Labs[15]	October 12–14, 2014	967	± 3.16%	align=center	39%	37%	—	24%
Clarity Campaign Labs[16]	October 11–13, 2014	?	± ?	align=center	39%	37%	—	24%
Glengariff Group[17]	October 2–4, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	39.2%	32.1%	4.8%[18]	23.8%
Mitchell Research[19]	September 29, 2014	1,178	± 2.86%	align=center	43%	39%	18%
EPIC-MRA[20]	September 25–29, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	38%	32%	11%	18%
Target-Insyght[21]	September 22–24, 2014	616	± 4%	align=center	42%	41%	6%	11%
Denno Research[22]	September 11–13, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	40.5%	32.5%	—	27%
Suffolk[23]	September 6–10, 2014	500	± 4.4%	36.4%	align=center	42.8%	3.6%[24]	17.2%
Public Policy Polling[25]	September 4–7, 2014	687	± 3.7%	36%	36%	10%[26]	18%
Glengariff Group[27]	September 3–5, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	39.7%	37.7%	1.7%	21%
EPIC-MRA[28]	August 22–25, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	40%	34%	—	26%
Public Policy Polling[29]	June 26–29, 2014	578	± 4.1%	align=center	34%	32%	—	align=center	35%
EPIC-MRA[30]	May 17–20, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	38%	33%	—	29%
Public Policy Polling[31]	April 3–6, 2014	825	± 3.4%	align=center	36%	33%	—	31%
EPIC-MRA[32]	February 5–11, 2014	600	± 4%	align=center	39%	31%	—	30%
Harper Polling[33]	January 7–8, 2014	1,004	± 3.09%	align=center	42%	33%	—	24%
Public Policy Polling[34]	December 5–8, 2013	1,034	± 3%	align=center	40%	38%	—	22%

By congressional district

Schuette won 10 of 14 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat.^[35]

District	Schuette	Totten	Representative
	1st	59%	37%		Dan Benishek
2nd	64%	32%
			Bill Huizenga
	3rd	60%	35%		Justin Amash
4th	63%	33%		Dave Camp (113th Congress)
			John Moolenaar (114th Congress)
	5th	46%	51%
	6th	56%	39%		Fred Upton
	7th	58%	38%		Tim Walberg
8th	58%	38%		Mike Rogers (113th Congress)
			Mike Bishop (114th Congress)
	9th	49%	47%
	10th	62%	34%		Candice Miller
11th	59%	38%		Kerry Bentivolio (113th Congress)
			Dave Trott (114th Congress)
12th	39%	57%		John Dingell (113th Congress)
			Debbie Dingell (114th Congress)
	13th	20%	77%		John Conyers
14th	25%	73%		Gary Peters (113th Congress)
			Brenda Lawrence (114th Congress)

External links

• Bill Schuette for Attorney General
• Mark Totten for Attorney General
• John Anthony La Pietra Attorney General

Notes and References

1. Web site: Howell to lead local re-election campaign for Bill Schuette. February 16, 2014. February 20, 2014. The County Press. https://web.archive.org/web/20140225095411/http://thecountypress.mihomepaper.com/news/2014-02-16/News/Howell_to_lead_local_reelection_campaign_for_Bill_.html. February 25, 2014. dead.
2. Web site: Mark Totten announces bid for attorney general, explains why he wants to take on Bill Schuette. June 17, 2013. February 20, 2014. MLive.com. Jonathan Oosting.
3. Web site: Detroit attorney Dillard to run for state attorney general. April 24, 2014. April 28, 2014. The Detroit News. Chad Livengood. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429081945/http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140424/POLITICS02/304240112/1361/Detroit-attorney-Dillard-to-run-for-state-attorney-general. April 29, 2014.
4. Web site: Democrat Godfrey Dillard announces bid for Michigan secretary of state. August 1, 2014. September 9, 2014. MLive. Jonathan Oosting.
5. Web site: 2014 Official Michigan General Candidate Listing.
6. Web site: The Common Ills: John Anthony La Pietra Attorney General For the People. July 10, 2014. October 9, 2014.
7. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/Mitchell_MI_110314.pdf Mitchell Research
8. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/MIResults.pdf Public Policy Polling
9. Justin Altman (L) 3%, John Anthony La Pietra (G) 1%, Gerald Van Sickle (TP) 2%
10. http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2014/10/29/snyder-schauer-virtual-tie/18132579/ EPIC-MRA
11. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/10/27/schuette-leads-attorney-general-race-tightens/18035977/ Glengariff Group
12. https://www.scribd.com/doc/243892501/Clarity-Campaign-Labs-10-21-Memo Clarity Campaign Labs
13. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2014/10/21/october-governors-poll/17681989/ EPIC-MRA
14. https://www.scribd.com/doc/241724440/LRP-Gubernatorial-Senate-Poll Lake Research Partners
15. http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/CCLOctoberSurvey.pdf Clarity Campaign Labs
16. http://www.progressmichigan.org/2014/10/progress-michigan-new-poll-shows-schauer-ahead-gubernatorial-race/ Clarity Campaign Labs
17. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/10/06/poll-snyder-rides-wave-optimism/16835369/ Glengariff Group
18. Justin Altman (L) 2.3%, John Anthony La Pietra (G) 2%, Gerald Van Sickle (TP) 0.5%
19. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/MI_Mitchell_100214.pdf Mitchell Research
20. http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2014/10/01/poll-statewide-gop-candidates-grow-leads-dems/16553857/ EPIC-MRA
21. https://www.scribd.com/doc/241467823/MI-Sen-MI-Gov-Target-Insyght-Sept-2014 Target-Insyght
22. http://media.mlive.com/lansing-news/other/vanguard-denno-september.pdf Denno Research
23. http://www.suffolk.edu/documents/SUPRC/marginals_9_11_2014.pdf Suffolk
24. Justin Altman (L) 2%, John Anthony La Pietra (G) 0.6%, Gerald Van Sickle (TP) 1%
25. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/PPP_Release_MI_909925.pdf Public Policy Polling
26. Justin Altman (L) 5%, John Anthony La Pietra (G) 2%, Gerald Van Sickle (TP) 3%
27. https://web.archive.org/web/20140910123650/http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140909/POLITICS01/309090152 Glengariff Group
28. https://web.archive.org/web/20140902005135/http://www.wxyz.com/news/political/exclusive-poll-gary-peters-leads-in-senate-race-terri-lynn-land-closing-the-gap EPIC-MRA
29. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/PPP_Release_MI_701.pdf Public Policy Polling
30. http://www.freep.com/article/20140527/NEWS06/305270129/ EPIC-MRA
31. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/PPP_Release_MI_408.pdf Public Policy Polling
32. http://www.epicmra.com/press/Stwd_Survey_Feb2014_Media_Freq.pdf EPIC-MRA
33. https://web.archive.org/web/20140113192138/http://www.conservativeintel.com/113-conservative-intel-poll-of-michigan/ Harper Polling
34. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2013/PPP_Release_MI_121013.pdf Public Policy Polling
35. Web site: Daily Kos .