Parker Fairbairn, the 25-year-old GOP organizer from Petoskey, has won the 107th Michigan State House seat after unseating the incumbent in the August primaries and overtaking Democratic challenger Jodi Decker.
The Associated Press called the race for the 25-year-old candidate around 3:30 a.m.
“Words can't really adequately express my gratitude to all who entrusted me with this awesome burden,” he said Wednesday morning.
He also thanked Decker, who works in child advocacy in Sault Ste. Marie. This is the second time Decker has run and lost in the district.
Unseating Friske
The 107th House District, which encompasses the tourism communities of Charlevoix and Emmet counties and parts of the eastern Upper Peninsula, including Sault Ste. Marie, is currently represented by Neil Friske.
Over his two-year term Friske made a name for himself as a “no-compromise” Republican. He joined the House Freedom Caucus, a handful of hardline conservatives who tend to vote strictly on party lines.
He currently serves on no legislative committees, which brought scorn from his Republican colleagues like U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman and state Sen. John Damoose.
Both Republicans endorsed Fairbairn over Friske in the Aug. 6 primary elections.
All the while, Fairbairn ran as a more moderate alternative to Friske. He said Wednesday morning that while he still maintains a conservative agenda, he won’t shy away from working across the aisle.
“At the end of the day we’re Americans, we’re Michiganders and there’s more that unites us than divides us,” he said.
In a previous interview with IPR News, Fairbairn said voters in his district were "tired of the drama” around Friske.
Friske was arrested in the early hours of June 20 this summer near a home he owns in Lansing. More than 4 months later, no charges have been filed against the lawmaker and police are still investigating "for a felony-level offense" after reports of shots fired.
Police records show Friske was arrested on suspicion of committing sexual assault and felony assault, as well as a firearms offense.
Days after Friske was released from police custody, he told a crowd of voters that he was "framed."
In September, Ingham County turned its investigation to the state attorney general due to “potential crimes in multiple county jurisdictions.” The investigation is ongoing.
“This campaign started when many reached out and encouraged me to run for office again,” Fairbairn said in a press release marking his victory. “The campaign that ensued was challenging and full of surprises for sure, but we emerged victorious because the will of the people will not be silenced.”
Jodi Decker, the Democrat, conceded early Wednesday morning but said she’s worried about the future of her district with a Republican majority in the state House.
“I’m still in shock,” she said.
