LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– Election Day results are just hours old, but there’s a new face atop the Michigan House of Representatives. His name is Jason Wentworth.
Wentworth represents the Farwell area and will replace current Speaker Lee Chatfield. Chatfield could not rerun for the position due to legislative term limits.
Wentworth currently holds the position of Speaker pro tempore, making him second in command behind Chatfield for house leadership.
The Republican from Clare first took office in 2017.
House leadership issued the following statements on Wednesday, after declaring several victories in races across the state.
“The people of Michigan have spoken loud and clear – they want two more years of House Republican leadership at their state Capitol,” said Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield. “House Republicans have the best plan of action to lead our state forward, and we have a proven track record of turning those plans into tangible results over the past ten years. That is why our message struck a chord with voters looking for real answers and why this team was successful statewide. I’m looking forward to seeing what this team can accomplish over the next two years.”
“The House Republican track record of success has broad appeal and our candidates best understood the concerns of Michigan families, no matter where they call home,” said HRCC co-chair Jim Lilly. “The HRCC team worked incredibly hard to find and recruit the best possible representative for each individual community, and then our candidates really stepped up and delivered over the last few months. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and the work we did making our case to every single Michigan voter.”
“The simple truth is House Republicans won tonight because we listened to the concerns of Michigan families and offered the best solutions to the biggest challenges facing our state,” said Speaker Pro-Tem Jason Wentworth. “Going forward, this caucus will continue to lead on the important issues. We will continue to pursue bold reforms. And we will continue to deliver real results for the people who put their faith in us. We will never stop fighting for the people of this state.”
The 101st Legislature will be the 6th straight with a Republican majority in the House.