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Laurie Pohutsky

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Laurie Pohutsky
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Michigan House of Representatives District 17
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor
Prior offices
Michigan House of Representatives District 19
Predecessor: Laura Cox

Compensation

Base salary

$71,685/year

Per diem

No per diem is paid. Legislators receive an expense allowance of $10,800/year for session and interim.

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Michigan State University, 2010

Personal
Birthplace
Detroit, Mich.
Profession
Scientist
Contact

Laurie Pohutsky (Democratic Party) is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 17. She assumed office on January 1, 2023. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Pohutsky (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 17. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Laurie Pohutsky was born in Detroit, Michigan.[1] Pohutsky earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Michigan State University in 2010. Her career experience includes working as a customer service specialist and laboratory technician with Armune BioScience, Inc., a laboratory technician with National Surgical Healthcare and Millennium Health, and a quality control technician with Neogen Corporation.[1][2]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Pohutsky was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Pohutsky was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Pohutsky was assigned to the following committees:


The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2024

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky defeated Rola Makki in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky (D)
 
69.8
 
31,741
Image of Rola Makki
Rola Makki (R)
 
30.2
 
13,765

Total votes: 45,506
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky
 
100.0
 
9,782

Total votes: 9,782
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Rola Makki advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on August 6, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Rola Makki
Rola Makki
 
100.0
 
2,509

Total votes: 2,509
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Campaign finance

Endorsements

Pohutsky received the following endorsements.

  • Michigan League of Conservation Voters

2022

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky defeated Penny Crider in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky (D)
 
69.0
 
24,482
Penny Crider (R)
 
31.0
 
10,980

Total votes: 35,462
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky
 
100.0
 
9,744

Total votes: 9,744
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17

Penny Crider advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 17 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Penny Crider
 
100.0
 
4,204

Total votes: 4,204
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

2020

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky defeated Martha Ptashnik in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky (D) Candidate Connection
 
50.2
 
29,452
Image of Martha Ptashnik
Martha Ptashnik (R) Candidate Connection
 
49.8
 
29,215

Total votes: 58,667
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Incumbent Laurie Pohutsky advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
14,709

Total votes: 14,709
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Martha Ptashnik defeated Penny Crider and Regina Gargus in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on August 4, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Martha Ptashnik
Martha Ptashnik Candidate Connection
 
51.6
 
5,870
Penny Crider
 
42.7
 
4,856
Regina Gargus
 
5.7
 
651

Total votes: 11,377
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign finance

Endorsements

To view Pohutsky's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

  • LEAP Forward[3]

2018

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Laurie Pohutsky defeated Brian Meakin in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky (D) Candidate Connection
 
50.2
 
23,454
Brian Meakin (R)
 
49.8
 
23,230

Total votes: 46,684
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Laurie Pohutsky defeated Daniel Centers in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Laurie Pohutsky
Laurie Pohutsky Candidate Connection
 
54.7
 
6,224
Image of Daniel Centers
Daniel Centers
 
45.3
 
5,152

Total votes: 11,376
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19

Brian Meakin advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 19 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Brian Meakin
 
100.0
 
9,541

Total votes: 9,541
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Laurie Pohutsky did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Laurie Pohutsky did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Candidate Connection

Laurie Pohutsky completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pohutsky's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a millennial microbiologist running for my second term in the Michigan State House of Representatives, where I serve on the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation and Health Policy committees. I have worked in the fields of toxicology, health care, and food safety and have experience with environmental testing. During my first term, I have introduced legislation to repeal the No Stricter than Federal law, which shackles Michigan's environmental regulations to federal standards. I also introduced bills to combat rising prescription drug prices and close a loophole in Michigan law that allows for marital rape in cases where a spouse has been drugged. While attending college at Michigan State University, I was a member of the gay-straight alliance and took part in community engagement and activism. I also volunteered at the local crisis hotline. I reside in Livonia, where I am a volunteer with Angela Hospice.
  • Health care is a human right and should never be reliant on someone's income.
  • Protecting our environment is critical, and a crucial part of it is holding corporate polluters accountable.
  • Strengthening our public education system and empowering our state's educators is paramount.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
There are several reasons why the talent gap exists in Michigan and young people are leaving the state for other areas of the country. In order to retain talent, we need to prioritize things that will keep those workers here, including investing in our infrastructure, prioritizing public education so that residents will want to raise families in Michigan, and expand public transit in areas that lack it.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
Michigan needs to prioritize funding the areas that we saw under the most strain during the COVID-19 crisis. This means making health care more accessible and affordable, funding our public schools so that they can adapt to the changes the pandemic has forced upon them, and assisting the departments where underfunding was most detrimental, such as UIA.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
I have voted in support of expanding FOIA to cover the legislature and Governor, and I supported legislation to expand financial disclosure for elected officials.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
We need to look at budgetary priorities through the lens of COVID-19. This means that district-specific spending, including some appropriations that I personally advocated for, may need to be put on hold. However, federal relief will be pivotal for our state's recovery.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
Lowering weight limits on trucks in Michigan while also eliminating some corporate tax loopholes and mandating that money go towards roads will drastically cut the amount that needs to be produced through other revenue, such as gas taxes or registration fees.
Detroit Free Press   Featured local question
Although this is by no means a novel concept, it does seem to be one the state has consistently struggled with: we need to fund our public schools equitably. Not every district faces the same challenges, and we must meet them where they are rather than assuming they can each reach the same goals with the exact same resources.
I am extremely passionate about environmental and health care policy. Michigan is home to a wealth of natural resources and beauty, but we have not been good stewards of these resources. I've made it a priority to advocate for evidence-based environmental policy to protect our state for generations to come. Additionally, we know that the current health care system in Michigan is inequitable, and the COVID-19 crisis has made that more evident than ever. No one should have to decide between going to the doctor or filling a prescription and putting food on the table.
I look up to my niece. She's thirteen years younger than me and is so passionate and driven that she inspires me on a daily basis to be a better person and fight for the things I believe in.
I'm determined, curious, tenacious, and honest. I am comfortable admitting what I don't know and eager to learn more.
I want to leave anything I do in a better condition than the one I found it in.
The first historical event that I truly remember having an impact on me was the death of Matthew Shepard, who was tied to a fence and beaten to death because he was gay. I was ten years old and I so vividly remember being horrified and heartbroken that anyone could do this to a person simply because of who they are and who the love.
My first job was waiting tables at Checker Bar and Grill in Detroit. I only worked there for the summer, but I waited tables off and on for around ten years, including while I was in college and after I moved back home and had trouble finding a job due to the recession.
My favorite book is Catch 22. My dad fought in WWII, so there's a little bit of a personal connection, but I love the writing style and how it conveys the chaos of the situation.
"Rain on Me" by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
Watching my best friend in high school and college try to cope with mental health issues was a struggle. When I was eighteen, I became her caregiver, a task neither of us was prepared for. The situation only made things more stressful and exacerbated her issues. The lack of resources was, and still is, tremendously infuriating. Trying to help her navigate the health care system was one of the most difficult things I have ever done and is part of the reason I'm such a staunch advocate for health care reform.
The Senate adheres more to rules around legislation taking immediate effect, which is a point of contention in the House that has even been taken to court. Although this is a little "inside baseball," it is an important distinction.
There are benefits to state legislators having political experience, particularly when it comes to having pre-established relationships or being ahead of the learning curve. However, I think one cannot underestimate the importance of having people from different backgrounds with varied experiences and types of expertise represent our state.
We have massively underfunded critical areas of our state, such as infrastructure and education, and now that we are facing budgetary shortfalls due to the COVID-19 crisis, playing catch-up is going to be more difficult than ever.
As co-equal branches of government, the two need to work together to better the state. However, it is critical for one to challenge the other from time to time.
It is not only beneficial to build relationships with other legislators, it is crucial, and that includes relationships across the aisle. These relationships give insight into different perspectives that are important to consider when it comes to decisions that will affect the entire state.
I serve on the Health Policy and Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation committees. Because of my background as a scientist, I felt I would be well-suited for the issues that would come before these committees.
At this point, I'm only concerned about doing the job I've been elected to to the best of my ability.
My district has vinyl chloride contamination in the groundwater in one particular neighborhood. When I met with the residents of that area, one woman told me one of her children asked if they would be safer from the vapor intrusion in the top or bottom bunk because they were afraid to get sick. After that meeting, I repeatedly met with the corporation responsible and demanded they perform more accurate testing and expand it as necessary. I also introduced legislation to allow the state to develop its own standards for such contamination rather than being shackled to the federal standards and co-sponsored a bill to require corporate polluters to clean up the contamination they create. That story has always stuck with me and reminded me that these policies have very real consequences for the people I represent.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Laurie Pohutsky campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Michigan House of Representatives District 17Won general$120,318 $0
2022Michigan House of Representatives District 17Won general$60,704 $0
2020Michigan House of Representatives District 19Won general$311,520 N/A**
2018Michigan House of Representatives District 19Won general$266,382 N/A**
Grand total$758,923 N/A**
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Michigan

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019






See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 20, 2020
  2. LinkedIn, "Laurie Pohutsky," accessed May 1, 2023
  3. LEAP Forward, "6. ENDORSEMENTS," accessed June 30, 2020

Political offices
Preceded by
Joseph Bellino (R)
Michigan House of Representatives District 17
2023-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
Laura Cox (R)
Michigan House of Representatives District 19
2019-2023
Succeeded by
Samantha Steckloff (D)


Current members of the Michigan House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Matt Hall
Minority Leader:Ranjeev Puri
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
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District 13
Mai Xiong (D)
District 14
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District 17
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District 19
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District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
Matt Hall (R)
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
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District 50
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District 60
District 61
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District 66
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Kara Hope (D)
District 75
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District 87
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Tim Kelly (R)
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
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District 100
Tom Kunse (R)
District 101
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John Roth (R)
District 105
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District 110
Republican Party (58)
Democratic Party (52)