Michigan State Senate District 18 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Michigan, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Michigan State Senate District 18 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Michigan State Senate District 18

Thomas Albert defeated Kai De Graaf in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 18 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Thomas Albert (R)	62.0	72,027
		Kai De Graaf (D)	38.0	44,223

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,250
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Clean Water

Health Care

Equal Justice

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Kai De Graaf (D)

WATER - Michigan has been blessed with an abundance of water. We in Michigan are very fortunate to have such a resource but we need to take care of our water for future generations, otherwise we will be drinking contaminated water that is beyond repair. What are we leaving our children and our grandchildren. ? Resources should be allocated in our state, making clean water for all our citizens a top priority.

HEALTH CARE - In the USA we spend more on healthcare than most other nations; however, we probably spend less on public sector healthcare than many other nations. This is just shameful. Everyone in this country and in the state of Michigan should receive healthcare whether it is provided by a publicly supported means, a private means or a combination of both.

ABORTION - However anyone feels about using abortion as a means to terminate an unwanted or life-threatening pregnancy, A woman should nonetheless have a right to choose whether or not a utilize that means. While abortion is better left as a last choice, it should always be a woman's choice.

POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM - We need to support our law enforcement personnel and we also need to make sure that police officers are properly hired, properly trained and properly educated to do the right thing when it comes to making critical decisions on the street. One innocent death by a police bullet is one too many and there's just no excuse for it.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Kai De Graaf (D)

To be a good listener It is important also to be thorough in analyzing all of the factors that go into a piece of legislation

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Kai De Graaf (D)

I can work with everyone who I come into contact with

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Do the right thing while representing the interests of all of the people who live in your district.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Laws that benefit all people of our state

What is your favorite book? Why?

Kai De Graaf (D)

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez The book is a virtual masterpiece for all ages

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Really? OK "Plastic 100c" by Sampha

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Kai De Graaf (D)

While executing the laws passed by our state government, the governor should provide compassionate, yet firm leadership to all, I believe Governor Gretchen Whitmer, has provided such leadership in the State of Michigan.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Make our water, food and fish cleaner everywhere and every day in our state.

Michigan needs to continuously reinvent itself by adopting new technologies to build a green future that is all encompassing, utilizing multiple forms of energy to attain optimal efficiency in both production and in consumerism throughout the whole economy and among all sectors of the state population.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Unicameral state legislature may be more efficient, but it is not as representative of the peoples' goals and objectives, wants and needs.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Yes, beneficial but not necessary

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Kai De Graaf (D)

Yes, without relationships between legislators, there is no compromise; and without compromise one cannot get things done in star or federal government.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Any redistricting process should be attempt to achieve equal representation throughout the district.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Environmental

Appropriations

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Kai De Graaf (D)

N/A

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Perhaps

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Kai De Graaf (D)

I hear so many stories all the time, but one thing that resonates throughout the population is that people really need healthcare--- affordable healthcare; good quality healthcare. Our system is just not working the way it should.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Yes. There should be oversight of emergency powers however, the legislature's ability to curtail executive power should itself be limited

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Kai De Graaf (D)

Yes, compromise is always necessary

See also

More about these elections:

• Michigan State Senate elections, 2022

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