Education Lobbying in Michigan Post-DeVos

Who spends money to influence education policy in Michigan?

Before becoming the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos was best known for the money she spent promoting “school choice” in Michigan. This election season, education lobbying will look different.

As a part of WDET’s series Policy Meets the People – MI Voice MI Vote, Sascha Raiyn spoke with Craig Mauger, the executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. Mauger tracks money in state politics.

He said during the 2016 election season, the DeVos-backed Great Lakes Education Project – or GLEP – was one of the largest PACs in Michigan.  

Top PACs in Michigan in 2017

Committee Name Total Raised in 2017
HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,056,280
SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $1,716,732
MICHIGAN HOUSE DEMOCRATIC FUND $1,133,317
TURNAROUND DETROIT (PRO-MIKE DUGGAN) $957,550
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS  $912,040
MICHIGAN REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS $730,645
REALTORS PAC OF MICHIGAN $719,589
MICHIGAN SENATE DEMOCRATIC FUND $658,544
BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN $647,582
BETTER JOBS STRONGER FAMILIES (PRO-BILL SCHUETTE) $536,560
MICHIGAN LABORERS POLITICAL LEAGUE $481,370
COMPETE MICHIGAN (SEN. MIKE SHIRKEY) $435,341
MICHIGAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MEA) $416,747
HEALTH PAC (MICHIGAN HEALTH AND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION) $401,753
MIPAC (LT. GOV. BRIAN CALLEY) $374,956
MICHIGAN BEER AND WINE WHOLESALERS $364,209
CHATFIELD MAJORITY FUND (REP. LEE CHATFIELD) $341,175
MOVING MICHIGAN FORWARD FUND I (SEN. ARLAN MEEKHOF) $333,449
DTE ENERGY $297,935
MIBANKPAC (MICHIGAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION) $282,097

 

Data from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network’s Top 150 Michigan PACs: Jan. 1, 2017 Through Dec. 31, 2017

 

Author

  • Sascha Raiyn
    Sascha Raiyn is Education Reporter at 101.9 WDET. She is a native Detroiter who grew up listening to news and music programming on Detroit Public Radio.