By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Detroit — A former Martian is now at the top of the Michigan GOP as the new state party chair.
Sen. Jim Runestad (R- 23rd District) who grew up in Atlas Township received about 63% of the votes cast by about 1,900 delegates on Feb.22 on the second ballot at Huntington Place, in Detroit. He defeated Trump’s endorsed candidate, Meshawn Maddock, of Milford for the two year seat.
Runsestad was elected by the precinct delegates who are selected by the 82 counties of Michigan. Those delegates selected Runestad.
“Had this been a general primary, the President Trump selected candidate would have won,” said Runestad, during an interview with The Citizen. “I spent several months out campaigning prior to the election. I realized they knew and trusted me.”
Runestad will work two jobs between his elected office serving most of West Oakland County and the party chairmanship. He will be the first person since Sander Levin was named the Oakland County Democratic Party chair in 1962 and elected State Senator for the 15th district in 1964. He held both offices until 1967.
“If we (Republicans) were in the majority I could not do this,” said Runestad. “I absolutely can do this job.”
Runestad’s main job as chair will be raising money and helping recruit Republican candidates for the state’s 2026 election.
“For the first time in Michigan’s history we have an open U.S. Senator seat and governor race at the same time,” said Runestad. “It’s never happened before. It’s going to be the most important race in the nation. Three congressional seats to be protected and three supreme court seat opportunities, state house seats, and senate seats. It’s one of the biggest opportunities for the Republican party ever. We have a lot of division in the party and I have to keep them unified, along with raising money. I felt there was a lot of misspent money in the last election and wanted to focus on running a tighter ship of eliminating excess costs. As a result, now I’ll really focus on the money for the campaigns.”
“I’m proud to be from Genesee County and the Goodrich area,” he said. “I’m happy to represent the whole area.”
Runestad is a 1978 Goodrich High School graduate represents the new 23rd District following his re-election Nov. 8, 2022 to a second term.
In 2018 Runestad defeated the Democratic challenger for the State Senate District 15 seat which then included: Commerce, Lyon, South Lyon, Milford, Novi, West Bloomfield and White Lake townships; the cities of Northville, Orchard Lake, Walled Lake and Wixom; along with the villages of Milford and Wolverine Lake.
Prior to the senate, Runestad served in the State House of Representatives 2015-2018, District 44, which included Milford, Highland, White Lake, Waterford and Springfield townships. He served as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Before that he spent three terms as an Oakland County commissioner.
Runestad was an Otter Lake native who moved to Atlas Township when he was 8-years-old after his family purchased an 80-acre farm in the township near Jordan and Irish roads.
The son of two educators, Runestad was raised in Goodrich and went on to graduate from Mott Community College and earn his bachelor’s degree in education from Central Michigan
University with a concentration in history, economics and politics. Upon graduation, he spent time working with at-risk students in classrooms all across the state.
Runestad and his wife, Kathy, reside in White Lake Township. There they’ve raised five children: Joel, Justin, Lena, Lee and Kayla. There are 15 grandchildren.