- Wednesday, Jackson's Mayor Daniel Mahoney announced his candidacy for Michigan's 46th District in the House of Representatives.
- Rep. Kathy Schmaltz, elected in 2022, currently holds that seat.
- Mahoney feels that the issues within the district align with the issues the City of Jackson has faced, making him equipped to handle those issues on a state level.
Jackson's Mayor, Daniel Mahoney, is throwing his hat in the ring for higher office. "It really follows my entire journey in public service," said Mahoney. "This isn't something I thought I'd be doing at all," Mahoney continued as he explained that he didn't expect to run for his previous positions as County Commissioner or Mayor, until someone encouraged him.
Wednesday, Mahoney announced his candidacy for the 46th District of Michigan's House of Representatives. Mahoney is a former President of Jackson County's NAACP branch, and is also known for his involvement on local boards and committees, including Michigan Works, Lifeways Community Mental Health, the Jackson County Land Bank, and the Jackson County Fair Board.
"I do feel like I have the experience. I feel like I have the proper support of the community and team I have around me, and (I) feel like this is a great time for me to make this run, so I'm super excited about it." Mahoney believes that the issues the City of Jackson faces are similar in surrounding areas, making him equipped to handle those issues on a state level.
Mahoney will run as a Democrat in a district that covers Jackson and stretches east to Chelsea. The 46th District has been held by a Republican since 1993 and is currently held by Rep. Kathy Schmaltz. She gave her thoughts on the announcement: "I don't think it's a surprise when you're in a political position," Schmaltz responded. "In elected office, you're going to have an opponent that runs against you, but I'm not a career politician. I don't ever feel like I'm running against anybody. It's just very important for me to help people. That's why I ran."
Schmaltz says she will be running to address issues like inflation, taxes, and the population. "We're here to help people and make life easier for them, and I would hope that my district and my community would continue to support me so I can finish the work that I started."
As for the City of Jackson, Mahoney believes the future is bright. "If elected, in Jackson, the one thing that I know is that progressive, forward-moving work will continue to happen from City Council. We all want to see Jackson continue to move forward."
We will continue to follow this race as updates come.
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