Graves to Represent Fenton with 51st District House Seat

While voters ousted a Republican in November, another Republican has been elected to take his place.

Genesee County Commissioner , 58, of Argentine Township, has been elected to the 51st District House of Representatives in a special election to replace the .

He beat out Democrat Steven Losey and Green Party candidate Cary Neuville-Justice.

Graves won with 53.10 percent of the vote (10,290 total votes) to Losey's 42.17 percent of the vote (8,173 total votes). Neuville-Justice collected 803 votes for 4.14 percent of the vote.

"I felt we had the right message and it resonated with voters," Graves said after announcing victory at in Fenton Tuesday. "We will stay on the issues and continue to represent the residents."

Graves helps lead the Fenton Township drug prevention group and the anti-drug presentation "" He also served as Argentine Township clerk from 2004 to 2008. He was urged to run by local Republican Party Officials.

"I believe it is important to make sure Michigan continues to move out of the past and the residents have a voice that shares their priorities, not special interest who believe in large tax payer benefits," he said.

Graves believes the biggest issues facing the area are a lack of jobs and crime.

"We have one of the largest unemployment rates in the nation and also lead the nation in violent crime out of Flint which statistic show does spill over into our community," he said. "The two go hand in hand and we must address them and not return to the last decade where 50 percent of all jobs lost in the nation were lost right here in Michigan."