Judy Emmons replaces Calley as Republican candidate for 33rd district

Republicans from the 33rd District on Wednesday selected Judy Emmons to replace Brian Calley in the state Senate race.

Rep. Calley, R-Portland, dropped out last week when he accepted the position of Republican governor candidate Rick Snyder’s running mate. The 33rd district state Senate seat will be vacated by Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, who has reached term limits.

The decision for Calley’s replacement was made by the 33rd Republican Party Executive Committee, covering Clinton, Ionia, Isabella and Montcalm counties. The committee selected Emmons over Scott Hummel in a 82-37 vote.

Matthew Golden, Isabella County Republicans chairman, said Emmons would have to leverage her community ties to make up for her late start in the campaign.

This could prove to be a difficult task as her Democratic opponent James Hoisington has a 30-day head start.

“She’s known throughout a good chunk of the community,” Golden said. “She’s been active in the counties surrounding her and has even been seen at Central Michigan University events.”

Emmons served Ionia and Montcalm counties for six years as state representative. Most of her votes followed party lines, according to published reports. Some notable exceptions occurred in 2004 when she supported a 75 cent increase in cigarette taxes and advancing the due date for county tax collections. She followed party lines in 2008 when she voted against a tax increase to fund county zoos.

Travis Faber, first vice chairman of College Republicans, said Emmons’s candidacy could have a positive impact for students on campus.

“I think that the students on campus will very much enjoy Judy Emmons,” the Battle Creek senior said. “As a state representative she fought for jobs and to lower taxes.”

With this in mind, he said, students are always looking for jobs in career force, and the more jobs in the state, the easier it will be for students to find a job.