Schuette
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - Republican Bill Schuette was easily defeating Democrat David Leyton Tuesday night and is projected to become Michigan's next attorney general.
With 42 percent of votes counted, Schuette was leading Leyton by 13 percent, according to the Detroit Free Press. The newspaper has called the race for him.
Schuette will take over for Republican Mike Cox, who was barred by term limits from seeking re-election and lost in the GOP primary for governor.
Schuette is both a former Congressman and former judge on a state appeals court. He left that post in 2009 to run for AG, and Cox gave him his endorsement. A recent poll showed him with a 10-point lead over Leyton.
Schuette plans to keep Michigan as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by 20 states challenging health care reform signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this year.
He will also have the option of continuing Cox's securities fraud lawsuit against American International Group. Michigan is a lead plaintiff. Read more about the lawsuit here.
Leyton is the prosecuting attorney in Genesee County. He was first elected in 2004.
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at jobrienwv@gmail.com.