Jennifer Haase

Jennifer Haase (born December 20, 1974) is an American politician from the state of Michigan. A Democrat, she was elected to the Michigan State House of Representatives in 2008, representing the normally Republican leaning 32nd State House District, which includes portions of North and East Macomb County and four rural townships in St. Clair County. Prior to her election, Haase worked as an elementary school teacher in Richmond.

Biography

Jennifer Haase was born on December 20, 1974, in Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Eisenhower High School, in Shelby Township, Michigan in 1993. She graduated from Alma College in Alma, Michigan with a BA in Elementary Education in 1997. In 2007, Haase received her Masters of Education, Reading and Language Arts from Oakland University. Haase worked as an elementary school teacher from 1998 to her election in 2008. She lives in Richmond with her husband Robert Haase, a Sterling Heights firefighter and paramedic.

Political career

In March 2008, Jennifer Haase filed to run for the 32nd State House District of Michigan. The seat was being vacated by Republican incumbent Daniel J. Acciavatti, who was barred from running for re-election due to term limits. Haase was unopposed in the Democratic Primary, while the Republican Primary featured four candidates. Republican John Accavitti won the Republican Primary and would face Haase in the General Election. The 32nd District is divided between exurban Macomb County and rural St. Clair County. It includes the Macomb County municipalities of Armada, Chesterfield, Lenox, and Richmond Townships, as well as the cities of Richmond, Memphis and New Baltimore. In St. Clair County, the 32nd encompasses Columbus, Ira, Kimball, and Wales Townships. The 32nd was historically safe Republican territory, but the strongly Democratic national environment made the race between Haase and Accavitti competitive.

On election day, Haase defeated Accavitti in what was considered an upset. She won by a 50.4%-46.9% margin. Democrat Barack Obama won the District over Republican John McCain by a narrow 49.5%-48.6% margin. The 32nd District was one of nine seats that Democrats picked up from Republicans in the 2008 election, bringing their margin in the State House to 66-44. Haase took office on January 1, 2009, and she sat on the Agriculture, Health Policy, Education, and Ethics and Elections Committees.

Haase lost her re-election bid in 2010 to Republican Andrea LaFontaine.

Electoral history

• 2008 campaign for State House
  • Jennifer Haase (D), 50.4%
  • John Accavitti (R), 46.9%
• 2010 campaign for State House
  • Andrea LaFontaine (R), 16,101 votes
  • Jennifer Haase (D), 14,354 votes