VanderWall, Scripps React To Election Results

Votes have been counted and candidates across Northern Michigan are either still celebrating a win or trying to make sense of a loss.

Curt VanderWall and Dan Scripps were both campaigning to represent the 101st District which covers parts of Manistee, Mason, Leelanau and Benzie counties.

VanderWall came out on top.

Curt VanderWall and Dan Scripps each wished each other well when the results came out.

Now VanderWall is off to Lansing.

"County commissioner to state representative," VanderWall said.

After a long campaign Republican Curt VanderWall is still in awe after winning the race.

He’s already in Lansing for orientation, ready to represent the 101st District.

"After being a county commissioner for six years I saw what we could do and how we can work across the aisle and now it’s the opportunity to do that here in 101st and I’m thrilled," he said.

Many other newbies here, he will be bringing issues from his campaign all the way to the Capitol.

"The really probably biggest thing I want to do is to reintroduce the trades back into the schools. Give our young people the opportunity to train themselves with high paying jobs that are available out there," he said.

Meanwhile, Democratic opponent Dan Scripps is picking up the last of his campaign signs, saying at the end the numbers didn’t work out in his favor.

"I had no idea. I went in to the count feeling very confident and it turned out different so trying to piece things together and figure out what it all means," Scripps said.

But he says he still plans to stay involved in his community.

"Certainly continuing to protect the Great Lakes any way I can and there’s a lot of issues around that and certainly I plan to be an active local citizen just not as state representative," Scripps said.