Aric Nesbitt (born January 25, 1980) is an American politician serving as a member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 20th district, which includes most of Van Buren County, Central Allegan County, Northern Berrien County and Byron Township & Gaines Township in Kent County. He serves as the minority leader of the Michigan State Senate and previously served as President pro tempore. He received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award from Hillsdale College for being a conservative reformer.[1] He previously represented the 66th District in the Michigan House of Representatives and served as the Michigan Lottery Commissioner from 2017 to 2018.[2] Nesbitt was elected in November 2010 to the Michigan House of Representatives, served three terms, and served as the House Majority Floor Leader and chair of the House Committee on Energy & Technology. He is a member of the Republican Party and resides south of Lawton, Michigan with his wife, Trisha, daughter, Catherine, and son, William.[3]

Aric Nesbitt
Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate
Assumed office
January 11, 2023
Preceded byJim Ananich
President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate
In office
January 9, 2019 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byTonya Schuitmaker
Succeeded byJeremy Moss
Member of the Michigan Senate
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byTonya Schuitmaker
Constituency26th district (2019–2022)
20th district (2023–present)
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office
January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2017
Preceded byTonya Schuitmaker
Succeeded byBeth Griffin
Constituency80th district (2011–2013)
66th district (2013–2017)
Personal details
Born (1980-01-25) January 25, 1980 (age 44)
Porter Township, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseTrisha Nesbitt
EducationKalamazoo Valley Community College
Hillsdale College (BA)
Norwegian School of Economics (MBA)

Early life

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Nesbitt grew up on a six generation family dairy & grape farm in Porter Township, just south of Lawton in Van Buren County. He is the middle of five children, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. He said this taught him the values of hard work, self-government, and independence.[4] His father served three tours in Vietnam and came back home to run the family dairy farm. He served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives during his junior year of high school and was a delegate to the American Legion Boy's Nation between his junior and senior year of high school.[citation needed]

Education

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Nesbitt graduated from Lawton High School in 1998, the same school as his father and grandfather. During his senior year of high school he was dual enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He earned a B.A. in economics from Hillsdale College December 2001 and later earned his master's degree in international business from Norwegian School of Economics, NHH.[5]

Roles within MI Legislature

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  • 2023–Present
    • Senate Minority Leader
    • Minority Vice-Chairman, Government Operations Committee
  • 2019–2022
    • Senate President Pro-Tempore
    • Chairman, Regulatory Reform Committee
    • Chairman, Appropriation Subcommittee on Licensing & Regulatory Affairs and Insurance & Financial Services
    • Chairman, Advice & Consent Committee
    • Vice-chairman, Finance Committee
    • Vice-chairman, Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Member, Appropriations Committee
    • Member, Government Operations Committee
    • Member, Energy & Technology Committee
    • Member, Insurance & Banking Committee
  • 2015–2016
    • House Majority Floor Leader
    • Chairman, Energy Committee
    • Member, Elections Committee
    • Chairman, Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee
  • 2013–2014
    • Chairman, Energy and Technology Committee
    • Member, Commerce Committee
    • Member, Tax Policy Committee
    • Member, Insurance Committee
    • Chairman, Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee
  • 2011–2012
    • Vice Chair, Government Operations Committee
    • Member, Energy and Technology Committee
      • Chairman, Subcommittee on Natural Gas
    • Member, Tax Policy Committee
    • Member, Education Policy Committee

Electoral history

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Michigan's 20th Senate District General Election, Nov. 2022
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 69,316 61% +4
Democratic Kim Jorgensen Gane 44,403 39% −1
Michigan's 20th Senate District Republican Primary Election, August 2022
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 24,691 67%
Republican Austin Kreutz 7,853 21%
Republican Kaleb M. Hudson 4,172 11%
Michigan's 26th Senate District General Election, Nov. 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 61,509 57%
Democratic Garnet Lewis 43,495 40%
Libertarian Erwin Haas 2,375 2%
Green Robert M. Alway 1,153 1%
Michigan's 26th Senate District Republican Primary Election, August 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 16,529 52%
Republican Bob Genetski 9,377 28%
Republican Don Wickstra 6,443 20%
Michigan's 66th District General Election, Nov. 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 15,753 58%
Democratic Annie Brown 11.646 42%
Michigan's 66th District General Election, Nov. 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 22,990 59%
Democratic Richard Rackovich 16,277 41%
Michigan's 80th District General Election, Nov. 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 15,492 62%
Democratic Tom Erdmann 7,859 32%
Libertarian Bill Bradley 722 3%
No Party Affiliation Cheryl Evick 778 3%
Michigan's 80th District Primary Election, Aug. 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Aric Nesbitt 5,458 50%
Republican Shelly Hartmann 1,818 17%
Republican Frank Thompson 1,697 16%
Republican Robert Linderman 801 8%
Republican Douglas J. Harrington 769 7%
Republican William Queen 204 2%

References

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  1. ^ "Michigan Manual 2019" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  2. ^ "Michigan Manual, 100th Legislature" (PDF).
  3. ^ Representative Aric Nesbitt :: House District 80 Archived January 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Gophouse.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-19.
  4. ^ "Nesbitt a genuine winner". 12 April 2011.
  5. ^ Aric Nesbitt for State Representative – About Aric Archived April 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Votenesbitt.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-19.
Michigan House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 80th district

2011–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 66th district

2013–2017
Succeeded by
Michigan Senate
Preceded by Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 26th district

2019–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 20th district

2023–present
Incumbent
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate
2019–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate
2023–present
Incumbent