Senator Michelle McManus

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Michelle A. McManus, R-Lake Leelanau, was first elected to the Michigan Senate in November 2002 and re-elected in November 2006. She represents the second largest geographical district, the 35th State Senate District, which includes: Benzie, Clare, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mecosta, Missaukee, Osceola, Roscommon, and Wexford counties in northwest Lower Michigan.

At the start of her second term, McManus was selected to serve as Assistant Majority Leader and as chair of the Senate Campaign & Election Oversight Committee, a new committee formed in 2007. She serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where she is the chair of the Department of Natural Resources Subcommittee and the Joint Capital Outlay Committee, Vice-Chair of the Community Colleges Subcommittee and a member of the Higher Education Subcommittee. She also sits on the Senate Finance Committee.

In 2003, she spearheaded the fight against partial birth abortions in Michigan. As the sponsor of Senate Bill 395, Senator McManus began the struggle to pass the Legal Birth Definition Act, which defined the moment at which a person is considered "born" and therefore eligible for the full protection of the law. Through this definition, partial birth abortions would be banned except in rare cases where the physical health or life of the mother is threatened by delivery. After the bill was vetoed by Governor Granholm, the Senator joined with Right to Life Michigan, and through a citizen imitative resoundingly overturned the Governor's veto with more than half a million signatures.

In 2005, she led the fight for free enterprise and consumers' rights when Michigan's wineries' right to direct ship wine to their customers was threatened. Thanks to her efforts, Michigan's wine industry continues to grow and thrive as an important and growing sector of our agricultural economy.

McManus has received a number of awards and honors for her work in the Legislature, including the Agricultural Advocate Award from the Michigan Agribusiness Association, Conservation Policy Leadership Award from the Heart of the Lakes Center on Conservation Policy, Legislator of the Year Award from WineMichigan and the Children's Health Award from the Michigan Comprehensive School Health Coordinators Association.

McManus also serves as Co-Chair of the Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, which is dedicated to promoting the outdoors through education and conservation. She has sponsored numerous pieces of sportsmen's legislation that are now law, including establishing a new apprentice hunting program and banning Internet hunting.

A lifelong resident of northern Michigan, Sen. McManus attended Traverse City Public Schools and earned her B.S. in political science from Central Michigan University. Michelle and her husband Keith Nelson live on her family farm in Lake Leelanau with their son, Ben, and two daughters, Jessica and Mary. An avid sportsman, she enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities and is an active member in her community. Before taking office, Senator McManus served as the director of Governor Engler's Northern Office and as a three term State Representative for the 104th District.

Senator Michelle McManus can be contacted by clicking here.