Michigan’s 11th Congressional District

A Voter’s Guide to the 11th Congressional Race

Candidates Republican Dave Trott and Democrat Anil Kumar

Independent Kerry Bentivolio and Libertarian Jonathan Ray Osment will also be on the ballot.

Melissa Mason

In order to understand what’s happening now in the race to represent Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, we have to go back a few years. That’s when longtime Republican Congressman Thaddeus McCotter was part of a scandal involving phony petition signatures that ultimately led to his resignation. Democrat David Curson filled a special six-week term in the district. Then in 2012, Republican Kerry Bentivolio was elected. In 2014, Bentivolio ran for re-election but was defeated in the GOP primary by Birmingham businessman David Trott.

 

Republican Congressman Dave Trott

Wiki Commons

Incumbent Dave Trott has a bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan, and had a career as a lawyer in Birmingham before turning to politics. According to his website, he spent a semester teaching American government, and he sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress.

Trott’s Campaign Website

Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @Trott4Congress

 

Democrat Anil Kumar

Anil Kumar Campaign

Dr. Anil Kumar, of Bloomfield Hills, is chief of surgery at Crittendon Hospital. In 1984, Kumar immigrated to Detroit from India. He teaches at Michigan State University, Kumar says his three decades of experience in the medical field have made him an expert on healthcare, and that he will “use his expertise to enhance the Affordable Care Act and Medicare.”

Kumar’s Campaign Website

Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @_AchheDin

 

Independent Kerry Bentivolio

Wiki Commons

Conservative Bentivolio is a Milford native and a Vietnam veteran. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College and a Master of Education from Marygrove College. Bentivolio says he served with the military police during Desert Storm, and in Iraq in 2007.

Bentivolio’s Campaign Website

Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @KerryB4Congress

 

Libertarian Jonathan Ray Osment

Jonathan Ray Osment

Jonathan Ray Osment is a Farmington Hills native. He’s lived in Michigan for most of his life, and graduated from Kalamazoo College. He is a software engineer with an entrepreneurial background, although he currently works for Quicken Loans. He is focused on implementing political reform and creating greater personal freedoms for citizens if he is elected. 

Osment’s Campaign Website

Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @JonathanROsment

About the Voters

Population 712,132
Age Distribution: 18-34 19.3%
Age Distribution: 35-59 37.9%
Age Distribution: 60+ 20%
Male 49.1%
Female 50.9%
Race

White: 83.7%
Black: 5.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3%
Asian: 8.3%
Some other race: 0.5%
Two or more: 2.2%
Hispanic or Latino: 3.3%

Foreign-born 12.1%
Education Level

Less than high school graduate: 6.0%
High school graduate: 20.6%
Some college or associate’s degree: 28.8%
Bachelor’s degree: 26.4%
Graduate or professional degree: 18.3%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey,
2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Previous Congressional Election Results

2014 General Election 

Dave Trott (R) – 55.90%

Bobby McKenzie (D) – 40.47%

2012 General Election

Kerry Bentivolio (R) 50.76%

Syed Taj (D) – 44.36%

Previous WDET Work on Michigan’s 11th Congressional District

The 11th District’s Special Election in 2012

Click here for WDET’s 2016 Feature Story on 11th District Candidates

 

Wayne State University Communication Students Clara Ruffin and Deiontae Nicholas contributed to this coverage.

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