DETROIT – 26-year-old Mari Manoogian, a former U.S. State Department worker, won the Michigan State House District 40 seat, currently held by Republicans.
Birmingham resident and Democrat Mari Manoogian defeated Republican David Wolkinson in the Nov. 6 election.
Manoogian received 30,223 votes compared to 23,221 for Wolkinson, a former vice chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.
“Tonight, after 15 months of campaigning across every corner of this district, I’m honored to have earned my neighbors’ trust to serve as the next State Representative for Michigan’s 40th district.” Manoogian said in a victory post.
“We flipped this seat from red to blue by working our hearts out and campaigning on the issues that matter to people across our district: clean water, quality public schools, and safe roads –– and that’s what I’ll fight for every day I serve in the Legislature.”
Mari Manoogian was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan. She attended Birmingham Public Schools and graduated with honors from Seaholm High School.
Mari’s great-grandparents escaped the Armenian Genocide and came to the United States in the early 1920s. Her father’s and mother’s families arrived in Michigan via Ellis Island, and ultimately settled in the Detroit area.
She is a member of the ACLU, NAACP, Sierra Club, and St. Sarkis Armenian Church in Dearborn.
